Staircase Parts of Staircase.pdf

Staircase Parts of Staircase

1. Materials & Construction “ II ” (AR- 127)
University of Management & Technology

School of Architecture and Planning
Department of Architecture
STAIR CASES

2. DEFINITIONS

•Stairs consists of smooth vertical & horizontal surfaces
structural members that provide the transportation and
connection between floors or structural parts having different
elevation.
•Arrangement the geometrical shape of stair depends on
functional usage, number of floor and size of the staircase
space.
•To provide the coming down and rising from any surface to
another is the common property of stairs. These are differ by
aim of usage. Stairs are categorized as following; inner and
outer stairs according to construction place, wooden, steel
and reinforced concrete stairs due to functions and type of
using material.

3. •In every building, some
arrangement should be made to
provide access to its different
floors or roof.
•A series of steps which provides
access from one floor to another
is called a stair and the part of
the building accommodating the
stair is known as a staircase.
•The provision of a stair in a
building is essential for the
movement of inmates.

4. •These are one of the oldest building elements in architectural history.
•They appear to change with the prevailing architectural eras,
reflecting the philosopher and symbolic language, unveiling the talent
of those who have created them.
•They inform us about the existing state of arts, fashion and
technology.
•They respond to the type of society for which they have been built.
•Among all the architectural elements staircases occupy a special
position.
•The main reason for the evolution of staircases would originally have
been the necessity of overcoming the difficulties of changing levels as
comfortably as possible.
•They become landmarks and trademarks, a constant source of
inspiration.

5. •The evolution of staircases comes from the idea of levels on the
earth crust.
•The geological formation of the earth presents us with hills and
valleys, steep rock faces and shallow gullies, hillsides and plains
which even a prehistoric man would have wanted — and needed —
to explore, to conquer, to discover.
•The first staircases were likely invented to acquire strategic
positioning over enemies. For survival’s sake and the need to move
to higher ground on difficult terrain, undoubtedly lead humans to
make use of stairs.
•Moving upwards very often meant moving to a place of greater
safety.

6.  Earlier civilizations built their civilizations along the river side and
when flood comes they move upward to protect themselves from
water they feel difficult to move upwards on the sloped hills so they
introduced stairs. As a matter of fact all the early examples, the
random indentations in river banks, sand dunes, shortcuts through
hillsides, carved ledges, or hand holds in rocks make up the early story
of stairs.
Because our balance depends on our feet, a horizontal ledge is better
than a slippery slope so probably the treads were made by the
prehistoric peoples.
Further development into staircases, ramps, and more recently
elevators, cable cars and escalators.

7. •Looking at the staircases of the
present and the very recent past
shows how much history has
changed and how much our lives
have taken on a different dimension.
•Historic stairs show a great variety of
approaches, ideas and executions
but also their dependence on
architectural styles and philosophies
also uniting fashion, architecture,
society, and life as whole.

8. The birth of industrial fashion did not leave stairs untouched.
Prefab houses and prefab stairs joined the family of mass
production.
In spite of high standards concerning people with disabilities,
and high specifications as to performance and maintenance,
designers, architects, and artists are showing no limits to their
creativity.
Architects have grown used to accepting different methods and
expressions, finding different ways of reaching a goal. Even a
complicated staircase represents a small proportion of the
overall investment involved in a total building.

9. A staircase consists of many parts of which the following are
the basic component; one or two exceptions are there
according to the design of modern day stairs.
Step
The step is composed of two parts tread and riser.
Tread
 Riser

10. •Tread

It is the horizontal part of the
step on which the foot is placed
on.
Width of the tread:
Depth: 10” to 1’-0”
Treads are available from 3 feet to
16 feet long depending on area
where it is used.

11. •Riser:
The vertical face of a step is called
riser.

Risers:
Height: 4.5” to 7.5”
Available from 3 feet to 16 feet long.

12. Nosing:
The nosing is the outer edge of
the tread, which projects beyond
the outer face of the riser. The
nosing is usually rounded or
molded. Its purpose is to finish
the tread edge and widen the
tread to prevent the riser from
being kicked or scraped.
Maximum nosing protrusion,
typically 1.25 inches (32 mm) to
prevent people from tripping on
the nosing.

13. •Stringer:
The inclined support to which
the ends of treads and risers
of a stair are fastened is
called stringer.

14. Winders: These are steps that
are narrower at one end than
the other.
These are used in curved as
well as in straight stairs.
These type of steps is usually
triangular in plan. Such steps
are provided in order to change
the direction of stair and
should be avoided as far as
possible since they are
dangerous for quick movement
of the users. Provided when
the area of staircase is limited.


Winders


3D View.

15. •Newel posts:
A large post used to anchor
the handrail. Provided at the
bottom, top and at the
turning points in a stair to
support the handrail are
known as newel or newel
posts.

16. •Handrail:
Stair handrail is rounded or molded
bars for holding on to. The angled
member for hand holding. Fixed
between newel posts, provide
safety rail for stair users. The
height of handrail should not be
more than 3ft and nor less than
2’-4”. Standard to be followed is
2’-9”.

17. •Bull Nose Step:
The step with one or both ends rounded is known as bull nose step.
This type of step is generally provided at the bottom of a flight and
remains always projecting beyond the face of newel post.

18. •Balusters:
These are light pillars for
supporting the handrail.
Sometimes simply called guards
or spindles. A vertical post made
out of wood, metal, stone or
marble that supports the upper
hand railing on a
staircase. Usually placed 8-10 cm
apart.

19. •Balustrade:
A balustrade is the framework
formed by the combination of
the handrail and the balusters.

20. •Landing:
A landing is a horizontal platform
used to change the direction of
the stair.
•A landing is the termination of
one flight and start of the next
flight.
•The width of the landing should
not be less than the minimum
recommended width of the
stair.

21. •Flight:
A series of steps without any break
in between the floor and
uninterrupted by a landing is
known as flight.
•The number of steps in a flight
should not be more than 12
otherwise it becomes difficult to
move up and down the flight. The
minimum number of steps in a
flight should be two.

22. •Run of flight:
It is the horizontal
distance between the
faces of the first and last
riser of a flight.

23. •Headroom:
It is the minimum clear vertical
distance between the tread and
overhead ceiling or floor. It
should not be less than 7ft.
Standard to be followed is 6’-8”.

24. PITCH OR SLOPE:
The angle between the line of
nosing and the floor or
landing of a stair is called
pitch or slope.
The pitch or slope of a
staircase should not be more
than 40˚and should not be
less than 25˚.