Staircase is an important feature of a building. Staircase adds dignity and charm to your home when it is carefully designed and built! Stair provides means of vertical transportation between the floors. A good stair should therefore be designed as to provide quick, easy and safe mode of communication between the floors. While designing a staircase of your house, you should consider the requirements of a good stair. Here we have given few requirements of a good stair.
Following are the General Requirements of a Good Stair:
01. Location of Staircase:
- Staircase should be located such that it can be easily accessible from different rooms of the building.
- Its location should be such that it has spacious and convenient approaches are available without any hassle.
- Staircases must have the adequate provision of light and ventilation directly from the exterior of the building.
02. Width of Stair:
- It should be wide enough, so that a user can easily use it without any inconveniency.
- The width of the step depends upon its location and varies with the type of building itself.
- Generally for domestic buildings 1 m (3.3 feet) width is sufficient, while for public buildings 5 to 2.0 m (5 to 6.5 feet) width is required.
03. Length of Flight:
- For the comfortable ascent and descent of stairway, it is recommended that the number of steps in a single flight should not be more than 12 and less than 3. If the design is such that there are more than 12 steps, an intermediate landing must be provided.
04. Pitch of Stair:
- The pitch of stair should not be more than 37 degree in any type of stairs, so that climbing the stairs is less tiresome and dangerous.
05. Head Room:
- The head room or clearance between the tread and the soffit should not be less than 2 m (7.2 feet), so that even a taller person can use the staircase comfortably.
06. Balustrade & Railings:
- The open well or designer staircases should always be provided with balustrade and railings for the safety of users. The railing must be of suitable size and shape so that it can be easily gripped in hand.
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07. The Dimensions of Stair:
- The dimensions of stair should be such that it provides comfort to the user. The rise and tread of each step in a stair should be of uniform dimension throughout the staircase.
08. Winders:
- The introduction of winders in a stair should be avoided if possible. They are dangerous and increase the cost of construction.
09. Materials of Construction:
- The material used for construction should be such that it provides a sufficient strength and stability, fire resistance, sound insulation and last but not the least an aesthetic appearance to the stair.
Therefore, before you construct your new stairs, it should possess all the above requirements for your convenience!