Stairs - Terminology – Materials – Regulations

This article deals mainly with the terminology used in the construction of staircases, which are still the most commonly encountered structures, even if they are sometimes supplemented by mechanical installations to move from one level to another in a building.

Given the variety of existing structures, the following classifications are based on layout criteria:

• straight staircases (or straight flights), the most common ;

• Semicircular staircases that allow the steps to be swung, quite common;

• circular staircases, of which the current standard is the staircase with prefabricated steps on a central core.

Each type is presented in all the materials used in construction:

• dressed stone masonry (load-bearing vaulted flights) ;

• reinforced concrete (most common case) :

  • cast in situ,

  • prefabricated in various forms;

• metal (mainly steel): used for service or industrial staircases or exceptional architectural designs;

• wood: classic ancient or modern structures (glued laminated wood technique).

As a complement to this approach, article [TBA 2 301] presents the calculations required for the various types of staircase, and article [TBA 2 302] is dedicated to lateral protection (guardrails).