Staircases - Types and Descriptions

to_do_list · Apr 23, 2008 1:38 am

Found this reference useful when we were thinking of building, rather than telling the builder we wanted the "open timber one you know with the bit of timber down the middle" we could say...well...fa...fa...fa...we'd like a "centre carriage staircase"

http://renovate.realestate.com.au/indoo ... staircases

Still like em to...

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Mrs B · Apr 23, 2008 7:33 am

Thanks TDL, I dont think staircases have been a subject of discussion for quite a while. I am always astounded by how many people go for style over safety :shock:

The one thing I am adamant about is our staircase has to be safe for elderly people and young toddlers to climb.

My friend has a trendy open staircase however with a young toddler in the house, it is so dangerous and impractical, I dont think they thought about this when the house was built.

I rent a towm house with a ridiculous, stupid designed steep staircase that my toddler the first day we moved in, climbed up, fell and could of broken his neck. Of course we now have a baby barrier but still very stressfull to live in this rental. You need a good, solid landing half way up.

Any way, if there are any other links on staircases I would be most interested.

Mrs B

DeeElle · Apr 24, 2008 12:23 am

good thread.

we've dabbled in the staircase discussions but not really gotten anywhere in terms of safety and design.

Steve gave us some good advice lately in terms of rounded bullnose versus straight edging. We changed our nosing to rounded edge to reduce possible tripping hazard.

We're going for an enclosed staircase which is clad in wood. I don't want my DD falling through the gaps so to speak so have created a solid staircase.

I've seen some very nice options in magazines i.e. wood treads and painted risers which are very effective.

Any links most appreciated.

Cabinfever · Apr 24, 2008 12:13 pm

Mrs B

You need a good, solid landing half way up.

Sure do. Some of the steep, single-rise designs (and some without handrails!) are just absurd. A landing and handrails are essential for a very significant part of the population.

I also dislike the "fan" style of steps used sometimes on corners. It's a poor design, potentially dangerous and (to me) also looks very cheap.

Cabinfever · Apr 24, 2008 12:18 pm

[quote="to_do_list"]
http://renovate.realestate.com.au/indoo ... staircases
[/quote="to_do_list"]

Pretty limp article really, the usual sort of cheap "editorial" you get on these sites. Most interesting to me is that it makes no attempt to explain this surprising piece of info at the end:

Cost
The price of a staircase can start from about $2,000. If you live in NSW, you will have to fork out an average of $9,500 for your stairs; those of you in Melbourne will pay an average of $6,500; and Queenslanders will pay about $4,500.

Why do people in NSW pay double that of Qld ?

Rachelle · Apr 24, 2008 12:46 pm

I think that last line was just poorly worded.

I think it probably means that people in NSW spend more on their stairs on average than those in QLD, more expensive materials etc.

to_do_list · Apr 24, 2008 3:10 pm

Cabinfever

Pretty limp article really, the usual sort of cheap "editorial" you get on these sites.

No disagreement on it's limpness, but I found it useful when trying to decipher builder inclusions lists.

Cabinfever · Apr 24, 2008 3:33 pm

No offense to-do-list :-)

Those sites frustrate me - extremely good keywording and meta data so that it gets high search-engine ranking, but poor info. Grrr.

Here's a commercial site with at least a more coherant layout.
http://www.stairking.com.au/prestige/stairs.asp

to_do_list · Apr 24, 2008 3:42 pm

None taken...it is difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff...very frustrating....

It was before the days when I knew about HomeOne....

Now I would post the question on here so that we could have a 4 pages discussion on the relative merits of classic vs modern curved stairs....

Yak_Chat · May 11, 2008 12:56 pm

DeeElle.

This link should be of interest. I'm chasing a matching handrail for my new internal deck and also found this on their site.

Download the internal and external PPT files.

Lots of stairway pics.

http://www.hammersmith.com.au

Adelaide company.

Steve

DeeElle · May 11, 2008 9:08 pm

thanks Steve. Good link.

Rajasthan Doors · May 15, 2008 1:45 pm

I had my builder remove an entire stair case and start again. Very simple reason - he didn't listen to my instructions. Always go for at least a 1M wide tread, and non-obstructed headroom - remember you will often need to get furniture up there and hopefully not be restricted to self assembly furniture. Australia homes gnereally always cock-up on the stairway and deliver small, narrow poky things that are no better than a ladder. You don't need to create a set from Gone With the Wind, but you need practical large stairs and with storage space underneath.