The staircase design, its appearance, convenience and safety are essential for any home. A successful staircase design increases the overall level of comfort of people who will use it in the future, and also affects the level of ergonomics of the room. Given the importance and significance of the design, almost all of its elements are subject to regulation at the legislative level: the width and length of the span, the size of the fences, the number and height of the steps of the stairs (GOST and SNiP).
The value of the timely calculation of parameters
The basic dimensions of the staircase are calculated even at the stage of development of the house project. The width and height of the stairs allows builders to calculate the most important parameters of the future building.
Often, when designing a staircase project, they are guided by current standards and the wishes of the building owner. Compliance with administrative documents governing construction and repair work is mandatory. After all, a drawing of a beautiful, amazing imagination of a staircase is half the battle. The design must be functional, reliable, convenient and safe.
Particular attention is required to stairs in public buildings or in educational institutions.
How exactly is the construction of stairs
Documents that contain standards, norms and rules, in accordance with which all staircases should be erected - GOST and SNiP.
For stairs made of concrete and reinforced concrete, GOST 8717.1-84 and 8717.0-84 exist. The last document applies to stairs made of metal structures.
Their individual paragraphs describe how high the marches should be, how many steps should be placed in them and what height they should be done. The angle at which the flight of stairs, the width of the site and the type of fencing is also specified.
Some sizes are shown with specific values, others are a range within which master builders can choose the numbers that are right for them.
What does “optimal stair tilt” mean?
The angle at which the staircase will be located in a private house, multi-story apartment or public building are recommended values. The minimum angle is 20 degrees, the maximum is 50 degrees.
A smaller angle indicates that the staircase is low, that is, it is gentle. Of course, it is quite easy to climb such steps and the risk of falling is reduced, but such a design turns out to be several times longer and takes up much more space. Often, designers urge owners to save living space by shortening the length of the stairs. GOST sets the maximum allowable angle of inclination at the level of 50 degrees, since more abrupt steps are unsafe for a rising person.
True, there are exceptions, such as installing stairs in attics and basements. Steep stairs may be allowed here due to their infrequent use and limited space.
Optimal (for a private house) is a flight of stairs, tilted at an angle of 30-35 degrees. This range of indicators corresponds to the natural rhythms of human movement.
What data is taken into account during the development of the project
The most important parameters affecting the staircase construction are:
- The height of each floor.
- The total area of the interior.
- Layout of windows, doors and openings.
- The shape and features of the walls of rooms (niches, ledges).
These data, which are determined according to construction drawings, affect what the height of the stairs will be, GOST is also necessarily taken into account. In addition, the figures obtained allow us to see what the total height of the stairs, the length of the marches, the number and size of turntables will be.
The existence of established parameters does not mean at all that the staircase structure does not need to be calculated. Individual projects are necessary, since the final dimensions are influenced by many factors (material for the manufacture of stairs and railings, the type of finish, materials used in the design of the interior).
How is the height of the steps of the stairs (GOST) calculated?
The angle of inclination of the structure depends on how many steps there will be, on their height, as well as on the distance between them.
Standards define administrative documents - GOST and SNiP. The height of the steps of the stairs can be from 12 cm to 22 cm. The location of the structure and its purpose affect the choice of a specific size. For those stairs that are used intensively and often, it is recommended to choose a value of about 14.5-17.5 cm.
Speaking of the depth of the tread (the horizontal plane onto which the person steps), its optimal indicator should be indicated: the allowed range is from 25 cm to 40 cm. However, the most convenient steps are those whose width is 30-37 cm.
The rationale for these values is the size of the foot of the average person, as well as the width of his step. If for some reason the optimal parameters cannot be applied or the planned slope of the staircase prevents the placement of steps of such sizes, the project developers reduce the depth to 14.5 cm.In addition, they provide a ledge that increases the depth by two or three centimeters (overhang).
What is a riser and what should be its height
The degree height of any staircase directly depends on the size of the riser and the thickness of the step itself. A riser is a vertical element located between two treads.
As already noted, the standard height of the stairs is 14.5-17.5 cm. In this case, the process of calculating the parameters provides for a mandatory check for convenience and safety. To do this, add the width of the tread and the height of the riser (according to the drawing). If the amount is in the range from 44 cm to 48 cm, then the ladder can be considered safe.
Number of steps
A standard flight of stairs contains on average 12-15 steps. This amount allows most people to calmly climb from start to finish or to the landing.
To determine how many steps the staircase will have, the craftsmen use the following method:
- Calculate or measure the total length of the stairs (distance from the first step to the floor of the second floor).
- Divide the resulting length by the approximate height of the riser.
- Round the resulting size to an integer and recalculate taking into account new data.
This algorithm is quite simplified, since in the process of real calculations many other factors are taken into account (the thickness of the flooring on the first and second floors, the type of staircase itself, the decoration of the steps).
Features of concrete stairs
Today, the choice of staircases for many home owners is facilitated by the existence of ready-made modules made of high-quality concrete (brand no lower than B15).
Certified manufacturers are engaged in their manufacturing, therefore, all the requirements of GOST and SNiP are met (the height of the steps of the stairs, their depth and width, as well as the angle of inclination).
The use of such structures greatly facilitates, accelerates and cheapens the construction of stairs. Reinforced concrete stairs are very durable and can be decorated with various materials and techniques, so they are installed both in residential buildings and in public buildings.
Some aspects of staircase design
The height of the steps of the stairs (GOST this provides) should be the same for all elements of the stairs. This is a mandatory requirement, which is designed to ensure the balance of a person moving between floors.
In addition, experts argue that people are more comfortable completing the ascent or descent with the foot with which they began to move up the stairs. Therefore, many designs contain an odd number of degrees.
If the platform between the marches consists of several levels, the difference in their height should be equal to the height of the step.
Spiral staircases and their steps
When designing spiral or spiral staircases, designers have to deal with winding steps. The requirements regarding their height remain the same as for straight, rotary or combined structures.
However, due to the specific shape of the steps, the depth of the tread and the width of the staircase itself are subject to strict regulation.
This is due to the fact that it is not as convenient and safe to move around screw structures as traditional ones. For this reason, designers are not advised to build such a staircase as the main one.
Often, spiral staircases are used to climb to the attic or as an auxiliary vehicle. True, many modern screw-type constructions have a very beautiful design and become the main decoration of the room. To increase the comfort of future residents, their width and height between the steps of the stairs should be as close as possible to the optimal parameters.
Spiral staircases are completely unsuitable for installation in public buildings and educational institutions. They should also be avoided if a person with limited mobility lives in the house. True, if the owner still really wants to see just such a staircase in his house, he should place all the significant objects and premises (bedroom, kitchen, living room) on the ground floor.