Types of Stairs: Top 7 Beautiful Types of Staircases
Types of Stairs: Top 7 Beautiful Types of Staircases
What is a Stair or Staircase?
A stair is a set of steps leading from one floor of a building to the next, typically inside the building. The enclosure or room of this building, in which the stair is situated is called staircase. The opening or area occupied by the stair is referred to as a stairway. Stairs are categorized into different types based on their shape and form.
Stairs are designed to provide easy and quick access to different floors.
Choosing the Right Types of Stairs
Choosing the right type of staircase for your home is a big decision. There are space-saving staircases and then staircases designed to make a splash.
A big part of the decision hinges on how much space you have and your home’s layout. The staircase design happens early on in the blueprint phase because when you change the staircase, you alter the blueprint of the house which is a big change.
Moreover, building intricate staircases can be very complex requiring careful measuring and precise craftsmanship. It should not be done by amateurs.
The following are some top types of stairs for your choice;
Straight Stairs
These are the stairs along which there is no change in direction on any flight between two successive floors. The straight stairs can be of the following types.
Straight stairs are stairs without any changes in direction. They are certainly one of the most common types of stairs found in both residential and commercial properties.
Below are examples of straight floating stairs made with a variety of stringer styles, railing types, and wood species.
L Shaped Stairs
The L shaped staircase is a variation of the straight stair with a bend in some portion of the stair. This bend is usually achieved by adding a landing at the transition point. The bend is often 90 degrees, however, it does not have to be. If the landing is closer to the top or bottom of the stairs it is sometimes referred to as a long L stair or a quarter turn stair.
Bifurcated Stairs
These stairs are commonly used in public buildings. In this type of stairs, the bottom flight is wider and is bifurcated into two narrower flights at the landing.
Bifurcated stairs comprise a grand and sweeping set of stairs that divides into two smaller flights that split off into opposite directions.
Spiral Stairs.
These stairs are generally constructed either of cast iron or R.C.C. The steps which are all winders, radiate from a central vertical shaft and are attached to it. 
The steps are generally pre-cast and are fitted to the central pillar. These stairs are used on the back-side of a building for emergency use as well as in those places where the space is limited.
One of the key advantages of spiral stairs is their compactness. They are very popular on beach front decks where space is at a premium. They are also used extensively on city lofts for the same reason.
Curved Stairs
Curved stairs add elegance to any home or business. For this reason, they are almost always located at the entry where they make the best first impression.
U-shaped Stairs ( Half-Turn)
If you’ve ever promised yourself you’d take the stairs every day at your office, you’ve seen this back-to-basics style. The bend is taken even further to form a full U shape, and similar to the L-shaped staircase, a landing separates the two parallel flights.
Winder Stairs or Circular Stairs
Winder stairs are a lot like an L-shaped staircase, except that there is no landing. Instead, the stairs are continuous, taking on a wedge shape as they make the turn. These have been far less common in contemporary homes and are typically found in older residences.
Sometimes, when space is at a premium, we must take a flat landing and break it into two pie-shaped pieces, creating winder stairs. Not ideal, but it can work well, particularly if you have railings on both sides.
