The rise needs to fall between 150mm and 220mm (domestic) or 150mm and 170mm (commercial) The maximum angle of a domestic stair should be no more than 42° and commercial stairs no than 34°

What are the current UK Building Regulations for staircases?

The following rules must be met: The individual rise must be between 150mm and 220mm. The individual going must be between 220mm and 300mm. The Pitch of the stair cannot be greater than 42 degrees.

What is the regulation rise and go for external steps?





1. Your stair tread can be greater than 220mm (Going), and the step height can be below 220mm (Rise) provided that twice the Rise plus the Going (2R+G) falls between 550mm and 700mm. This is the normal relationship between the dimensions of the rise and going.

Do outdoor steps need a handrail UK?

The handrails should be between 850mm and 1000mm above the pitch line and extend minimum 300mm beyond top and bottom nosings. Figure 1 Three or more risers – handrail is required. Figure 2 Three or more risers plus landings – handrails are required at steps.

What is the legal requirement for a staircase?

To comply with the Regulations, the minimum going should be 220mm, whilst the pitch of the staircase should not exceed 42°. When it comes to staircase width, there are no restrictions as such, but standard flights measure 860mm, and for a main staircase it is agreed that a width of between 800mm and 900mm works best.

Do exterior steps require a landing?

Exterior stair landing code requirements





IBC Section 1011.7. 2 requires that exterior stair landings must be designed so that water will not accumulate on the walking surface.

Are open staircases legal UK?

The simple answer is that a staircase designed and built to UK regulations IS deemed to be safe. UK regulations state that no part of a staircase or balustrade must have gaps of more than 100mm. Known as the “babies head rule” a sphere of 100mm diameter must not be able to pass through ANY gap.

Do stairs have to be enclosed?

Interior exit stairways shall be enclosed. Vertical exit enclosures four stories or more shall be 2-hour fire-resistance rated. Vertical exit enclosures less than four stories shall be 1-hour fire-resistance rated.

What is the minimum width of staircase in a residential building dwelling?

Height 2.00 m 14 Staircase Width 0.75 m. No restriction for internal ladder Width 0.90 m. Notes 1. Provided that the minimum clear head way under any beam shall be not less than 2.4 m.

How much space do you need for a staircase UK?



The maximum width of a public staircase is 1800mm. To overcome this you can simply add an extra handrail, newel and spindles to divide the staircase. If stairs are more than 1000mm wide it must have a handrail on both sides. For public buildings the length of a staircase is limited to 16 risers maximum.

Are space saving stairs legal?

* There is a type of staircase called a “space-saver” or “Paddle tread” that rises at 55 degrees, it is legal due to its design, you can see this type of stair by clicking on “Conversion types” then staircase.

How much space do you need at the bottom of a staircase?

A standard staircase occupies 30-square-feet of space above and below the staircase. This is the most common dimension, given an 8-foot ceiling, where the staircase width measures 3-feet (36-inches) and horizontal floor space occupied measures between 9- to 10-feet.

How much space do you need to add a staircase?



Plan a typical staircase for a house with an 8-foot ceiling at 3 feet wide with between 9 and 10 feet of horizontal floor space. Allocate the 30 square feet above and below the stair for access between floors.

How do you build a small space staircase?

Loft stairs are space-efficient and visually light; these positives make them a practical way out for tight spaces. 4. An undemanding and unique hanging staircase leads to the upper level in this open-plan kitchen area. The minimal white stairs, suspended by sturdy metal frames, do not take up an inch of floor space.

How do you calculate the area of a staircase?

Sample calculation of a staircase that should be 2.60 meters high

  1. Calculate the number of steps that will be needed. Considering an ideal riser of 18 cm, the height of the space is divided by the height of each step. …
  2. Calculate the height of each riser. …
  3. Calculate the width of the tread.

What is a space saver staircase?



A Space Saver Staircase is a Compact Staircase that has alternating treads allowing you to get up a flight of stairs in approximately half the going distance of a normal flight of stairs. Very popular for Loft conversions where space is of a premium.

What is a winder staircase?

Winders. Winders are steps that are narrower on one side than the other. They are used to change the direction of the stairs without landings. A series of winders form a circular or spiral stairway. When three steps are used to turn a 90° corner, the middle step is called a kite winder as a kite-shaped quadrilateral.

Are paddle stairs legal UK?

The regulations for paddle staircases vary between counties. While official building regulations state that this type of staircase can only be used to allow access to one habitable room, other authorities insist that they can only be used for access to non-habitable rooms such as boiler rooms and storage areas.