Building Construction II

Ar. Jayakrishna Gutta

 STAIRCASES

Unit –III:-Terms defined, Tread, riser, stringer, nosing, flight,

landing, head room, handrail, balusters, newel post etc.,
Types of stairs, straight, dog-legged, open well, geometrical,
circular, spiral, bifurcated, wooden stairs, stone stairs, metal
stairs and elementary knowledge of R.C.C. stairs.
 Stairs-Staircases
• Stairs are provided in buildings to
allow vertical circulation between
various floors.
• These are the steps arranged in a
series and placed in an enclosure
called staircase.
• Since they have to perform a very
important function , they should
be designed properly to provide
maximum comfort and safety.
• Stairs should be properly
ventilated and lighted.
 Stairs-materials
• The selection of materials for
the construction of stairs
depends upon the availability
of materials, funds available,
desired life of the building,
aesthetical importance and
fire resisting quality expected.
• Stairs may be made either of
timber, bricks, stones, mild
steel, wrought iron, or plain
and reinforced concrete.
Combination of two or more
of these materials may be
used in the same stair.
Stairs-materials
 Stairs-various terms
• Tread: flat or horizontal upper portion of a step on which the
foot is placed for ascending and descending.
• Riser: vertical member between treads.
• Rise: vertical distance between the upper faces of any two
consecutive steps.
• Going: horizontal distance between the faces of any two
consecutive risers.
• Flight: a series of steps with out an intermediate platform.
• Landing: flat platform at the head of a series of steps.
• Nosing: the outer projecting edge of a tread.
• Line of nosing: an imaginary line connecting the nosing
points parallel to the slope of the stair.
• Hand rail: rail of a wood or metal on the side of stair fixed at
about waist height at an inclined position and straight at the
landing.
Stairs-various terms
 Stairs-various terms
• Newels: posts set at the top and
bottom of a stair which are
supporting the handrail.
• Baluster: vertical members
supporting the handrail.
• Winders: radiating or angular steps
which give a change of direction to
the stairs.
• Strings or stringers: sloping members
which support the steps in a stair.
• Walking line: this is an approximate
line on which people walk on a stair
and is about 45cm from the Centre of
the handrail line in plan.
 Classification of Stairs
Straight flight stair: These stairs continue throughout their entire
length in one direction only. This may consist of a single flight or
a flight with one or two landings in between.

Quarter turn stair: when the direction of the flight is changed at

right angles either to the right or to the right, quarter turn stairs
are used. These are of two types. In the first type the change in
direction is effected by introducing a quarter space landing. In
the other type winders are used.

Half turn stair: In this, the direction of flight is reversed, ie

turned by 180 degrees by the introduction of landings and or
winders. A half space landing may be used.
 Classification of Stairs

Straight flight stair

Quarter turn stair

Half turn stair

 Classification of Stairs
Three quarter turn stair: this has its direction changed three
times with its upper flight crossing the bottom one.

Bifurcating stair: In this the wide bottom flight is divided into

narrow flights at the landings.

Geometrical stairs: the strings and handrails are continuous and

are set out in accordance with geometrical principles. These may
be off the following types:

• Winding stairs

• Half turn stairs: with landings or newels

• Spiral stair: in this the steps are projected from a central post
 Classification of Stairs

Three quarter turn stair

Spiral stair

Geometrical stairs
Classification of Stairs

Bifurcated stair
 Basic rules of stairs/Essential
requirement of stairs
Step proportions: it is very essential that the design of
the steps should be carefully worked out so as not to
make the steps either too wide or too short. Further the
rise should not be excessive which otherwise would
cause inconvenience to the user.
The following rules are generally followed.

i. Rise + tread not < 40 cm and not > 45 cm

ii. 2 x Rise + tread not< 58 cm and not > 63 cm
iii. Rise x Tread not < 400 cm and not > 500 cm
 Basic rules of stairs/Essential
requirement of stairs
• For important buildings, a riser of not greater than 18 cm
and tread not less than 27 cm should be satisfactory. For
ordinary buildings, slightly greater rise and a slightly lessor
tread may be permitted. However rise greater than 20 cm
should not be allowed. On similar considerations, a tread of
not less than 22 cm should not be used.
• Width of the stair should be adequate for the number of
people who are expected to use them. About 1m wide stair
for residential buildings and 1.5m wide stairs for public
buildings is considered essential.
• The slope of the stair should never be greater than 40
degrees and not less than 20 degrees to prevent undue
exertion or wastage of space.
 Basic rules of stairs/Essential
requirement of stairs
• All the risers and treads should be of uniform dimensions.
• The stair should be well lighted especially at turns.
• Generally the number of steps in a flight should not be
greater than twelve.
• Sufficient headroom should be provided. This should be at
least 2 m. however a headroom of 2.1 m is recommended.
• Winders should be avoided.
• If they are to be used, they should be of sufficient width.
• Construction of stairs should be such that it ensures the use
of sound materials and preferably possessing fire-proof
qualities.
 Straight stairs
• These are the stairs along
which there is no change
in direction on any flight
between two successive
floors. The straight stairs
can be:-
• Straight run with a single
flight between floors.
• Straight run with a series
of flights with out change
in direction.
 Quarter Turn stairs
• They are provided
when the direction of
flight is to be
changed by 90
degrees. The change
in direction can be
effected by either
introducing a quarter
space landing or by
providing winders at
the junctions.
 Half Turn stairs
• These stairs change their direction
through 180 degrees. It can be
either dog-legged or open newel
type.
• In case of dog-legged stairs the
flights are in opposite directions and
no space is provided between the
flights in plan.
• On the other hand in open newel
stairs, there is well or opening
between the flights and it may be
used to accommodate a lift. These
stairs are used at places where
sufficient space is available.
 Open-well stairs
• In this type of stair a well or opening is left in the plan
between the flights. The opening is generally in rectangular
shape.
 Three Quarter Turn stairs
• These types of stairs
change their direction
through 270 degrees.
In other words
direction is changed
three times with its
upper flight crossing
the bottom one. In
this type of
construction an open
well is formed.
 Circular stairs
• These stairs, when
viewed from above,
appear to follow a circle
with a single center of
curvature and large
radius. These stairs are
generally provided at the
rear of the building to
give access for servicing
at various floors. All the
steps radiate from a
newel post in the form of
winders. These stairs can
be constructed in stone,
cast iron or R.C.C.
 Spiral & Curved stairs
• Spiral Stairs : These stairs
are similar to circular stairs
except that the radius of
curvature is small and the
stairs may be supported by
Centre post. Overall
diameter of such stairs may
range from 1 m to 2.5 m.
• Curved stairs: These stairs,
when viewed from above,
appear to follow a curve
with two or more centers of
curvature. Such as an ellipse.
 Geometrical stairs
• These stairs have no newel post and are of
any geometrical shape. The change in
direction in these stairs is achieved through
winders. The stairs require more skill for its
construction and are weaker than open
newel stairs. In these stairs the open well
between the forward and the backward
flights is curved.
 Geometrical stairs
• Stone stairs are heavy and need substantial supports. They
 Bifurcated stairs
• These stairs are so
arranged that there
is a wide flight at
start which is sub-
divided in to narrow
flights start from
either side of the
mid-landing.
Generally these stairs
are more suitable for
modern public
buildings.
Bifurcated stairs
 Dog-legged stairs
• A dog-leg is a configuration of stairs between two floors of a
building, often a domestic building, in which a flight of stairs
ascends to a half-landing before turning 180 degrees and
continuing up. The flights do not have to be equal, and frequently
are not. Structurally, the flights of a dog-leg stair are usually
supported by the half-landing, which spans the adjoining walls.
From the design point of view, the main advantages of a dog-leg stair
are:-
• To allow an arrangement that occupies a shorter, though wider,
floor area than a straight flight, and so is more compact. Even
though the landings consume total floor space, there is no large
single dimension.
• The upper floor is not directly visible from the bottom of the
stairs, thereby providing more privacy.
• An object or person falling from the upper half of the stairs is likely
to stop at the landing; this is safer than letting it fall all the way to
the bottom.
Dog-legged stairs
 Stone stairs
• Stone stairs are heavy and need substantial supports. They
are not in much use these days. Generally after long usage
they will become slippery and dangerous.
• And weather resistant. The following types of steps are used:
• Rectangular steps: They are cut from a solid stone and the
lower edge of one step is supported on the top back edge of
the other. The steps may be built in to the wall and rest on
the other side on to a dwarf wall. This type of construction
can be used for entrances to building.
• Stone stairs: these were formerly used for commercial or
public buildings. They are generally
• Cantilevered from the wall
• Built in to the wall at both ends
• Built in to the wall at one end and the other end supported
on a steel I section.
• Built in to the steel joists at both ends
 Stone stairs

Built in to the wall at both ends Cantilevered from the wall

Built in to the steel joists at both ends

 Metal stairs
• Steel and cast iron stairs are used in exceptional cases where fire
proof construction is desired, e.g.., in factories, go-downs etc.,
they are generally of four types:
• Type I:-The simplest type consists of steel channels acting as
stringers. The treads are of steel checkered plate or of concrete
slabs. These are supported on the stringers by small angles bolted
to them. Concrete troughs or steel gratings may be used for
treads as an alternative. The risers are open.
• Type II:- This consists of steel stringers made of channels and the
threads are made up of steel plates. They are finished in suitable
manner.
• Type III:- In this the stringers are of steel and risers are of
concrete.
• Type IV:- Spiral stairs: They are used where the space available is
too small and the traffic is less. They are made up of C.I. pipe
newel fixed in the center and around this C.I. steps are fixed. The
steps have suitable checkered treads for safety.
 Metal stairs

Type I

Type II Type III

Type IV
 Wooden/Timber stairs
• These stairs are generally used for residential buildings
because of its light weight. They can be either built in place
or shop fabricated. They are cheap, easy to construct and
maintain and light in weight.

• The main disadvantage of these stairs is they are liable to fire

action. In the event of fire the occupants of the upper floors
find no way to escape. However fire-resisting hard and
durable wood like Oak, Teak, Mahogany are used- serves the
requirement of a fire-resisting stair to a great extent.

• Timber should be free from fungal decay, insect attack and

other defects.
 Wooden/Timber stairs
• Step:- The thickness of the tread should not be less than 35
mm and that of riser 25 mm. The risers and treads are joined
together by tongue and groove joints. The nosing of the step
should not be projected beyond the riser for distance more
than the thickness of the tread i.e., 35 mm. Scotia blocks
may be provided to give an additional finish to a wooden
step.
• Landings:- They are made of tongued and grooved boarding
on joists supported on the walls. In the construction of a half
space landing, wooden joist known as trimmer is placed
across the full width of the staircase. On the other hand, in
case of quarter space landing, a timber joist known as
pitching piece is placed in the wall at one end and housed
with the newel at the other.
 Wooden/Timber stairs
• Stringers:- They are used to provide support for the steps.
Strings are inclined wooden members 30 mm to 50mm thick
and 250mm to 380 mm deep. They can be of four types –
• Cut string:- Cut strings improve the appearance of the stair.
It has its upper surface having houses accurately cut to
receive the treads and risers. Its lower edge is kept parallel
to the pitch of the stair. The deep cuts make it week.
• Housed or Closed String:- This is a stringer having its top and
bottom edges parallel to the slope of the stairs. In order to
receive the treads and risers of the steps grooves are cut on
its inside. The treads and risers are generally nailed, glued
and wedged to the stringers.
• Rough String:- In wider stairs, rough strings are inserted for
rendering intermediate support to the steps.
• Wreathed String:- This is curved stair string.
 Wooden/Timber stairs
• Construction of a built in place
stair starts with cutting of
carriage to the correct size and
shape to receive the risers and
treads. After this the lower
portion of the wall stringer
should be set in place against the
wall with the housed out profile
fitted to stepped profile of the
top of the carriage. Then treads
and risers should be firmly nailed
to the carriages and tongues at
the bottom of the risers fitting
into grooves at the rear of the
treads. Nosing is generally
finished on the underside with
moulding.
 Wooden/Timber stairs
• Steel and cast iron stairs are used in exceptional cases where fire
 R.C.C. stairs
• Reinforced concrete stair which
has better resistance to damage
by fire than the conventional
timber staircase is used for access
and means of escape stairs in
most buildings of more than two
stories. The width, rise, going and
head room for these stairs and
the arrangement of the flights of
steps as straight flight, quarter
turn, half turn and geometrical
stairs is same as for timber stairs.
• The usual form of a reinforced
concrete stair is a half turn (dog-
leg) stair either with or without
an open well.
 R.C.C. stairs
• Steel and cast iron stairs are used in exceptional cases where fire
R.C.C. stairs
R.C.C. stairs