STRAIGHT STAIRS

Straight stairs are stairs without any changes in direction.

They are certainly one of the most common types of stairs found in both residential and commercial properties.

WHAT ARE STRAIGHT STAIRS WITH A CENTRAL LANDING?

On longer flights of stairs, a landing is inserted to break up the flight.

Building codes require this for floor heights above 12 feet.

Especially in commercial buildings, straight stairs often have platforms halfway up the run of the stairs.

ADVANTAGES OF STRAIGHT STAIRS

Straight stairs tend to be the easiest to go up and down.

They are typically the easiest to build, however, this depends a lot on the level of detail in the design.

Straight stairs only need to be connected at the top and the bottom (no intermediate supporting structure is required).

They work well with minimalist designed homes due to their inherent simplicity.

No landing is required if the number of risers is kept under 16 or the overall vertical height is less than 12 feet.

It’s relatively easy to build railings and handrails for straight stairs.

Measuring for railings for straight stairs is simpler than for other stair designs.

DISADVANTAGES OF STRAIGHT STAIRS

Straight stairs use up a fair amount of linear space, which has to be planned for in your design.

A stair 12-feet high requires a landing to break up the span. The addition of a landing will use up a lot more space and therefore these types of stairs are seldom used in residential construction. You will see these more frequently in large commercial buildings.

“L” SHAPED STAIRS

The L shaped stair is a variation of the straight stair with a bend in some portion of the stair. This bend is usually achieved by adding a landing at the transition point. The bend is often 90 degrees, however, it does not have to be. If the landing is closer to the top or bottom of the stairs it is sometimes referred to as a long L stair or a quarter turn stair..

ADVANTAGES OF L SHAPED STAIRS

L shaped stairs can be more visually interesting.

Some believe they are safer than straight stairs as the central landing reduces the number of treads one could fall in a given flight.

The landing can provide a place to stop and rest while ascending.

DISADVANTAGES OF L SHAPED STAIRS

L shaped stairs are a bit more difficult to build than straight stairs.

A support is typically required for the landing in an L type stair.

Handrails for these types of stairs require more skill and planning to construct than handrails for straight stairs.

“U” SHAPED STAIRS

U shaped stairs are essentially two parallel flights of straight stairs joined by a landing that creates a 180-degree turn in the walk line.

ADVANTAGES OF U SHAPED STAIRS

U shaped stairs can be easier to fit into an architectural plan.

They offer some architectural interest.

The landing(s) can offer a resting point partway up the stairs.

DISADVANTAGES OF U SHAPED STAIRS

These types of stairs are a bit more difficult to build than simpler stair types.

“Custom stairs”

MAKE IT STAND OUT.

The only limitation is your own imagination, even then… we can help!