In any building higher than a floor, a staircase is installed. This design requires a detailed calculation of all its components, the ability to work with locksmith and carpentry tools and some design skills. After studying this instruction, you will learn how to design and manufacture a wooden staircase with your own hands.
Wooden staircase
A wooden staircase for a private house most often consists of one or several marches (spans), which are located between floors or intermediate platforms.
The design of the flight of stairs is a combination of various components with different functional purposes:
- Kosour. It is a supporting beam made of wood with a sawed comb. The risers with steps are fixed to it, so the part must be durable.
- Bowstring. In some cases, it becomes an alternative to kosour, performing load-bearing functions (especially if one side of the structure is adjacent to the wall). Before installing the bowstring, you need to mark it in detail so that the steps are located on a horizontal level.
- Step. The main element of any staircase that is attached to one of the supporting beams. In addition to the usual, there are running and radius steps. The shape of the run-off elements is non-standard and they are mounted at the starting point of the march. Radius steps are distinguished by a curved front edge, they can be semicircular, wavy or with rounded corners.
- Riser. The part is optional, but it provides the ladder with high strength, supporting the step in the center. To fix the riser, a spacer sleeve is used. A radius type is set under the semicircular steps, and the curved version is mounted under the corresponding steps or under the platform between the flights of stairs.
- Pillars for support. They are placed at the start and end points of the stairs, as well as along the edges of the mid-flight platforms. Elements increase the strength of the fence and support the handrails.
- Balusters. These are retaining posts for handrails, from which side rails are formed, can have a different configuration.
- Handrails. They are a required part. They are based on balusters and supporting posts. The basic requirement for an element is a smooth surface.
- Distance sleeve. Such a stand is required for any design with several marches (even when using kosour).
Types of staircases
When choosing a ladder structure, the main factor is the size of the area necessary for its construction. In second place is the convenience and comfort of ascent and descent. Here you need to consider the frequency of use, the presence of children and the elderly in the house.
An important criterion is aesthetics. The staircase should be combined with the interior of the room. In addition, you need to consider material capabilities: the manufacture of wooden stairs with a complex configuration requires more time and financial costs than simpler in form and execution options.
Marching
Are the most popular. They got their name thanks to marches (flights) - a group of united steps. There may be one or more marches in the stairs.
Direct structures are distinguished (single-march and two-march, with a recreation area). They can be freestanding or placed near the wall. But direct models require a lot of space, so in order to save useful space, two-march options are provided with rotation at an angle from 90 to 180 degrees.
A march has a curved shape with an optimal angle of elevation, then the rotary steps are used, which are also available for structures with two and three marches without platforms.
The most popular types of wooden stairs for a country house are:
- Ordinary single-march. They have a simple design with a span in the center of the room or near the wall - the most durable with reliable support.
- Curved single march. Installed in large rooms to emphasize spaciousness. They are distinguished by a smooth turn and extended steps from the outside.
- Marching with lower rotary steps. Sometimes this option is provided by the layout of the room, can support the selected architectural style.
- Simple 2 marching system. A staircase with two flights and with an interfloor turning platform can be mounted above the door and save space.
- 2 marching L-shaped design. It is located in a rectangular opening along perpendicular walls and saves space.
- 2 marching U-shaped staircase with upper platform and rotary steps. The design is mounted in chic mansions with a large hall.
- 3 marching system with two platforms. This kind of stairs saves space, but requires a significant ceiling height.
To select a specific configuration, you must correctly calculate and measure the free area for installation, draw up a drawing. A detailed guide on how to do this will be given below.
Screw
Screw-type constructions are used less often, as a rule, with a limited area or for aesthetic reasons of the owner of a private house. They are not as convenient as the marching ones; it is difficult to transport furniture over them. To install the ladder, it will be necessary to perform complex calculations, since with a small error it can lose its functional abilities.
Spiral staircases sometimes carry out just a decorative function, especially with fencing made by art forging. The device of such options is possible in almost any room, because they take up less space than swivel designs. The following types are distinguished:
- with cantilevered jamming of steps on the inner pillar;
- with the support of steps on the inner pillar and perimeter walls;
- with cantilever support of steps to the casing;
- relying on a fence and bent bowstrings.
More complex options are modular spiral staircases. The assembly of the structure is made of modules, folding them at an angle in a certain sequence. They come with a central kosour (steps are attached to the modules, and the edges are connected by bolts) and a central column (rely on a typeset column, connected by bolts). Read more about wooden spiral staircases.
Types of structures
Before you make a wooden staircase, you should choose the best design option for your room.
The following popular types of designs are:
The simplest is the straight staircase, which provides linear movement along the march.
Read more about this in the article on the types of design of wooden stairs.
Do-it-yourself wooden staircase manufacturing with visual step-by-step instructions will be considered in more detail. The process includes two main stages: design and installation.
Calculations of the dimensions of the staircase
Before proceeding with the design, it is necessary to make accurate calculations, draw a diagram and apply all the data to it. If there is no confidence in the correctness of the calculations, then it is better to entrust the work to professionals who will make a competent drawing, which will allow to carry out the installation step by step without errors.
Total height of the stairs
You can determine the height by measuring the distance from the floor of the first to the second floor, taking into account the thickness of the ceiling. For example, if on the 1st floor the ceiling height is 2700 mm, and the thickness of the floors is 300 mm. As a result, the total height will be equal to 3000 mm.
If there is no finishing floor, then its dimensions need to be laid approximately.
Number of steps
If the height of the stairs and risers is known, the number of steps in the structure can be determined. To do this, you need to divide one indicator into a second. For example, with a total stair height of 3000 mm and a riser height of 175 mm, the calculation would be: 3000: 175 = 171 mm.
After that, you need to round the value, the result is 170 mm. The table shows an example of calculation:
Riser height
On the recommendation of specialists, the optimal riser height should be 150-180 mm, in fact, this is the size of a human step. This height can be 150-200 mm. Typically, the average value according to the standard is 160-170 mm.
Step width
In order not to cause injuries as a result of an incorrectly selected step width, it is necessary to calculate it correctly. Based on many years of practice, the width of the part should be between 220 - 400 mm.
To determine a more accurate value, you can use a certain formula. We need to take the average width of the human step (600 - 640 mm) and subtract from it the height of the riser, multiplied by 2, i.e. 640 - 2x175 = 290 mm. This indicator will be optimal for moving.
March Width
According to safety rules, for the convenient movement of people, the span should be at least 80 cm wide, but it is better to take at least 90 cm. For convenient furniture transportation, this indicator for a private residential building should be 100 - 120 cm
The length of the stairs in plan
To calculate this parameter, you need to multiply the number of steps and the width of the tread. In our example, it will turn out 29x17 = 493 cm. That is, the staircase goes quite long and with the device of one march a room of at least 6 meters will be required. In a small log house or village house, you will need to do 2 marches with a 90 or 180 degree turn.
Between marches a platform is mounted or rotary steps are put. If you can’t perform the calculation yourself, you can use the special program presented below, which will clearly reflect the localization of the stair parts.
Ceiling opening size
When building a staircase from a wooden array, you need to remember about the calculation of the opening of the ceiling so that when lifting up, you do not have to bend. Such an indicator will depend on the slope, which affects the convenience when moving and is selected individually.
A slope of 23-36 degrees is considered optimal, but often it is not possible to maintain the required angle due to the small area of the room (the steeper the slope, the less area it will occupy).
The size of the opening in the ceiling area will depend on the angle of the flight of stairs. So, for a folding structure, a small opening will be required, and for a larger slope, a more significant one (up to 2 m) will be required.
Kosour length
To determine the length of the kosour, the Pythagorean formula is used: (length of the stairs in the plan) ² + (height of the stairs) ² = (length of the kosour) ².
That is, with a length of 493 cm and a height of 300 cm, we get the following: L = √ (4932 + 3002) = 577 cm (the indicator is taken with a margin of 580 cm).
Online calculator for calculating
For your convenience, you can use the convenient and intuitive online calculator for calculating a wooden staircase.
Material selection
After all the calculations are completed, you need to purchase materials. This will require boards of different lengths and densities: for steps, the thickness is 3-4 cm; for risers - 2-2.5 cm; for a bowstring or kosour, the thickness is 5 cm and the height is 150-250 mm. It’s better to buy ready-made handrails and balusters, as their production will require a lathe and a beam of 10x10, 15x15 cm in size. To fix the components, self-tapping screws and nails, as well as metal corners, are required for reinforcement.
Production of parts and installation of stairs
Installation technology includes the manufacture and installation of all elements of the staircase structure in accordance with the drawing.
Assembling a bowstring or kosour
On cooked boards, you need to note the length and saw off the excess. On the bar using a square, mark the height of the step and the width of the tread with a decrease of 2-4 cm.
The recesses for the steps are sawn with an electric jigsaw or saw. Next, the workpiece is placed at the installation site so that the lower edge rests on the floor, and the upper edge overlaps. The cuts under the steps should be horizontal, without “blockages”. After that, it is recommended to grind the surface of the bar, milling, rounding the outer edges.
For optimal rigidity, sometimes 2, 3 or 4 kosour may be required, the number of which is selected depending on the width of the stairs. Sometimes it’s easier to order a ready-made supporting frame, which will include all the elements with cutouts, indicated by the numbers for joining in accordance with the scheme.
Installation of steps and risers
The risers are mounted in the prepared kosoura cuts, aligned and sanded. Fastening is performed using self-tapping screws, which can then be puttied or covered with finishing material.
After fixing the risers, pre-milled steps are installed, the length of which should exceed the distance between the pair of extreme kosour by 1-2 cm. The width of the elements should be 2-3 cm more than the comb ledge. The steps are fixed to the risers and braces by self-tapping screws, the caps of which must be recessed into the tree.
Installation of fences
You can give the design a complete look with the help of auxiliary parts. For this, carved, straight, curly wooden and metal fences can be used.
Installing posts with balusters is considered a difficult task where precise marking with fit is required. In the step, the dowel hole is marked at a distance from the edge equal to ½ the width of the base of the baluster. Then, holes are made on the steps and dowels are glued into them (they should protrude 1-1.5 cm from the surface).
After that, according to the diameter of the dowel, you need to make holes in the base of the posts and balusters, grease them with glue. All elements are mounted on dowels with adjustable vertical level. Next, prepare the handrails, cutting the edges at the desired angle and milling them from the bottom. For docking with supports on the slice of the element, holes are drilled. The handrail is installed on the dowel glued into the support column.
Next, the balusters are smeared with glue, and on top of them the handrails are laid in the groove. And although the fixation in the groove is quite reliable, it is recommended to fix the joint with thin screws.
After the glue dries, the staircase must be covered with an antiseptic primer, then the surface is treated with transparent varnish or paint. You can put a decorative baseboard. In a spiral staircase, you can complete the design with an axial support in the form of a log or beam, install a bent bowstring to support the steps. The price of this design will be high, since viscous flexible wood is used in the production, but the final effect is worth it.