Everything You Wanted To Know About Building Stairs
31 . 08 . 2012
For people who have never been involved in the construction of stairs up until now - perhaps you’re doing a renovation or building a brand new home from scratch – it’s likely that you’ll be looking at this task as if it’s the most daunting thing you have ever attempted. To try and settle your nerves a little, here’s everything you wanted to know about building stairs:
- Benefits: As well as helping you to get from one level of your home to another, stairs are able to add a visual feature to your home that draws the eye without being too ostentatious. When done well, they can also increase the value of your home.
- Features: When building stairs, there are a number of components that you must look at. Each step is created through the use of a tread and a riser that has been attached to a stringer. Then there is the handrail, posts, balustrade, and so on!
- Size: There are actually building codes in place that dictate the minimum and maximum measurements for each feature of the stairs, as these ensure safe use. Treads, for example, must have a minimum depth of 9 inches and handrails must be between 34 and 38 inches high.
- Types: There are heaps of different designs out there; the most important thing is to choose one that suits your home or landscape. You could choose a standard straight or L-shaped one, or opt for something a little more extravagant, like a spiral.
Does building stairs still sound like the scary project it did at the beginning of this piece? Of course not! Whenever you are attempting a project that involves the construction of stairs, just make sure you have someone who knows what they’re doing there to help you out.