More recently, a two-story apartment was considered an unattainable luxury. But today, almost everyone can afford such housing. And this is facilitated by modern developers. They build houses with two-level apartments of various classes. Among them are luxurious apartments ranging from 80 to 100 square meters, and small in size housing for young people.
Apartments located on two levels have some differences from traditional ones. They relate primarily to the separation of zones of common space. The owner of such an apartment experiences the feeling of his own home, located directly in the metropolis.
Pros of two-level housing
Apartments, rooms in which are located on different floors, have always been popular. The interest in such housing in modern man has not disappeared. After all, there is an opinion that an apartment located at different levels is a confirmation of the good taste of its owner. Behind the scenes, such housing is considered very prestigious. Moreover, a similar opinion remains with respect to very modest options.
A huge plus of having two floors in the apartment is the isolation of the common space. This issue is especially relevant for a large family. In this case, it becomes possible to divide the house into two zones. The first of them is shared, and the second is private. As a rule, on the ground floor, the hosts place a hallway and a living room where guests can go. The second floor remains at the disposal of only households.
Another advantage of two-level apartments is the large amount of open space. And this is despite the fact that in recent years, developers have offered small housing, located on two floors, with standard ceilings.
The indisputable advantage of two-level apartments lies in the possibility of using several styles in the interior. The connecting link in this case is a staircase along which you can move from one floor of the house to another. It is she who is the main element of the decor in the house and must be executed using an interesting design solution.
Cons of duplex housing
A similar layout is not without some drawbacks. And they are all enclosed in the same staircase. After all, as you know, all that is an advantage for some people can be a big minus for others. So the staircase, which is a real decoration of a two-level apartment, can become a serious obstacle for kids and the elderly. Of course, here you can talk about the benefits of physical activity. However, far from everyone, his state of health will allow more than a dozen times to rise and descend from one floor to another throughout the day. That is why the owners of such a home should carefully consider the layout of the rooms so that each member of the family is comfortable and comfortable. Another way out of this situation is the construction of an elevator in the apartment.
Main focus
The main and most characteristic element of the interior of a two-level apartment is, as mentioned above, a staircase. Its design will certainly attract the attention of anyone, regardless of its location - in the center of the room or against the wall. However, in both cases, the owners of two-level housing should remember that the use of the stairs in the apartment should be safe in the first place, and this element itself should be organically located in the interior.
Determine the type of design
When choosing a staircase design in an apartment, the owners must take into account the specifics and features of its various types. You will need to approach this issue with all responsibility, because such a structure will serve for many years.
The stairs in the interior of the apartment must be functional and have aesthetic appeal. At the same time, they need to harmoniously fit into the interior of the room so as not to clutter it in any way.
When considering options for stairs in an apartment, homeowners are advised to consider the following factors:
- construction location;
- the purpose of the stairs (auxiliary or main);
- total area of ββthe room;
- the amount of space allocated for the installation of the structure;
- arrangement of columns, niches, ledges, windows, walls and other architectural elements;
- style in which the interior is made;
- necessary level of comfort and safety.
The last item should pay particular attention to those families in which there are elderly people and small children, because some types of stairs in the apartment will become very uncomfortable for them. This, for example, structures without fences, with a steep angle of inclination, with narrow steps and other features. Such owners should not build such stairs, for which the safety issue is in one of the first places.
The main types of structures
What are the stairs in the apartment? Among the most common options, the following types are distinguished:
- direct marching;
- rotary with running steps or with platforms;
- screw.
Moreover, each of these types of stairs in the apartment can be made of various materials and their combinations. These include wood and metal, concrete, stone or plastic.
Production
Today, owners of two-story housing can buy a staircase in an apartment on the second floor. Various options for such designs are offered by many manufacturers. Individual designs are accepted for similar designs. Finished products are mounted by specialists. There are also standard designs that are assembled on site and installed independently.
You can make a decorative staircase in the apartment with your own hands. But it should be borne in mind that for the proper preparation of the project, the implementation of all structural elements, as well as its high-quality installation, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements that apply to such structures in advance.
Marching stairs
These designs are considered the most practical and convenient. Their main feature is the presence of an inclined straight section with a march (steps). Like other types of similar structures, such stairs located inside residential premises take into account the mechanics of movements and the anatomical features of the human body. Comfortable and safe movement of people on them is regulated by the norms of SNiP. They indicate the angle of inclination of the stairs for the house, the height and strength of the fences, as well as other parameters.
The main advantage of marching structures is the possibility of their construction with their own hands. It should be borne in mind that according to existing standards, no more than 18 steps should be located in one march. More of them will make the climb too tiring. The most optimal option, according to the recommendations of specialists, is to install 10-12 steps on one march.
However, there are drawbacks to such stairs. They relate primarily to their bulkiness and massiveness. In addition, the design of the stairs to the second floor in a marching type apartment will require the allocation of a large area for it. That is why such structures are not mounted in those housing options that have limited space. Another drawback of marching stairs is manifested with a significant distance between floors. With high ceilings, such a design will occupy almost the entire wall.
Swing stairs
What are similar designs?
A staircase can be called turning if its marches are located in relation to each other at a certain angle. Based on the value of this indicator, such designs are:
- quarter-turn (at an angle of 90 degrees);
- half-turn (with an angle of 180 degrees).
Home stairs usually include two or three straight flights. In cases where the area of ββthe room is not enough to accommodate one large span, it should be divided into two. These marches should be separated from each other by a platform. Its length is set in proportion to the step of an adult. The width of the site always corresponds to the width of the march. When designing a rotary ladder, it will be necessary to calculate its dimensions taking into account the probable movement of large objects.
They have rotary structures mainly near the wall of the room. Such placement will not only save square meters. It will allow you to use the space that is under the stairs. At the request of the owners, they can equip either a pantry for household needs in this place, or arrange a recreation area with a sofa and armchairs.
Do-it-yourselfers can build a staircase to the second floor with a turn.
Use of running steps
When arranging a rotary staircase, the areas between its marches can not be built at all. They are exchanged for cross-country steps. They are elements whose inner edge is much narrower than the outer. To such steps presents its requirements GOST and SNiP. According to these normative documents, the depth of the external and internal sides of the tread should be at the level of 40 and 10 cm, respectively. With smaller sizes, the running steps will be so narrow that they will not allow a person to stably place a foot on them.
The owners of two-level apartments should keep in mind that such structures, designed to move between floors, will be inconvenient for those people who have limited mobility. But at the same time, in the interior, the staircase, which has downstairs, looks very elegant.
Spiral constructions
The most attractive and interesting option for owners of two-level housing will be a spiral staircase in the apartment. This is a design, the steps of which are located around the support column in an ascending spiral. When choosing this type of stairs, the owners of the apartment will be able to save their living space as much as possible. Some modifications of such designs are located only two square meters. Moreover, there can be a spiral staircase anywhere in the room. But, as a rule, they transfer it to a corner.
The spiral type of stairs is a universal option for an apartment. Nevertheless, experts recommend that before installing it, study the specifics of such a structure and the features of its operation.
Among the shortcomings of such stairs, a small width of the internal opening is noted. On average, the radius of the structure is within 100 cm. The inconvenience in operation is also caused by steps that have an asymmetric shape with a narrow (10 cm) and wide (40 cm) edge. Those who have chosen for themselves just such a variant of the staircase can reconstruct it somewhat. To increase the useful area of ββthe steps, it is recommended to remove the riser. You can also add 2-3 cm of overhanging protrusion to the horizontal plane.
Fixing steps
Stairs for a two-level apartment can be mounted using different methods of fixing the main parts for lifting. Steps can be fixed:
- On the skewers. Such load-bearing elements serve as a support for the entire structure. When assembling the steps, helical, broken or straight braids can be used. This type of mount is extremely safe and reliable.
- On a bowstring. This supporting element is not located under the stairs, like a kosour, but along its structure. The steps are attached with the butt end to the bowstring, which can be concrete, metal or wooden.
- On the bolets. When using this method, the steps are fixed to the wall using special bolts embedded or screwed into it. These fasteners make installation quick and relatively easy, while saving on consumables. A staircase with such a fastener looks elegant and seems very light.
Wooden structures
Based on the design of the room, it is necessary to select the optimal version of the material from which the structure will be made. Classical style is a wooden staircase. Most of all, they prefer to install structures from this material in the apartment, which gives the interior nobility and respectability. The advantages of wood are its environmental cleanliness and affordable cost.
Such designs are not difficult to make on their own. And this is the main argument when choosing a material for those owners who like to create interior details with their own hands.
The disadvantage of wooden structures is their susceptibility to mechanical damage and wear. Behind such a staircase, care must be taken in the form of repairs, painting, as well as the application of fire and antiparasitic impregnations.
Metal constructions
This material is the strongest of all possible. It is used for the manufacture of both all stair structures and individual elements. Such facilities have many advantages. They are durable, wear-resistant and durable.
The use of other materials
Increasingly, glass is used to make stairs for two-level apartments or its individual elements. It must be multilayer or hardened. Due to its transparency, this material makes the design elegant and light.
PVC and plastic designs are also popular. They are light in weight, low in cost and attractive in appearance. Moreover, such stairs are wear-resistant and durable.