Stair design
and
construction
Brisbane North Point
Institute of TAFE
Certificate 3 in
Stonemasonry
BCF3027A Lay stair &
floor surfaces
Brisbane City Hall staircase
Stair facts
• In February 2003,
Canberra’s Paul Crake
won the Empire State
Building ‘run-up’ for the
fifth consecutive time
He ran up
• 86 levels
• 1576 stairs
• Rising 303m from start
to finish
in 9 minutes 33 seconds!
Stair facts
Paul ascended 1576 steps through
86 levels to rise 303m
That’s
• 3.52m per level
• Average 18.3 steps per
level
• 192.25mm per step
Stair geometry
Stair safety and geometry are relatedrhythmic movement along a straight line is
important for safe ascent or descent
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair proportions
Imperial (feet and inches)
Rise (R) ≥ 6”; Going (G) ≤ 12”
1. 2R” + G” = 23”
2. 17” ≤ (R” + G”) ≤ 17.5”
3. 70” ≤ (R” x G”) ≤ 75”
Metric
150mm ≤ R ≤ 215mm; 215mm ≤ G ≤ 305mm
4. 45 000 ≤ (Rmm x Gmm) ≤ 48 000
Stair angles
According to AS 1657-1992 (Fixed
platforms, walkways, stairways &
ladders- Design, construction &
installation), stairways should be
angled between 26.50 and 450That’s between 1 in 2 and 1 in 1
26.50
Rise = 1
Going = 2
450
Rise = 1
Going = 1
Limits
of slope
AS 16571992 fig 1.1
AS 1657-1992 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways & ladders- Design, construction & installation (p 5)
Stairway rises & goings
AS 1657-1992 fig. 4.3
AS 1657-1992 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways & ladders- Design, construction & installation (p 14)
Stair words
•
•
•
•
•
•
Baluster
Balustrade
Go
Going
Handrail
Headroom
•Landing
•Newel post
•Nosing
•Outer string
•Pitch
•Pitch line
•Rise
•Riser
•Stair
•Step
•Tread
•Wall string
Stair type 1
Straight flight
stair
• 4.1 Stairways
>600mm between
handrails
• 4.1 Slope not less
than 26.50 & not
more than 450
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 2
Straight two-flight
stair with halflanding
• 4.2.1 stairs
constructed in flights
straight or curved
horizontally
• 4.2.2 Number of rises
not to exceed 18 in a
flight; not more than
36 rises without a
change in direction
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 3
Quarter-turn stair
with landing
• 4.3.1 All treads to
be slip resistant,
with provision
made for drainage
• 4.3.1 (a) Rises &
goings (in the
same flight) to be
within ± 5mm
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 4
Dogleg stair with
half-landing
• 4.3.2 Head
clearance min
2000mm
vertically from
nosing of tread
• 4.3.3 Nosing of
tread must be
highlighted
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 5
Open-well stair with
two quarter
landings
• 4.3.1 (b) Each rise
not less than 150mm
& not more than
215mm
• 4.3.1 (c) Each going
not less than 215mm
& not more than
305mm
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 6
Quarter-turn stair
with winders
• 4.4 Landings:
• (a) Length & width
must be not less than
the stairway
• (b) Landing minimum
vertical clearance
2000mm
• (c) Every access
landing- standing space
at least 600mm clear
of cross-traffic or
door swing
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 7
Spiral stair with
central column
• 4.2.3 Radius to
centre line of
stairway not less
than 600mm;
where radius to
centre line is less
than 3000mm,
maximum width of
curved stairway
750mm
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 8
Circular stair
with central
well
• 4.3.1 (c) Each
Going not less
than 215mm & not
more than 305mm
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
Stair type 9
Geometric stair
(900) turn
• 4.3.1 (d) 45 000< RxG
<48 000
• 4.3.1 (e) Tread width
must not be less than
the going and there
must be an overhang
of at least 10mm
Milton, H.J. (1994). Glossary of Building Terms. Standards Australia, Sydney (p 364)
THE
END