
Are spiral staircases the same as helical stairs?
The name helical originates from the staircase have the shape of a helix, which causes the main point of confusion where people believe spiral staircases to be the same. What are the benefits of Spiral Staircases?
Why are helical stairs so elegant?
Due to their curved and elegant nature, they inspire awe and admiration whenever they are properly designed and constructed. The analysis and design of a helical staircase can be complex due to an inherent interaction of vertical moments, horizontal moments, vertical shear, lateral shear, axial force, and torsion.
What is a round staircase?
A round staircase, sometimes referred to as a curved or helical staircase, leads the user upstairs in a flowing arc. This makes these stairs ideal for retail, showrooms and other public spaces, but they can look equally glamorous in an office or residential location.
How is a helical staircase different from an oblique helix?
In an oblique helix, the generating line always maintains a fixed angle with the helix. Since a helical staircase is a space member, all the six internal actions come into play at any section, having varying directions and lines of actions.

What is the difference between spiral and helical staircase?
An easy way to tell the difference between the two is the presence of a central post or column. A spiral staircase will have treads winding around a central column, whereas helicals wind around a void.
How much do helical stairs cost?
Written by HomeAdvisor. A spiral staircase costs between $1,000 to $20,000, with an average price of around $10,400. The project total depends on the material type plus the height and width of the stairs. The installer's labor rate impacts the price, too.
How do you make a helical staircase?
Among different configurations taken by spiral staircases, the most common is the circular format. Here the determination of the dimensions of a circular spiral staircase is explained....For example, if,Floor height 'h' = 2700mm.Riser 'r' = 225.No of risers =2700/225 = 12.No: of Steps = 11 + 1 landing platform.
What are spiral stairs used for?
Spiral stairs give you flexibility when it comes to your access points. They can fit into tighter spaces than a traditional stair, but they can also be maneuvered to reach many different access points. The custom rotation makes it possible for you to control the entry and exit points of your spiral staircase.
What is the cheapest type of staircase?
Staircase design A straight staircase is a cheap and popular option that can go as low as $800 for wood material. Floating staircases are more expensive starting at $2,000 due to their more complex design.
How much does a metal staircase cost?
Metal or Steel Staircase Metal steps are durable, often used for spiraling staircases, and cost around $200 per step. With demolishing old stairs and hiring a contractor, you'll pay at least $1,000 to $2,000 in additional costs. Stainless steel staircases run from $4,060 to $5,390, including labor costs.
What are the different types of stairs?
Types of StairsStraight Stairs.L Shaped Stairs.U Shaped Stairs.Winder Stairs.Spiral Stairs.Curved Stairs.Cantilever Stairs.Split Staircase (Bifurcated)More items...
How many steps are in a spiral staircase?
** Code Compliant Step *LANDING / TOP FLOOR30 Degree Step ** 12 Steps Per 360 Degrees22 1/2 Degree Step 16 Steps Per 360 DegreesFinish Floor HeightNumber of Steps/ RISERSTotal Rotation115" - 123"12 Steps *13 Risers337.5124" - 133"13 Steps *14 Risers360134" - 142"14 Steps *15 Risers382.57 more rows
What are geometrical stairs?
Definition of geometric stairs : continuous stairs that turn or wind about a central wellhole which has rounded corners or is circular or elliptical and that have the strings and rails arranged upon geometric principles and running continuously from top to bottom.
Is spiral staircase comfortable?
Spiral stairs are very steep and not comfortable to climb.
Is a spiral staircase a good idea?
This is a great option for smaller homes or apartments, and can help you access a loft or upstairs space within a tight fit. It can also be a great second staircase option in a smaller space if you already have a standard staircase. Spiral staircases are compact, and free up space in your floor plan.
How would you describe a spiral staircase?
The actual definition of a spiral staircase is the following: A spiral staircase is a round stair system that uses a radius or diameter and wraps around a center pole.
Are spiral stairs expensive?
These base packages can cost anywhere between three to six figure dollar amounts. Residential spiral staircases usually cost less than commercial because these types of construction/installation projects are usually smaller and intended for personal use, meaning they require less materials.
Are Floating stairs more expensive than regular stairs?
On average, floating stairs will cost more than standard stairs. Indeed, a traditional staircase should cost in the $1,000–$2,000 range, but floating stairs begin at $3,000.
Why are floating stairs expensive?
Floating stairs can be built with a mono stringer design or a double stringer design. The mono stringer design is higher in cost because the engineering that is needed to create a stringer that is durable enough to support what two stringers can provide is greater.
How much does it cost to install a new staircase?
Interior Staircase Installation CostsItemUnit CostCostCustom-built staircase: materials for a 10-step staircase with wood stringers and steps$50-$250 per step$500-$2,500Labor Cost$45 per hour$720-$1,440Total Cost$122-$494 per step$1,220-$4,940
Why are helical staircases so complex?
Geometrically, a helical surface is a three-dimensional structure in space consisting of a warped surface that is generated by moving a straight line touching a helix so that the moving line is always perpendicular to the axis of the helix.
How wide is a helicoidal stair?
The stair is to have a width of 1.5 m and the minimum thickness of the waist is 150 mm, the radius to the inside of the stair R i is 1000 mm, and the angle β turned through by the stair is 180°. (Weight of finishes = 1.2 kN/m 2; weight of riser/thread = 1.875 kN/m 2)
How many internal stresses are there in a helical staircase?
Despite the existence of the six internal stresses at any section in a helical staircase, they are usually designed for the horizontal bending moment only. Furthermore, helical staircases can sometimes be idealised as a fixed ended curved beam for the purposes of design due to their complexity.
Who worked on helical staircases?
Cusens and Trirojna (1964) carried out a test on half scaled fixed ended helical staircase and confirmed the equilibrium equations derived by Morgan. Santathadaporn and Cusens (1966) worked further on helicoidal stair slabs to simplify the design process. They proposed some simple equations for design purpose with the provision of using coefficients in the equations. They used computer program to solve those complicated equations and constructed a series of design charts to provide the values of the coefficients.
What is the generating line of an oblique helix?
In an oblique helix, the generating line always maintains a fixed angle with the helix. Since a helical staircase is a space member, all the six internal actions come into play at any section, having varying directions and lines of actions. Fig 1: Internal stresses in a helical staircase.
Where is the Helix staircase?from ancient-origins.net
Top Image: The ‘miraculous’ helix staircase in Loretto Chapel, New Mexico. Source: Craig /Adobe Stock
How many degrees does a spiral staircase rotate?from ancient-origins.net
It is a spiral staircase making two complete 360 degrees rotations but without using a central pole and without using any nails, only wooden pegs. The bannister of the staircase is perfectly curved, a remarkable accomplishment considering the basic tools that were used. The shape of the helix is not a stable weight-supporting structure, ...
What is the staircase of Loretto?from ancient-origins.net
The nuns of the Loretto Chapel have attributed the staircase to a miracle, a divine event that seems to transcend natural law, and they believed that the man who came to create the staircase was a man sent from heaven . While the account of the mysterious helix staircase of Loretto is a relatively modern-day legend associated with a miracle, reports of miracles go back thousands of years and can be found in virtually every religion and culture around the world.
Why did the nuns build the stairs in the Loretto Chapel?from ancient-origins.net
They didn’t want the staircase to be big because it would take up too much space, so they went to get advice from the local carpenters -but no one could provide a feasible solution.
Is the helix a stable structure?from ancient-origins.net
The shape of the helix is not a stable weight-supporting structure, and without the middle column it shouldn’t be able to withstand the weight of people using the staircase. The Miracle of the Sun, 1917: Ancient Angels at Fatima? The Possible Common Origins of Star Gods.
Were the Stairs Created by a Man from a French Secret Society?from ancient-origins.net
Santa Fe New Mexican offers an alternative explanation for the amazing staircase. It’s said that when historian Mary J. Straw Cook researched the stairs for a book she was writing, she “found information in an 1881 nun’s daybook that a man named Rochas was paid for wood.” Francois-Jean Rochas, an alleged “member of a French secret society of highly skilled craftsmen and artisans called the Compagnons, which had existed since the Middle Ages ” has been named as the skilled woodworker who apparently “came to the U.S. with the purpose of building the staircase with wood shipped from France.”
How is it Different from Spiral Staircase?
It is a common misconception that helical and spiral staircases are one and the same. However, they are fundamentally different from each other, both in function and appearance. Below are the few differences between helical and spiral staircases.
Advantages of Helical Staircase
The fact that helical stairs require more space than spiral staircases isn’t necessarily a disadvantage. Instead, it makes the flight much more luxurious and comfortable. This also creates the opportunity to design the stairs by twisting and turning to fit any configuration of a room.
Disadvantages of Helical Staircase
The stringers as well as the handrails are curved in helical staircases. Also, each tread is different from one another. All these things require excellent precision and specialized skill to build properly. Naturally, it will come at a high cost.
helical stair
A stair whose treads are wrapped around a helix: commonly called a spiral stair. See also: Stair
spiral stair, caracole, circular stair, cockle stair, corkscrew stair, spiral staircase
A flight of stairs, circular in plan, whose treads wind around a central newel. Also called a helical stair, solid newel stair.
What is a helical staircase?
A helical staircase is often used as a focal point in the centre of an interior and helical stairs can be particularly effective in office and retail spaces where they draw in visitors to explore the next level.
What is a curved staircase?
Curved staircases. A curved staircase, often referred to as a helical staircase, leads users upstairs in a graceful flowing arc. Unlike spiral staircases, a curved staircase doesn’t require a fixed central column and frequently features two rolled stringers with treads attached between them.
What materials are used for curved stairs?
A variety of materials are used in curved staircase design, the vast majority of woods combine well with stainless steel, while concrete is also a popular choice for curved stair design. Curved stairs regularly feature handrails on both sides, which are usually formed from stainless steel or timber.
Do helical stairs have to be circular?
Unlike spiral staircases, helical stairs do not need to be circular in shape and can instead be constructed in wide elliptical or oval shapes. A helical staircase continues to set the bar aesthetically and with EeStairs, your curved stair too will be the crowning glory of your interior.
Difference Between a Helical Staircase and a Spiral Staircase
It can be considered that the concept behind both types of stairs is very similar: go up or down with a spiral path that allows development in the narrowest possible space.
Design and calculation of helical and spiral stairs
In the field of architecture, it is essential to know how stairs are designed and calculated, but in the case of helical or spiral staircases, the task is a bit more complex. For this, we must take into account several unknowns: What is the distance between the levels? What is the angle of rotation? What is the diameter that we can count on?
Design and calculation of helical and spiral stairs
In conclusion, they are stairs with an appearance that can be very attractive for unusual spaces, and at the same time a very efficient solution for small surfaces.
