how wide is a standard staircase

How long and wide is a staircase?

Standard Stair Dimensions Standard straight-run stairs have dimensions of a stair width of 36 inches or 91.4 centimeters, a stair tread depth of 11 inches or 28 centimeters, a stair riser size of 7 inches or 18 centimeters, and a length from the bottom to the top of the stairs of 10 feet or 3 meters.

What is the average size of stairs?

Average Step Height, Width, And Depth The average step height in America is 7.5 inches. The depth is generally around 9 inches. As far as width goes, or the long part of the stairs, it's primarily up to the homeowner.

What is the 18 rule for a staircase?

Rule one says that rise plus run (r+R) should equal 18 inches. Why? That's what most people find to be a comfortable stride on most stairs. You can cheat a bit up or down, but below 17” and more than 19” will result in steps that require strides either too big or too small for most people.

How long do stairs need to be to go up 8 feet?

For most homes, the length of a flight of stairs is between 9 and 12 feet long. The total length of a flight of stairs for an 8-foot ceiling is approximately 9-feet long.

How tall is a tread on a stair?

The tread size (min 10ins / 25.4cm) is dictated by the average adult foot size, although it is not necessary to be able to fit your entire foot on a tread in order for walking up the stairs to be both comfortable and safe. The riser height (max 7¾ins / 19.7cm) is limited by the way in which we come down the stairs.

How to figure out how many steps to rise?

To calculate the rise of the stairs, multiply the rise dimension by the number of steps. Or, to work out how many steps you need, take your ceiling height and divide by let's say 16 to start with. If you come up with a riser that's a reasonable size and less than the maximum dimension indicated above you need 16 steps.

How wide is a spiral staircase?

The standard clear width of 36 inches must continue from the top of the handrail to the minimum headroom height, which is 78 inches for spiral staircases. Advertisement.

How wide is a stairway?

However, the minimum clear width of the stairway from the riser to the handrail must be at least 31.5 inches for one handrail, and 27 inches for two handrails.

How much headroom do you need for a stairway?

The width must continue up to the minimum headroom of 80 inches above the tread or landing surface. All staircases with four or more risers require at least one handrail, which can project up to 4.5 inches on either side of the stairway.

What is the ADA for stairs?

The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that disabled individuals are able to function as independently as possible. It recommended modifications to building codes that are required for commercial and public spaces, but optional for one-family and two-family residences. While stairs are inaccessible to wheelchair users, they can still be negotiated by those with motion or sensory impairments. The only change the ADA makes that affects width is the requirement of two handrails rather than just one. The minimum clear width from these rails to the treads is 27 inches.

What is a stairway?

A stairway of the correct width allows use by mother and child. An efficient and time-tested way to traverse floors in a typical home is through stairways. Contractors who install them use the standards established in local building codes, which in turn come from the International Residential Code, or IRC.

How high can a basement be?

The maximum height from the basement floor level to the grade level must be eight feet. And the opening from the outside grade level to the staircase must be covered by an approved means, such as a pair of hinged doors that swing outward.

Standard Stair Dimensions

Straight-run stairs are the standard stair type you usually see in regular and traditional residential homes. They are the easiest to build and also the easiest to climb up and down in.

Stair Width Dimensions

Stair width is the length of a stair from side to side. The International Residential Code and other local building codes have a standard, and this standard is usually 3 feet or 36 inches wide or wider. This size does not include the handrails.

Stair Tread Dimensions

The stair tread is the horizontal surface where you step on going up and down the staircase. You mark the depth of the tread by measuring the front edge of the nosing to the other front edge or nosing of the other step.

Stair Stringer Sizes

The stair stringer or the stringer board is what houses the sides of the staircase. It is the sawtooth-shaped sides you can see, but sometimes it may be just one solid straight structure.

Stair Riser Sizes

First, we need to know what a stair riser is first, and a stair riser is the vertical part of the step. It is the distance where you move your feet up or down the stairs.

Egress Stair Dimensions

Egress stairs are the type of stairs that you usually see on building emergency exits. These stair types are mandated to be made with non-combustible materials from the handrails down to the nosing.

Spiral Staircase Dimensions

Spiral stairs are a type of staircase that is helical in shape. The treads of the stairs are attached to a central pole. Spiral staircases are great for smaller home designs because of their compact design, but they are also dangerously steep because of this. Including a handrail in your spiral staircase can be an added precaution.

What is a well crafted staircase?

I agree. A well crafted staircase is like a fine piece of furniture that adds beauty to a home. And I tried to achieve that with the other two staircases in the home. But this particular staircase is in a tight spot and space matters.

Is stairway width based on usage?

Stairs, doors and corridors are subject to building code standards based on usage and exiting. These, however, are minimum standards and don't consider living style, accessibility, frequency and volume of use, movement of large household goods, etc. Like everything else in the design of a home the answer for the right width is ... it depends!

How high should a staircase be?

Is there a standard height and depth for stairs? According to the International Residential Code, the maximum height of stairs must be 7.75 inches with an 11-inch run. The tread depth, or horizontal step, should not be less than 10 inches. IRC also requires the slope to be not more than 30 degrees.

How much slope should a staircase be?

Ideally, the slope of your staircase shouldn’t be more than 30 degrees. Anything more than that will make your stairs dangerously steep.

How tall should a staircase riser be?

The tread depth for the narrow end should not be less than 10 inches, and riser height should be around 7.5 to 7.75 inches.

What is riser height?

Riser Height – Riser height is simply the height of each step. The higher the riser, the higher you will need to lift your leg, which increases the chances of falling, especially for children, the elderly, and those with infirmities. Ideally, follow the code to keep your stairs safe and comfortable for everyone.

How much headroom do you need to be in a building?

The Rules and Range. Sometimes the building doesn’t allow you to follow the IRC code. There are factors such as floor-to-floor height. You need to leave at least 6’8” headroom to make it feasible for the average adult.

How many degrees of slope is required for IRC?

IRC also requires the slope to be not more than 30 degrees. These codes leave the guesswork out of how you should construct your stairs. However, you need to understand when and where the code is applied. For instance, the area can be too cramped or too low to apply these codes by the book.

Terminology and Measurements Used For Standard Stair Dimensions

A Simple Formula to Calculate The Right Dimensions

Additional Staircase Measurements