Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
17
How to build your own staircase
I have no doubt that you have seen a huge variety of staircases, including straight stairs
and spiral staircases. The staircase mentioned in
Fiddler on the Roof
is a favourite, and an
expression of many people's attitudes towards stairs as they can add a lot to the aesthetic
appeal and flavour of a house. However, I think that to have one going up and another
coming down just for show is a little over the top. The simplest staircase to build and
install is a straight run of stairs from one floor to the next (see Figure 17.1).
It is often not possible to fit a straight run of stairs into a house, so landings are used
to join shorter straight sections of stairs. The landings might be in the form of a flat
platform or may have triangular shaped stairs within them. The options are limitless in
the design and materials uses to build staircases, however there are legal requirements
that must be adhered to.
Figure 17.1
Components of an open staircase
