Four Indispensable Precautions for Designing Your Staircases

If you are planning on designing staircases for prefabrication or onsite construction, you should evaluate your building with care. Staircases might seem like basic functional features without uniqueness. However, you must keep in mind that the design will determine personal safety in your building, ease of use and even the appeal of the elements. Here are some tips and precautions to help you design the best possible staircases.

Consider the Regulations

There are standards and regulations in place to ensure that staircases are designed and built for optimal safety. It is important to check the relevant standards before beginning the design process. Otherwise, it might be difficult to turn your projected vision into reality. Under ideal circumstances, you should consult your industrial fabricator or contractor on critical issues like the maximum length of each flight, the maximum height of the steps and the options for slip-resistant treads. Do not create a design and then attempt to modify it to match the rules. Instead, understand the rules and develop a compliant vision.

Plan for Consistency

Consistency is a critical factor in the design of staircases. Therefore, when developing your design, you should not compromise this aspect in favour of uniqueness. Keep in mind that going upstairs is an activity that relies on rhythm. If the steps are not uniform, it is easy for one to fall out of rhythm. This increases the risk of stumbling and falling. Therefore, keep the rise of each step the same by taking into account the length and the height of the staircase before beginning the design.

Check the Headroom

It is advisable to consider the place in which the stairs will be installed before designing the feature. One of the challenges that you might face is the available headroom. If the ceiling height in the section of the building is limited, it will be uncomfortable for most people. In general, little headroom could cause a lot of 'bump' accidents. Moreover, when descending an area with low headroom, most people will tend to duck even if there is enough room because of perception. Therefore, when creating your design, consider ways in which you can maximise the headroom.

Think About Aesthetics

Finally, you should consider the general appeal for the staircase design. Aesthetics are important for these features because they influence the style of the entire building. You can improve the appearance of your stairs through your choice of materials, colours, motifs and balustrading. However, you must never compromise safety in favour of greater appeal.