With a lack of space in the living room, finding a place to place the stairs is a lot of trouble. And the solution to this issue can be stairs made of wood with railing steps. Such designs do not lose their practicality in operation and significantly save precious square meters. But before you begin installation work, you should be aware of the important nuances described in this article.
Form and types of stairs
First you need to decide on the design - the shape of the frame of the future staircase:
- steps fit into 2 kosour. But if the span is greater than 120 cm, then three supports are installed;
- when arranging the stairs on the bowstrings, the steps are fixed between the supporting elements;
- installation of steps directly to the wall or to the base mounted on the wall using bolts.
If necessary, all three options can be combined based on the layout of the room, the shape of the stairs and the presence of adjacent load-bearing walls.
Safety Requirements for Swing Ladders
Do not forget that walking on a wooden staircase should be as safe as possible, as both adults and children can move on it. Therefore, the following recommendations are urgent:
- the number of steps in one flight of stairs must be done no less than 3 and it is desirable that their total number be odd - it is psychologically more convenient to start and end the ascent from the same leg;
- the height of the fence should exceed the level of the center of gravity of the person, on average, this parameter ranges from 90 to 120 cm;
- mounting hardware should be made directly to the supporting elements of the floor.
Manual calculation of ladder parameters
Despite the many nuances and pitfalls that are found in the workflow, a wooden climbing ladder can not only be built on its own, but can also be designed without the involvement of specialists. This does not require any special knowledge, all you need to know is written in our article.
Ladder height
This parameter is the distance from the floor of the first floor to the floor of the second floor, that is, the thickness of the floor is also taken into account. Many people forget about this, in a hurry to calculate the design on the walls of the living room.
The distance from the steps to the floor is calculated according to the person’s height, on average, this indicator should not be lower than 190 cm, another 10 cm is added for ease of movement. Now this value can change upward, but not in the least.
March length
The length of the future design consists of several points:
- tilt angle;
- step width;
- number of steps;
- the size of the landing.
And it’s worth starting with taking sizes from the space available under the stairs and subsequently adjusting the project to standards and norms.
Ladder width
The basis of all calculations is the convenience and safety of movement, a person should walk without clinging to the railing due to cramped conditions and not be afraid to lower his leg past the steps.
Regarding the width of the stairs, there are several recommendations:
- the minimum size between handrails or other fences is 80-90 cm, in which case only one person can move. It is not possible to drag furniture on such a design;
- the optimal size for a staircase with climbing steps is 100-125 cm. Two people can easily disperse, moving towards each other;
- comfortable movement zones are considered to be sizes from 125 m to 150 cm, when oncoming traffic is not hindered by anything.
Tilt angle
Another parameter that is responsible for the ease of operation of the stairs, and here have their own criteria:
1. If the design is too cool, more living space is saved.
2. If the design is flat, then the movement is more comfortable and safe.
The permissible angle of inclination of the stairs for residential premises is in the range from 26 to 45 degrees. A steeper slope is considered to be traumatic and is used only for economic and industrial purposes.
Number of steps
This indicator cannot be any specific and depends on the total height of the structure and the height of the step. For example, if the height of the floor is 3 m, then dividing it by 15 cm - the average size of the riser - we get 20 steps.
It is also recommended to observe an equal number of steps in two-march constructions, but in practice this is rare, because you have to take into account other parameters that are contrary to theory.
Step of a ladder (depth of a step)
The most important rule to remember: the foot should be completely in contact with the step, however, an error of a few centimeters is allowed to clarify the dimensions of the structure.
- the minimum value is 100 mm, however, when climbing quickly or descending along such a ladder, you can be injured;
- the most suitable dimensions are from 200 to 300 mm, the movement does not make you strain and look every time you lower your leg.
If you want to increase the width of the step, you can fix them with a small extension, but not more than 40 mm, so that you do not accidentally catch on moving.
Online calculators
If there are difficulties with the independent calculation of running steps for a wooden staircase, you can use these calculators for turns of 90 ° and 180 °. The advantages of this design approach:
- just specify the necessary sizes, and you get a scheme with all the parameters without unnecessary divisions and multiplications;
- the result can also be prepared in 3D, which will allow you to visually evaluate the design and simplify its manufacture.
- indicating materials, you will also receive a construction estimate.
Materials
After the calculations are completed, the project is prepared, it is necessary to determine the type of wood from which the staircase will be built. For such structures, it is best to use hardwoods that can withstand heavy loads, such as oak, ash, walnut and beech.
They are all in about the same density category, but differ in price and susceptibility to decay. So, the nut does not have sufficient durability and has an average cost. Ash is resistant to destruction, but also an order of magnitude higher in price. Pine is also suitable, but requires more careful processing.
Instruments
The next stage is the preparation of the necessary tools for installation work:
- electric drill;
- jigsaw (you can do with a hacksaw, but you’ll spend several times more time on the construction);
- screwdriver;
- a hammer;
- roulette;
- building level or plumb.
As fasteners, you can use nails, stainless steel screws and metal corners.
Fabrication and installation
Even at the stage of creating the drawing, you are faced with the question, which frame will underlie the stairs? In practice, products on kosoura and bowstrings are considered the most popular - they are simple in installation work and practical in operation.
Design features:
- when the cross-section is located directly at the base of the structure, the steps are mounted on the risers (if any) and on the support posts;
- if the running part is located in the middle and the transition angle is straight (90 or 180 degrees), the rotary treads are laid on the supporting beams. The beams themselves are installed at right angles. At the bend of the stairs, you can make a rounding with plywood, giving it a curved shape.
Consider both options for the construction of a wooden staircase with diverting steps with your own hands:
- in the case of using kosour, the workflow begins with triangular cuts in the supporting beams. It is very important that the cutouts in the beams are on the same level, otherwise you will get uneven steps and a curve, creaking stairs;
- according to the location of the outlet part, the beams are attached to the supporting elements;
- steps are laid on braids and adjusted to size directly during the working process;
- installation of fences on which the railing is laid.
An assembly with the arrangement of steps on the strings differs only in that they will be mounted between the base beams, and not on them, otherwise the sequence of actions is similar.
In conclusion, I would like to recommend looking at ready-made staircases with sloping steps to assess the advantages and disadvantages of each of them.