subject: Stairway: Types, Material And Measurement [print this page] A stairway is an important structure in a house or a building that has successive over the head or underground floors. This is different from a typical ladder that consists of two parallel vertical poles separated by a series of horizontal bars, each connected end by end on the poles. But this is a fixed structure designed with the same principle as facilitating manual elevation.
There are two major types of stairway, namely plain inclined and spiral. Plain inclined stairway is a more common type consisting of straightly aligned steps railed with a parallel balustrade. Balustrade is the railing system protecting people from falling off the edge. On the other hand, a spiral stairway is a type usually designed as one curved to a series of curved steps with balustrade.
The difference of the two types may be found in how each eats up space and what type of materials they are made of. A plain inclined stairway is usually made of concrete reinforced by small diameter bars. This is easily formed using wood or metal forms because it does not involve measurement of curved edges. Unlike plain inclined stairway, spiral stairway is more difficult to structure.
Nevertheless, the easiest way of structuring a spiral stairway system is to make use of metal as the stairway itself. Iron stairs are more moldable and can easily be installed without any secondary forms. It can even be pre-cast and instantly installed in place after hardening. Pre-cast metal stairs have more accurate measurement of tread and inclination and can be used immediately after installation, unlike concrete that requires a curing period.
Measurement in structuring a stairway is important. There should be an accurate distribution of tread depth and rise height so that it will be comfortable to step on and create a leap. Some ratios result in a pitch line so steep that going up is so difficult and going down is dangerously easy to almost triggering fall. Even pre-cast Iron stairs sometimes meet the same problem.
There are standard ratios that must be followed in order to obtain an ideal output. But if the standard ratios cant be applied because of the size of the place where the stairs are to be structured, slight adjustments can be made. For either concrete stairs or Iron stairs, run should always be more than the rise in the ration.
