Staircases in a Country House

A common mistake builders make is to order a prefabricated structure for a house that has already been built. Unless the calculations are made in advance, it is difficult to fit even a simple structure into the opening. That is why it is better not to choose a staircase from a beautiful interior photo, but to include it in the project at the construction stage of the house.

TYPES OF INTERIOR STAIRCASES

All home staircases can be divided into two groups: spiral staircases and flight staircases. The choice between them depends on the volume of the interior space, its stylistic design, and the comfort of the occupants.

Spiral staircases fit perfectly into the minimalist and classic styles. Their shape can be not only round, but also polygonal or square. Such stairs are not attached to the walls, so they can even be placed in the middle of the room. Note that a spiral staircase is more expensive than a straight one because of the complexity of the work. Keep in mind, too, that it is hard to climb up or down. You cannot carry bulky furniture up such a staircase, and it becomes a problem for the elderly.

A spiral staircase in the Provence style. This is a classic spiral staircase design, made of wood.

The flight staircase is characteristic of many styles: classic, Scandinavian, chalet, and others. It requires more space. If an overly massive design is not needed, install a turning staircase with winder steps. A cantilever staircase, a bolt-fixed structure, looks very compact and light. The number of steps, their openness or enclosure, and the presence or absence of turns are determined by the specific conditions.

ARRANGEMENT IN THE HOUSE

On the principle of rationality, the staircase is best placed as close as possible to the geometric center of the house, in the hallway. From there you can go straight to the second floor without passing through other rooms. The noise of footsteps on the stairs will not disturb the bedroom, the living room, or the children's room, and the length of the wiring for lighting will be optimal. The same applies to the exit on the second floor - it is better if it is located in a shared hallway.

Structural details of spiral staircases

Spiral staircases most often have a metal or wooden central column with wedge-shaped steps. The post is fixed to the ceiling between the floors and to the floor of the first story. The steps are arranged in a circle, narrow side toward the post, with railing elements attached to the outer side of the steps.

How to calculate:

At the spot chosen for installation, the center, the location of the post, is determined.
Add together the height of the room and the floor (this is the length of the post).
The distance from the post to the boundary of the spot is measured - this determines the length of the steps.
For ease of movement, the middle of the steps should be no less than 20 centimeters wide, and the widest part no more than 42 centimeters.
The height between steps should be from 15 to 25 centimeters.

To calculate the maximum width of a step, use the formula for the circumference of the whole staircase (2 * 3.14 * r, where r is the span width in mm), and divide the result by the number of steps in the span. This way the design will come out without gaps.

Features of flight staircases

Flight staircases can have several flights of steps and be open or closed, twisting or circular.

Open designs have no risers. This is convenient when the tread (the step itself) is not wide enough.
On a staircase with a turn, winder steps are often used instead of a landing between the flights.

In the design of a flight staircase, calculating the size of the steps and the tread (or the distance between them) is especially important.

The step width should be about 30 cm. A wider step will "eat up" space and force the slope of the staircase to increase. A narrower one is dangerous to walk on, as your foot can slip off it.
The optimal distance between steps is 20 centimeters. It must remain the same throughout the entire staircase!

Ideally, the width of the step plus the height of the riser, multiplied by 2, should equal the average length of a human stride - 60-65 cm. An angle of inclination of 30-40 degrees is considered the most comfortable. Sometimes it is increased to 50 degrees, but descending such a staircase is uncomfortable.

The width of the staircase span is determined individually, but it is better if two people can pass easily - that is, 100-150 cm. If the figure is larger, the middle of the steps is reinforced.

Side beams serve as supports for the steps. The steps can be fixed in them by overlay (stringers with triangular cutouts) or by mortise (a stringer is a beam with holes cut into it).

Guardrails are an element that combines the safety and the stylistic design of the entire staircase. Their height should be at least 80 centimeters. The distance between the balusters, if there are children in the cottage, should be up to 12 centimeters. Fasten the railings as firmly as possible - for example, wooden railings are fixed with self-tapping screws and the parts are additionally glued.

Guardrails are required for stairs starting from 1 meter in height.

Railings can be not only functional but also beautiful.

A staircase should preferably have no more than 17 steps and no fewer than 3. The most convenient is a flight with an odd number of steps, so that people step onto the last step with the same foot they used on the first.

BOLT-FIXED STAIRS

An invention of the rational Germans, this type became popular in Russia. The bolt-fixed staircase design involves attaching the steps directly to the wall on one side and to the railing post on the other. Installing a bolt-fixed structure is only possible when the load-bearing wall is strong enough, so it is not suitable for a timber-frame house, for example.

Despite their visual lightness, such a staircase, with proper calculation and installation, can withstand loads of up to a ton! The rules for calculating the design are roughly the same as for a flight staircase. Ready-made kits are also available for sale.

Wood is a classic, paired above all with a wooden house. Coniferous wood withstands constant use the worst; oak, beech, ash, and other hardwoods do better. The qualities that wood for stairs should have:

moisture content of no more than 8%;
all parts must be glued, otherwise they will crack.

What to consider when choosing wooden stairs:

The material is sensitive to the humidity of the air, so a humidifier is needed.
Underfloor heating or space heaters should be at least 0.5 m away from the stairs.

Nobility, strength, and reliability - wooden stairs will never go out of fashion.

Metal is used both for the staircase as a whole and for individual elements. Forged metal is especially popular, as it makes the entire structure durable. It also serves as decorative ornamentation.

An elegant combination of metal and wood.

Glass is used less often, and if a staircase is made of this material, the glass should be tempered and reinforced with a film (triplex). The connecting elements and the base of a glass staircase are made of metal.

A staircase with a glass railing. Please note: sturdy wooden steps are attached to a base in the form of a central beam. This design is rare and requires a special approach to engineering.

THE BASICS OF STAIR SAFETY

The smooth surface of the steps becomes a source of danger for the occupants of the house. Here are a few ways to make them safe:

install galvanized steel or aluminum profile corners with a rubber strip on the edge of each step;
cover the steps with a carpet runner (with a carpet pad and a rubber base);
place a separate rubber, plastic, silicone, or carpet mat on each step, fastened with screws and a decorative cover plate;
coat wooden steps with varnish mixed with fine-grained quartz sand;
treat stone steps (of sandstone, basalt, or granite) with special anti-slip solutions.