ᐅ Steel Stringer Staircase | Possible Design Flaw? Your Opinions
Created on: 9 Dec 2018 13:37
T
TeChrJu
Hello dear forum members,
We are currently building in a new residential area in northern Germany.
We have a question about our steel stringer staircase and would appreciate your collective expertise:
We commissioned a well-established company to build a steel stringer staircase, quarter-turn, with a rise of about 19.3 cm (7.6 inches) and a tread depth of 25 cm (10 inches) per step.
This would result in 15 steps from the ground floor to the upper floor.
Now the company has installed the staircase.
Disaster: The last step at the upper floor ends exactly at the finished floor level and is only 15 cm (6 inches) wide. This is probably due to the width of the steps in the quarter-turn section.
We did not expect this at all—in other words, our already installed stair lighting (electrical work) does not fit, and we do not like the idea of ending on a half step at the upper floor.
The company was unable to provide a construction drawing in advance, saying they were “too busy.” In hindsight, maybe we should have been more cautious and stopped the process at that point?
Could you please give a brief assessment of this staircase? Do we have to accept it as is, or should we take action?
We are honestly quite shocked in a negative way...
Many thanks for your opinions and best regards
Tita
We are currently building in a new residential area in northern Germany.
We have a question about our steel stringer staircase and would appreciate your collective expertise:
We commissioned a well-established company to build a steel stringer staircase, quarter-turn, with a rise of about 19.3 cm (7.6 inches) and a tread depth of 25 cm (10 inches) per step.
This would result in 15 steps from the ground floor to the upper floor.
Now the company has installed the staircase.
Disaster: The last step at the upper floor ends exactly at the finished floor level and is only 15 cm (6 inches) wide. This is probably due to the width of the steps in the quarter-turn section.
We did not expect this at all—in other words, our already installed stair lighting (electrical work) does not fit, and we do not like the idea of ending on a half step at the upper floor.
The company was unable to provide a construction drawing in advance, saying they were “too busy.” In hindsight, maybe we should have been more cautious and stopped the process at that point?
Could you please give a brief assessment of this staircase? Do we have to accept it as is, or should we take action?
We are honestly quite shocked in a negative way...
Many thanks for your opinions and best regards
Tita
C
chand198614 Dec 2018 08:28@11ant
Sure, but please be patient: Christmas party tonight, so not before tomorrow afternoon... no!
Sure, but please be patient: Christmas party tonight, so not before tomorrow afternoon... no!
M
Mottenhausen14 Dec 2018 10:10It already becomes clear in this thread: the nosing step has a historical origin, as the connection between a wooden staircase and a wooden plank floor only makes sense with a nosing step. Stairs were traditionally built not just for the next 20 years, but for the next 100 years. The nosing step wears down over time, but can be quickly replaced if needed. If the floorboards extend all the way up to the stairs, replacing the first board becomes much more complicated. Nowadays, floorboards are considered a luxury and have long been replaced by other types of flooring; the nosing step now mainly serves an aesthetic purpose.
Anyone buying a house around 30 years old today will likely renovate and replace both floors and stairs completely anyway, so it doesn’t really matter whether there is a nosing step that could be quickly swapped out, since everything will be removed regardless.
Anyone buying a house around 30 years old today will likely renovate and replace both floors and stairs completely anyway, so it doesn’t really matter whether there is a nosing step that could be quickly swapped out, since everything will be removed regardless.
Stahlbauer23 Dec 2018 09:58Since the manufacturer must have built the staircase based on some kind of plan, it would be helpful to see that plan...
I usually plan about 30 steel staircases per year, and occasionally I have to make the top step flush with the landing... this is usually due to the layout or because the landing is too small...
I usually plan about 30 steel staircases per year, and occasionally I have to make the top step flush with the landing... this is usually due to the layout or because the landing is too small...
As always, I believe the staircase builder should inform you in advance about how it will look... not just build it and then leave you with a big surprise.
As a layperson, you often don’t know what visual impact a decision will have...
I want to be able to choose consciously, in this case:
1) Steeper staircase (which I don’t think is possible with a 19.3cm (7.6 inch) rise)
2) No landing
Then I would know what to expect and simply choose between option a and b.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
As a layperson, you often don’t know what visual impact a decision will have...
I want to be able to choose consciously, in this case:
1) Steeper staircase (which I don’t think is possible with a 19.3cm (7.6 inch) rise)
2) No landing
Then I would know what to expect and simply choose between option a and b.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that.
Stahlbauer23 Dec 2018 19:39What many people don’t know...
Any company that manufactures or supplies metal components must be certified according to EN 1090!
EN 1090 has been mandatory since 2014! Its predecessor, DIN 18800, has been in place since 1989...
This means that structural calculations, shop drawings, approvals... with few exceptions, a CE certificate must also be provided!
Unfortunately, this requirement is often deliberately ignored by many – including architects and construction managers – who award contracts to the cheapest bidder. Otherwise, they would have to do more than just write a couple of sentences during the tender process... Usually, they also lack the necessary expertise...
Any company that manufactures or supplies metal components must be certified according to EN 1090!
EN 1090 has been mandatory since 2014! Its predecessor, DIN 18800, has been in place since 1989...
This means that structural calculations, shop drawings, approvals... with few exceptions, a CE certificate must also be provided!
Unfortunately, this requirement is often deliberately ignored by many – including architects and construction managers – who award contracts to the cheapest bidder. Otherwise, they would have to do more than just write a couple of sentences during the tender process... Usually, they also lack the necessary expertise...
We have a wooden staircase, so it includes a bottom landing step – and I’m glad about that. I didn’t know it was possible to have one without it *lol and I would have been really upset if we didn’t have one because I find it quite unattractive.
In my opinion, something like this should definitely be mentioned by the staircase builders…
In my opinion, something like this should definitely be mentioned by the staircase builders…
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