One of the most important components of your home is the staircases. These can be used not only for functionality but also to create ambiance and appeal to the home. It is important that you choose the right staircase for the character of the home. Here are some tips that I learned when installing the staircases for my home.
What You Need To Consider
There were several things that I needed to think about before going ahead with installing my staircase.• What it will cost
With there being so many styles and designs of these units I needed to give some thought to how much I wanted to invest in them. The budget I set dictated the materials that I used as well as style and design.• How much space?
I didn’t want the stairs to take up a lot of precious space. However, they do need to be fully functional and built with the safety features being a priority. Usually, a staircase will be installed near the front entrance. This is visually seen when people enter the front door. Therefore it is so important that it be visually appealing.
Safety Factors
Safety is going to be a priority when it comes to the stairs. One of the safety features that can be implemented involves having a landing. This works as space for individuals to rest that are having difficulty completing the remainder of the stairs.
Having banisters and handrails is also another important safety feature. For those that may have difficulty seeing staircase lighting should be installed. I made this a priority.
Functional Space
There is always space underneath the stairs that can be used for a variety of different purposes. Here there is an option for installing cupboards for storage space and another choice can be to turn this into a place to store the children’s toys. I opted to install some reclaimed wood paneling under the stairs and used this space to install a small home bar. The reclaimed wood gives the space a rustic and calm feel.
Style
Many people are surprised to learn that there are so many different styles when it comes to staircases. Not to mention, there are many ways decorate the staircase too. Style and design often go together. For example, spiral staircases are often made of metal as it’s a durable and easily shapable material. Here are some examples:
L shape
These are also called quarter-turn stairs. These are the ones that are most appropriate when the stairs must take a corner. These are the best use of space. It Is the type of stair style where a landing works very well. Although they can be built without a landing being installed. They are a good choice when there isn’t much space, but they are not considered to be the safest type of staircase.
Spiral Staircases
Again, this is another good choice when there isn’t much space available for the stair unit. Some individuals have difficulty manoeuvring the turns with these types of stairs. They are also not very practical for moving furniture up and down. In most cases, these are used as a secondary type of stairs.
Curved Staircase
This type of stair unit is often found in homes that are large and elaborate. They are similar to the spiral staircase. This was my choice.
Materials
Something else that I had to give a great deal of thought to be the material that I was going to use on the stairs. There is a lot to choose from. What is going to be important is what blends in nicely with the theme of the home. For example, if the home has a rustic look to it then wood is the best option. However, wood can be slippery and many like to cover this with treads or carpet.
For the modern home, steel is often the choice of many. However, it does tend to have a cold look to it. For this reason, steel is often used along with some other materials.
Being compliant
Whenever installing stairs, it is important to be compliant with the building regulations. I checked these out with our local building office to find out what the rules are.
Ultimately, I found it well worth the time to do some research before installing my staircases.
