A floating staircase may brighten up your space, let light in, and add a stunning feature to your home. Here’s how to get the design just perfect.
A floating staircase is a magnificent design element that can be used to open up even the tiniest of entrances and landings. It’s also a fantastic addition to a DIY project.
Straight floating stairs are typically composed of high-quality oak, glass, and metal and appear to float freely from the wall and floor.
While a staircase’s primary function is to transport you from one floor to another, it may also be used to create an eye-catching, wow-factor staircase design in your new house.
What Is the Price of a Floating Staircase?
A floating staircase is not cheap: they are a stunning design feature and a conversation piece, and as such, they are expensive.
A top-of-the-line contemporary staircase can set you back between £15k and £20k, but with enough forethought, you can save money.
If you elect to have everything produced off-site and then fitted by your tradesperson, you can save money. However, because items must be created to the millimeter, there is a risk involved.
If you’re building your own home, you might be able to budget for a floating staircase early on, and if the cost doesn’t deter you, several specialist businesses can help you, like Angus and Mack (opens in the new tab) and Bisca(opens in new tab).
Design of a Floating Staircase
When it comes to planning your staircase, keep in mind that, like with most design elements, the simpler it appears, the more difficult it is to construct.
The majority of staircases are close to the front door, so consider how your new floating staircase will interact with natural light in your home.
Remember to verify with Building Regulations before planning the design and appearance, as certain criteria must be met in the UK: Each step has a maximum rise of 220mm and a minimum rise of 150mm. Each step from nose to nose must be at least 220mm wide and at most 300mm wide.
If the flight is less than one meter wide, it should have a handrail on at least one side, and if it is wider than that, it should have a handrail on both sides.
When it comes to floating staircases, wooden stair treads are the most popular form, and you may add a handrail to make them safer for children and pets.
Circular brushed-metal handrails are very popular since they look and feel nice while also adding a layer of safety.
Furthermore, they reduce the amount of cleaning required for the glass, which is a plus. Touching a glass balustrade every time you travel up and down the stairs will result in a lot of fingerprints!
Building a Floating Staircase
A typical staircase has treads that span two stringers, whereas a floating staircase has cantilevered metal treads supported by a single steel stringer hidden below the plasterboard wall. This is what produces the appearance of floating stairwells.
Each tread is often made up of two 120x60x6cm rectangular hollow parts with an oak shoe slid over the top to provide a magnificent, solid-looking finish that doesn’t extend to the wall or glass, resulting in a shadow gap.
The glass balustrade, which is secured in place using pre-stressed glazing bolts in predrilled holes, is also supported by the treads.
In these cases, the glass is a 17.5mm heat-soaked toughened laminate. The balustrade must be able to support itself and give the appropriate barrier loading needed by the Building Regulations, which necessitates this tough specification.
