STAIR DESIGN

AND LAYOUT
 STAIRS
A set of steps leading from surface of a
building to another surface, typically inside
the building is termed as Stairs.
WHY DO WE NEED STAIRS ?

TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM INJURY AND TO

FACILITATE ACCESS DURING MOVEMENT FROM
ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER IN A BUILDING.
 PARTS OF STAIRS :
TREAD - THE UPPER HORIZONTAL PORTION OF STEP
OVER WHICH FOOT IS PLACED DURING ASCENDING
AND DESCENDING A STAIRWAY.

RISER - THE VERTICAL MEMBER OF STEP.IT IS USED TO

SUPPORT AND CONNECT SUCCESSIVE TREADS.

HEADROOM - THE VERTICAL HEIGHT BETWEEN THE

TREAD OF ONE FLIGHT AND CEILING OF OVERHEAD
CONSTRUCTION.IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT SO AS NOT
TO CAUSE ANY DIFFICULTY TO PERSON USING THE
STAIRS.
STRINGERS - THESE ARE THE SLOPING MEMBERS
OF THE STAIR,USED TO SUPPORT THE END OF STEPS

WINDERS - THESE ARE THE STEPS USED FOR

CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF STAIRS .THESE ARE
USUALLY TRIANGULAR IN PLAN.

FLIGHT - THIS CONSIST OF SERIES OF STEPS

PROVIDED BETWEEN LANDINGS

RUN OR GOING - TOTAL LENGTH OF STAIRS IN

HORIZONTAL PLAIN INCLUDING LENGTH OF
LANDINGS
LANDING : THIS IS THE HORIZONTAL PLATFORM
PROVIDED AT THE HEAD OF SERIES OF STEPS .IT IS
USED AS A RESTING PLACE DURING USE OF STAIRS .IT
FACILITATES CHANGE OF DIRECTION OF FLIGHT

HAND RAIL : IT IS AN INCLINED RAIL PROVIDED AT

CONVINIENT HEIGHT OVER STEPS .IT SERVES AS
GUARD RAIL AND PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO USER OF
STAIRS .

BALUSTERS IT IS INDIVIDUAL VERTICAL MEMBER

MADE OF TIMBER,METAL OR MASONARY FIXED
BETWEEN STRING AND HAND RAIL TO GIVE SUPPORT
TO HAND RAIL.
NOSING : IT IS THE PROJECTING PART OF TREAD
BEYOND THE FACE OF RISER.IT IS USUALLY ROUNDED
TO GIVE PLEASING EFFECT TO TREAD AND MAKE
STAIRCASE CONVINIENT AND EASY TO USE.

LINE OF NOSING - THIS IS THE STRAIGHT LINE

TOUCHING THE NOSING OF VARIOUS STEPS AND
PARALLEL TO SLOPE OF LINE.

PITCH OR SLOPE - VERTICAL ANGLE MADE BY LINE

OF NOSING WITH HORIZONTAL
MAIN PARTS OF STAIRS :
 Based on type of
1. WoodenMaterial
Stair :
2. Stone Stair
3. Steel Stair
4. Reinforced Concrete Stair
5. Brick stair
1. WOODEN STAIR
2. STONE STAIR
3. STEEL STAIR
4. REINFORCED CONCRETE STAIR
5. BRICK STAIR
6. GLASS STAIR
 CLASSIFICATION OF STAIRS :
ased on shape of Plan:

Straight U C
staircase staircase Staircase
Adjustable Staircase
L Staircase
Stair
Plans
 Types of Stairs :
1. Straight Stair
2. Dog legged Stair
3. Quarter turn Stair
4. Open newel Stair
5. Three quarter turn Stair
6. Bifurcated Stair
7. Geometrical Stair
8. Circular Stair
 1. STRAIGHT STAIR :

THESE ARE THE STAIRS

ALONG WHICH THERE IS
NO CHANGE IN
DIRECTION ON ANY
FLIGHT.

IT IS USED WHERE STAIR

CASE HALL IS LONG AND
NARROW
 2. DOG LEGGED STAIR :

IT CONSISTS OF TWO
STRAIGHT FLIGHTS OF
STEPS WITH ABRUPT TURN
BETWEEN THEM. A LEVEL
LANDING IS PLACED ACROSS
THE TWO FLIGHTS AT THE
CHANGE OF DIRECTION.

THIS TYPE OF STAIR IS

USEFUL WHERE THE WIDTH
OF THE STAIRCASE HALL IS
JUST SUFFICIENT TO
ACCOMMODATE TWO WIDTH
OF STAIR.
 3. QUARTER TURN STAIR :

A STAIR TURNING
THROUGH ONE RIGHT
ANGLE IS KNOWN AS
QUARTER TURN STAIR.

THE CHANGE IN
DIRECTION CAN BE
AFFECTED BY EITHER
INTRODUCING A
LANDING OR BY
PROVIDING WINDERS.
 4. OPEN NEWEL STAIR :
IN THESE TYPE OF
STAIR THERE IS A
WELL OR OPENING
BETWEEN THE
FLIGHTS IN PLAN.

THIS WELL MAY BE

RECTANGULAR OR
OF ANY
GEOMETRICAL
SHAPE AND IT CAN
BE USED FOR
FIXING LIFT.
 5. THREE QUARTER TURN STAIR :

A STAIR TURNING
THROUGH RIGHT
ANGLES (270 DEGREE)
IS KNOWN AS THREE
QUARTER TURN STAIR.

IN THIS CASE AN OPEN

WELL IS FORMED.
 6. BIFURCATED STAIR :
THESE STAIR ARE SO
ARRANGED THAT THERE IS
A WIDE FLIGHT AT THE
START WHICH IS FURTHER
SUB-DIVIDED INTO TWO
NARROW FLIGHTS AT THE
MID-LANDING.

THE TWO NARROW FLIGHT

STARTS FROM EITHER SIDE
OF THE MID-LANDING.

THESE STAIRS ARE

SUITABLE FOR MODERN
SUB BUILDING.
 7. GEOMETRICAL STAIR :

THESE STAIRS HAVE NO

NEWEL POST AND ARE OF
ANY GEOMETRICAL SHAPE.

THE CHANGE IN DIRECTION

IS ACHIEVED THROUGH
WINDERS.

THE STAIRS REQUIRE

MORE SKILL FOR ITS
CONSTRUCTION AND ARE
WEAKER THAN OPEN
NEWEL STAIR.
 8. SPIRAL OR CIRCULAR STAIR :

IT IS KNOWN AS SPIRAL
STAIR.

WHEN VIEWED FROM TOP IT

APPEARS TO FOLLOW A
CIRCLE WITH A SINGLE
CENTRE OF CURVATURE.

THE SPIRAL STAIRS ARE

PROVIDED WHERE SPACE
AVAILABLE IS LIMITED AND
TRAFFIC IS LOW.

THESE STAIRS CAN BE

CONSTRUCTED IN R.C.C.,
STEEL OR STONE
EXAMPLES OF UNIQUE
STAIRS
FIRE EXIT
OPENINGS INTO AN EXIT MUST BE
LIMITED

OPENINGS INTO AN EXIT: LIMITED TO

THOSE NECESSARY TO ALLOW ACCESS
TO THE EXIT
EACH OPENING MUST BE PROTECTED
BY AN APPROVED SELF-CLOSING FIRE
DOOR THAT REMAINS CLOSED OR
AUTOMATICALLY CLOSES IN AN
EMERGENCY
THE NUMBER OF EXIT ROUTES MUST BE
ADEQUATE

AT LEAST 2 ROUTES MUST BE AVAILABLE

EXCEPT FOR SUFFICIENTLY SMALL
OCCUPANCY
AS FAR AWAY FROM EACH OTHER AS
PRACTICAL IN CASE ONE IS BLOCKED BY
FIRE OR SMOKE
MORE THAN 2 REQUIRED IF ALL CANNOT
EVACUATE THROUGH 2 EXIT ROUTES
LIFE SAFETY CODE CAN HELP WITH THIS
DETERMINATION
EXIT DISCHARGE

MUST LEAD DIRECTLY OUTSIDE OR TO A

STREET, WALKWAY, REFUGE AREA, PUBLIC
WAY, OR OPEN SPACE WITH ACCESS TO THE
OUTSIDE
THE STREET, WALKWAY, REFUGE AREA, PUBLIC
WAY, OR OPEN SPACE TO WHICH AN EXIT
DISCHARGE LEADS MUST BE LARGE ENOUGH
TO ACCOMMODATE THE BUILDING OCCUPANTS
LIKELY TO USE THE EXIT ROUTE
 EXIT DISCHARGE
EXIT STAIRS THAT
CONTINUE BEYOND THE NOT AN
LEVEL OF THE EXIT EXIT
DISCHARGE MUST BE
INTERRUPTED AT THAT
LEVEL BY DOORS,
PARTITIONS, OR OTHER
EFFECTIVE MEANS THAT
CLEARLY INDICATE THE NOT AN

DIRECTION OF TRAVEL EXI

T
LEADING TO THE EXIT
DISCHARGE
EXIT DOOR MUST BE UNLOCKED

MUST BE ABLE TO OPEN EXIT ROUTE DOOR

FROM THE INSIDE AT ALL TIMES
WITHOUT KEYS, TOOLS, OR SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE
PANIC BAR IS PERMISSIBLE
NO DEVICE OR ALARM THAT COULD RESTRICT
USE OF ROUTE IF DEVICE FAILS
MENTAL, PENAL, CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES:
EXCEPTION WITH CONSTANT SUPERVISION &
PLAN
A SIDE-HINGED EXIT DOOR MUST BE
USED

A SIDE-HINGED DOOR MUST BE USED TO

CONNECT ANY ROOM TO AN EXIT ROUTE
MUST SWING OUT IN THE DIRECTION OF EXIT
TRAVEL IF
ROOM IS DESIGNED FOR > 50 PEOPLE OR
ROOM IS A HIGH HAZARD AREA
THE CAPACITY OF AN EXIT ROUTE MUST
BE ADEQUATE
MUST SUPPORT THE MAXIMUM PERMITTED
OCCUPANT LOAD FOR EACH FLOOR SERVED
 THE CAPACITY OF AN EXIT ROUTE MUST
BE ADEQUATE

EXIT ROUTE
CAPACITY MAY
NOT
DECREASE
TOWARD EXIT
DISCHARGE
 EXIT MINIMUM HEIGHT AND WIDTH
REQUIREMENTS

CEILING AT LEAST 76
ANY PROJECTION FROM THE CEILING 68
EXIT ACCESS 28 INCHES WIDE
INCLUDING ALL OBJECTS PROJECTING INTO ROUTE

7- ft.

6 ft.- 8 in.
AN OUTDOOR EXIT ROUTE IS
PERMITTED.

SAME MINIMUM HEIGHT AND WIDTH

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
GUARDRAILS ON UNENCLOSED SIDES
COVERED IF SNOW OR ICE LIKELY TO
ACCUMULATE
UNLESS SNOW REMOVED BEFORE HAZARD
REASONABLY STRAIGHT
SMOOTH, SOLID, LEVEL WALKWAYS
NO DEAD END LONGER THAN 20 FEET