Whether you are looking to install a standard straight wood staircase or an elaborate elliptical staircase that will be the focus of the home, a staircase is essentially designed to serve one purpose: to bridge a vertical distance by splitting the space up into manageable gaps, e.g. steps.
Aside from the various types of staircases, different looks can be achieved by using different types of wood stair components (oak, maple, Jatoba, or walnut) and a mixture of staircase newels, balusters or wood handrails will give your home a modern, contemporary or rustic look. The possibilities are endless.
Straight staircases
The most standard and commonly found, “straight” staircases typically have three possible shapes: straight up and down; “L” shaped or “T” shaped. The basic straight staircase fundamentally goes from one floor to the next in a straight line. The “L-shaped” staircase goes straight up to a landing with the stairs then continuing to the right or the left, with a wall on the opposite side of the opening. The straight staircase can also form a “T” junction, where there are exits to both the right and the left off the landing.
Curved (circular) and elliptical staircases
Though similar, the elliptical and curved (or circular) staircases are easily differentiable. The elliptical staircase follows different radiuses as it goes from narrow at the bottom, wider in the middle and then narrows again at the top. The elliptical staircase is one of the most expensive staircases to build as the stair treads, stair newels and wood stair handrail need to accommodate the changing radius. The circular staircase follows one radius; it is the same width throughout. The steps in a circular staircase often sweep in a wide curve from one level to the other. These staircases both follow a curved wall.
Spiral staircases
Ideal for a small space, the spiral staircase progresses around a fixed central support pole. Although very attractive and offering a good wow factor, spiral staircases are not so practical for carrying things up and down.
Freestanding staircases
In a freestanding staircase, the staircase is only attached to the top level and to the bottom floor; there is no wall on either side.
Ultimately budget and available space are the determining factors when choosing the type of staircase that you will install. Straight staircases are the simplest and least expensive model to build whereas curved and elliptical make a spectacular fixture. Menuiserox is a wood staircase manufacturer that offers an unlimited number of wood stair parts in your choice of wood species. Whether you are looking for oak stair treads or a cherry wood handrail, Menuiserox will custom make your wood stair components to meet your exact style. Visit Menuiserox, a wood stair parts manufacturer with more than 30 years of know-how.
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