Stairs serve the basic function of allowing one to walk from one floor to another, or gain access to platforms previously out of reach. Building stairs does not mean just building wooden stairs, but they can be of stone, concrete, aluminum or steel stairs. Neither do they have to be straight, but curved or spiral, becoming less purely functional and more a work of art.

Learning stairs basics will help you learn more about stairs and their function, as well as help you to choose the stairs that would best suit your needs.

1. Explore spiral stairs.

2. Look at industrial and outdoor stairs.

3. Consider custom stairs.

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Enjoy the sinuous curve of spiral stairs

Spiral stairs wind their way up the insides of tall towers and lighthouses, and can spring, seemingly unsupported, inside your home or business. The traditional metal spiral staircase can be steel or aluminum, with treads that are either metal or wood. Less traditional spiral stairs are also available, such as architectural stairs that can appear to float or be complex. The homeowner can even make these house stairs. Spiral staircase kits are available that allow the homeowner to construct one's own stairs without hiring a professional.

I recommend: Mylen Stairs creates beautiful spiral stairs as well as the more traditional kind. Precision Pine supplies spiral staircase kits, as does Arkè Stairs.

Rely on the industrial steel stair and outdoor stairs

Both of these stairs are built to last. Outdoor stairs can be an aluminum staircase which with withstand the elements and be low maintenance. They can also be steel or galvanized steel. Industrial stairs can fit any environment, and can be anodized aluminum. Outdoor stairs can also be a steel staircase--even spiral stairs.

I recommend: JOMY Products manufactures outdoor stairs made of aluminum, where as Karnel designs industrial stairs. You can also check out the galvanized steel exterior spiral stairs from Salter Industries.

Go with custom stairs if you don't find designs you like

Custom stairs can be whatever you like them to be: spiral, steel or even a concrete spiral staircase. These staircases can be traditional or architectural, like usable sculptures. The choice of materials you can use for them can be endless: metal, concrete, wood or a mixture. Adding cast iron balustrades or other details can customize your staircase even more.

I recommend: Stairsmiths.com and Arcways are two companies that create custom staircases.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you like the designs that a company offers, but don't find the exact one that suits your needs, talk with the company. They can work with you to design your own custom stairs.

Stairs are often the focal point of a building project. Whether visually central or just structurally necessary, one flight or several, stairs are an important component. Residential building projects may include wooden stairs, spiral stairs, or custom stairs. Commercial buildings sometimes include steel stairs or outdoor stairs.

Building stairs is a particular craft that is not accomplished by just any contractor. Spiral staircase kits are not difficult to assemble, but building wooden stairs requires some craftsmanship. Custom stairs help solve design and floor plan issues, but again, should not be undertaken by just any contractor.

Spiral stairs are space-savers but also create limitations. Moving furniture up spiral stairs is virtually impossible, so they are not the best choice for a single access second floor space. Some typical applications for spiral stairs are:

1. Attic stairs, where there is little space

2. Outdoor stairs, where a straight run would require a longer support wall

3. Loft stairs, where the distance from one floor to another is shorter than normal

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Learn the staircase lingo

You need to understand the language used by contractors and salespeople when they discuss various stair components and construction details. You can't choose the right stairs for your project if you don't know what they're talking about.

I recommend: StairSupplies offers an online guide to the anatomy of a staircase.

Choose a style of spiral stairs

For attic stairs or other space-saving applications, spiral stairs can be purchased as a kit and easily installed. The key is to find the right look for your project when there are so many different styles available.

I recommend: The Iron Shop features spiral staircase kits for steel stairs and oak spiral stairs, as well as custom kits for building stairs to your own specifications.

Order the right supplies for stairs

If you're not building your stairs from a kit, you'll need to order the right supplies. First determine what you want the finished stairs to look like. Then, use some online tools to get it right.

I recommend: StairSupplies provides an online ordering guide to ensure you have all the pieces you need, and you can purchase a custom railing system from Ultra-tec Cable Railing System.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Stairs are an important structural and visual element of any building. Take your time and shop around before making a decision about what style and construction to go with. Notice the stairs in various buildings you visit throughout the day to get ideas about how you want to finish the stairs in your project.
• •  Shop around for the right contractor to build your stairs. Hire someone with plenty of experience building the type of stairs you are using in your project, and then take his advice about how to proceed.

Stairs enhance the appeal of indoor and outdoor spaces as well as provide an important function. As a contractor, it's your job to make them look good while providing safety and sturdiness. The tools and materials for building stairs are pretty straightforward, but you should also work with your customers to ensure that you are providing them with the level of functionality and personality that they desire.

Add finishing touches to the basics to customize every set of stairs you build for your customers, making each job fit each customer's needs precisely. Having the proper stairs supplies and equipment, along with some experience, will ensure that you get the job done right every time, and to your customers' liking. Consider the following:

1. Buy the tools you'll need for making traditional wooden stairs. Specifically, you'll need good saws to use to make the cuts in the stringers and skirtboard.

2. Talk to your customers about what accessories they want for their custom stairs. These will have to be purchased specifically for each customer.

3. Look into what specific materials you'll need for installing wood and steel stair kits. Kits require fewer tools than the traditional route.

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Find out which parts you'll need to build wooden stairs

As you know, the first thing to do in building a set of stairs is ensuring that you have all the basic parts. This includes your treads and risers (or appropriate wood, if you're cutting them yourself), handrails, balusters and newels as well as any connecting pieces you need for landings and turns in the staircase. And don't forget about your mounting brackets and hardware.

I recommend: Stair Supplies has a great pictorial as well as textual description of the basic stair parts and hardware. Stair Warehouse has a glossary that doubles as a list of necessary parts. It also provides information about wood species so you can help your customers choose which ones are best for their specific wants and needs.

Personalize your customers' stairs with accessories

You also need to work with the property owner to choose any accessories that will go into the finished staircase. These include finials, stair shoes, baluster spindles and other personal touches. At the very least, post caps should be used on all posts, as this camouflages any unfinished wood. Steel stairs are also easily adorned.

I recommend: Get some ideas from the products at Steel City Stair and Vintage Woodworks.

Obtain the right tools for installing an industrial steel stair kit

Some steel stair kits come with everything you need for the installation, but some don't, so make sure you have the proper equipment. A good drill, some bolt wrenches, a mallet and a level are pretty much all you need, whether you buy steel spiral staircase kits or prefabricated industrial stair kits.

I recommend: Although tools will vary with each kit, you can get some basic tool information from SalterSpiralStair.com. There are some good installation videos detailing the tools at Arke.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before getting started, you may want to develop your design with CAD software. Building stairs is a creative yet technical job, so utilizing CAD tools will improve your skills as a builder.

Stairs are marvels of engineering that allow you to access multiple floors or even scale hills and mountains. They are more comfortable to access than a ladder, even the steeper ones found in old homes. Whether they are hewn from rocks, metal or wood, each share the same key terms.

As might be expected with stairs, especially those found in public buildings, there are certain regulations regarding their construction. This is done with safety in mind.

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Stringer

The stringer is the portion of the stair which extends from the bottom of the staircase to the top. The steps rest on the stringer, as well as the other parts of the staircase. The stringers can either be one piece, or formed with triangular pieces on which the treads rest.

I recommend: Blocklayer.com provides information about building a stringer for stairs.

Tread

The tread is the portion on which you step as you climb the stairs. It is actually comprised of two parts: the nosing, which overhangs the tread beneath, and the tread itself. The depth of the tread is important. It cannot be too narrow for that could present a slip hazard. In fact, each state regulates the depth of the treads. You can find this information at your local town office or city hall.

I recommend: InspectAPedia has excellent information about stair treads and their possible hazards. The Town of Falmouth lists the minimum measurement of the tread's depth as 10 inches. This measurement can vary according to the community in which you live.

Riser

The riser refers to the height of each step. This is also regulated in each community for safety. In older homes and business, which were built before the existence of building codes, the steepness of the stairs, and therefore the height of the risers, varied. Enter a cape built in the 1700s, you will be confronted with a staircase that is almost vertical with very tall risers.

I recommend: BobVila.com has some helpful information about risers.

Balustrade

The balustrade is an upright post which supports the handrails on the stairs. The spacing of balustrades is also dictated by building code regulations. In brief, the balustrades should be close enough together to prevent a child from getting his or her head stuck between them--the so-called '4 inch ball' rule (where a ball of that size cannot squeeze between them).

I recommend: Balustrade Systems provides information and a helpful chart for determining the correct spacing between balustrades.

Handrail

The handrail is a part of the stair on which your hand rests as you ascend or descend the stair. The handrail also is regulated by building codes, especially in commercial buildings where the potential for high traffic is present.

I recommend: OSHA Stairway and Handrail Regulations states that the handrail should be able to withstand 250 pounds, be 3 inches from the walls, and 37 inches from the floor.

IRC or International Residential Code

The IRC helps develop codes that builders and contractors follow when constructing residential and commercial buildings. One of its main goals is to create safe buildings. The IRC codes relating to stairs are worth reading, as most of the building codes in communities are based on the IRC codes.

I recommend: Arcways provides a link to the IRC or International Residential Codes as they pertain to stairs.