STAIRWAYS
EVOLUTION OF STAIRCASE
Staircase are one of the oldest building elements in
architectural histories. Reflecting the prevailing
philosophies and symbolic language.
WHY DO WE NEED STAIRCASE
To protect people from injuries and to facilitates access
during movements from one level to the another in a
building.
LOCATION OF STAIR
Stair should be placed at a central place in the building
so as to give shortest access to all rooms. It should be
well ventilated and airy.
PRINCIPLES TO BE OBSERVED WHILE PLANNING AND DESIGNING A STAIR
1. Width of Stair: It should not be less than 1.00m.
2. Length of flight: The number of steps in a single flight should not be more than 12.
3. Pitch of the stair: It should be between 25 to 40
4. Width of landing: It should be 150mm, more than the width of stair.
5. Winders or kite steps: Odd shaped steps should be avoided and incase found necessary. These should be
provided at the start of a stair.
6. Han-rails: It should be 750 to 850 mm in height from the top of respective step or landing.
7. Step proportions: The size of rise and tread in a stair should be kept uniform through out the whole stair.
8. Headroom: Minimum of 2000mm of clear headroom is required above the pitch line
Following proportions are recommended: iii. Industrial buildings, Railway station, etc.
i. Residential buildings - Tread=250 mm Tread =not less then 250 mm
Rise=160 mm =250 to 300 mm
ii. Public buildings - Tread=300 mm Rise =not less then 150 mm
Rise=150 mm =150 to 190 mm
PRINCIPLES TO BE OBSERVED WHILE PLANNING AND DESIGNING A STAIR
Otherwise work out the sizes of rise and tread by using
any one of the following proportions
(i) (2xRise)+(Going), In mm=550 to 600 mm
(ii) Rise x tread, both in cm = 400 to 410 cm2.
(iii) With basic proportion of going 300 mm and rise
150 mm, add 10 mm to rise for every 20 mm
deduction from going e.g. For a going of 280 mm
the rise will be 160 mm.
The above rules act as guide but the actual sizes depend
upon the availability of space, while planning stairs
practical-field
COMPONENTS OF A STAIR
Balusters - The smaller posts fitted between the stair and the
handrail, usually decorative, and in timber or steel.
Bullnose Step - The step at the base of a stair which usually has
a protruding semicircular end
Capping - The piece of timber that forms the edge or border for
the carpet or other floor coverings, located at the edge of the
floor on upper level
Closed Stair - A stair that has treads and risers
Cut Stringer - Stringers that are cut to follow the profile of the
treads and risers.
COMPONENTS OF A STAIR
Handrail - The shaped or molded piece of timber you hold on to as
you walk up or down the stair.
Handrail Scroll - The decorative handrail piece at the start of the
stair that curls around and sits above the bullnose step
Handrail Wreaths - The sections that curve around corners to form
a continuous handrail
Landing - The flat platforms usually located where a stair changes
direction.
Newel Posts - The larger square posts at the start and the corners of
a stair. They are usually turned, fluted, panelled or decorated in
some way.
COMPONENTS OF A STAIR
Open Stair - A stair that has no risers
Risers - The vertical pieces which are the solid infill between the treads
Stringers - The main beams that support treads and risers
Tread Bracket - The decorative pieces that fit to the face of a cut
stringer in the more traditional type of stair
Tread Nose - The rounded leading edge of a step .
Treads - These are simply the steps you walk on
Winder Steps - The triangular treads used to change the direction of
the stair, usually around right-angle corners
STAIR GEOMETRY
Stair safety and geometry are related- rhythmic movement along a straight line is important for safe
ascent or descent
STAIR ANGLES STAIRWAY LANDINGS
According to AS 1657-1992 (Fixed platforms, Stairways landings must be at least 30 inches deep
walkways, stairways & ladders- Design, and 22 inches wide at every 12 feet or less of
construction & installation), stairways should be vertical rise.
angled between 26.50 and 450 - That’s between
1 in 2 and 1 in 1 Unprotected sides of landings must have standard
42 inch guardrail systems
CLASSIFICATION OF STAIRS –
BASED ON SHAPE OF PLAN
Straight staircase C staircase L staircase
U staircase Adjustable Staircase
CLASSIFICATION OF STAIRS –
BASED ON TYPE OF MATERIALS
WOODEN STAIRS STEEL STAIRS BRICK STAIRS
STONE STAIRS REINFORCED CONCRETE STAIRS
CLASSIFICATION OF STAIRS – BASED ON SHAPE
STAIR TYPE 1 STAIR TYPE 2
Straight flight stair Straight two-flight stair with half-landing
Stairways >600mm between handrails Stairs constructed in flights straight or curved
Slope not less than 26.50 & not more than 450 horizontally.
Number of rises not to exceed 18 in a flight; not more
These are the
than 36 rises without a change in direction
stairs along
which there is
no change in
direction on
any flight.
It is used
where stair
case hall is
long and
narrow
STAIR TYPE 3 STAIR TYPE 4
Quarter-turn stair with landing Dogleg stair with half-landing
All treads to be slip resistant, with provision made Head clearance min 2000mm vertically from nosing of
for drainage. tread.
(a) Rises & goings (in the same flight) to be within Nosing of tread must be highlighted
5mm It consists of two straight
A stair turning through flights of steps with abrupt
one right angle is turn between them. A level
known as quarter turn landing is placed across the
stair. two flights at the change of
The change in direction.
direction can be This type of stair is useful
affected by either where the width of the
introducing a landing staircase hall is just sufficient
or by providing to accommodate two width
winders. of stair.
STAIR TYPE 5 STAIR TYPE 6
Open-well stair with two quarter landings Quarter-turn stair with winders
(a) Each rise not less than 150mm & not more than Landings:
215mm. (a) Length & width must be not less than the stairway
(b) Each going not less than 215mm & not more than (b) Landing minimum vertical clearance 2000mm
305m (c) Every access landingstanding space at least 600mm
clear of crosstraffic or door swin
In these type of stair
there is a well or A stair turning through
opening between right angles (270 degree)
the flights in plan. is known as three
This well may be quarter turn stair.
rectangular or of In this case an open well
any geometrical is formed.
shape and it can be
used for fixing lift.
STAIR TYPE 7 STAIR TYPE 8
Spiral stair with central column Circular stair with central well
Radius to centre line of stairway not less than Each Going not less than 215mm & not more than 305mm
600mm; where radius to centre line is less than It is known as spiral stair.
3000mm, maximum width of curved stairway When viewed from top it
750mm appears to follow a circle
with a single centre of
These stairs have no newel
curvature.
post and are of any
The spiral stairs are
geometrical shape.
provided where space
The change in direction is
available is limited and
achieved through winders.
traffic is low.
The stairs require more
These stairs can be
skill for its construction
constructed in R.C.C.,
and are weaker than open
Steel or Stone
newel stair.
STAIR TYPE 9 STAIR TYPE 10
Bifurcated Stair
Geometric stair (90°) turn
These stair are so arranged that there is a wide flight at
Tread width must not be less than the
the start which is further sub-divided into two narrow
going and there must be an overhang of
flights at the mid- landing.
at least 10mm.
The two narrow flight starts from either side of the mid-
landing.
These stairs are suitable for modern sub building.