WALLS AND WINDOW TREATMENTS 3(1+2)

Lesson 11 : Wall Element – Staircase

Straight Stairs

The straight stairs are the stairs that are generally used in new house construction. Straight flight stairs have no turns; these are not as expensive as the other types of stairs. Wooden straight stairs with metal support strings and white pillar is a dominant feature for the room in picture below. A complete wooden touch living having wooden staircase, wooden floor and wooden furniture. Utilization of space under the stair is an additional feature of the room.

The simplest form is the straight flight of stairs, without any winders or landings. It is not often used in modern homes because:

1. The upstairs is directly visible from the bottom of a straight flight of stairs.
2. It is potentially more dangerous in that as fall is not interrupted until the bottom of the stairs.
3. A straight flight requires enough space for the entire run of the stairs.
4. However, a straight flight of stairs is easier to design and construct than one with landings. Additionally, the rhythm of stepping is not interrupted in a straight run, which may offset the increased fall risk by helping to prevent a misstep in the first place.
5. Most modern stairs incorporate at least one landing. "L" shaped stairways have one landing and usually change in direction by 90 degrees. "U" shaped stairs may employ a single wider landing for a change in direction of 180 degrees, or 2 landings for two changes in direction of 90 degrees each. Use of landings and a possible change of direction have the following effects:
6. The upstairs is not directly visible from the bottom of the stairs, which can provide more privacy for the upper floor.
7. A fall can be arrested at the landing.
8. Though the landings consume total floor space, there is no requirement for a large single dimension, allowing more flexible floorplan designs.
9. For larger stairs, particularly in exterior applications, a landing can provide a place to rest the legs