How to make an attic staircase with your own hands. Varieties of attic stairs and their differences Compact staircase to the attic in a small house

Ladder

Having equipped the attic space in the attic, you can get an additional cozy living room in the house. An integral part of this space is the staircase. It should harmoniously fit into the interior of the room and provide a safe lift. The designs of wooden stairs meet ergonomic, environmental and technical requirements.

Types of attic stairs

By location, there are two main types of stairs to the attic:

internal;
outdoor.

Internal ladder structures are the most versatile. Since they can occupy a large usable area, special attention should be paid to the choice of the type of structure at the design stage.

Internal staircase

Structures are located outside the premises. Usually, such marches should harmoniously fit into the design of the facade of the house. They also need to be designed during the construction phase of the building. Most often, outdoor stairs are installed in a residential building, where a separate entrance to the attic is required.

The main types of stairs to the attic

Country or country houses do not differ in large areas. Therefore, when designing a staircase, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions and correctly position it indoors. In the interfloor ceiling, it is necessary to install additional beams for fixing the stairs. Compact, comfortable stairs to the attic are presented in the following options:

The compact folding ladder is the most best option for small buildings. Allows you to save more space. After use, the ladder folds and slides into the hatch located in the ceiling.

Folding stairs to the attic

Spiral staircase designs are also compact, but at the same time they look very impressive. Comfortable and ergonomic stairs that are easily able to fit into any interior, decorating it.

One- or two-flight stairs to the attic can be quite compact. These capital structures are the safest and have a fairly solid, attractive appearance.

Attic ladders are rather a temporary element. However, if you install it in a small country house, which is not used for permanent residence, it can be used as a stationary structure. It should be noted that such a design is quite simple.

What material to choose?

The flight of stairs is an integral part of the interior, so you should carefully approach the choice of material. Namely, based on the selected material, the type of the entire structure is finally determined. wooden stairs for the attic come in a wide variety of designs, colors and shapes. Wood is very strong and durable enough construction material. But still, wooden products need additional treatment with antifungal and moisture-repellent protective agents that extend their service life.

Advice! Smooth glossy, varnished and polished treads are traumatic. To prevent the surface from slipping, it is recommended to lay anti-slip mats on top of the steps or use matte product protection products.

Staircase made of metal can become an interior decoration, and is able to surprise with its simplicity. Metal constructions they are reliable and durable, they are both safe and ergonomic. The product can be given any shape and color. Metal, like wood, requires special protective coatings.

What style to choose?

So that the staircase does not stand out from the interior, it must organically fit into the overall design of the room and match the style of the whole house. Most popular styles:

traditional;

traditional interior

vintage;

Vintage interior

modernist;

Modernist interior

high tech;

provence;

Provencal style in the interior

South American;

loft.

The design can be decorated with paintings or forged details, which highlights and emphasizes the main style of the building.

The layout of the staircase

Before cutting a wooden opening for the stairs in the floor, you must finally select the location for the stair structure. Being at the stage of designing a staircase, the following parameters should be considered:

opening height from floor to ceiling - at least 2000 mm;
the steepness and width of the opening is determined on the basis of the area of \u200b\u200bthe room in which the construction of the staircase is provided;
the opening should be 50 mm wider than the staircase itself, since after its installation it will be necessary to perform decorative work;
the depth of the steps should accommodate the human foot and be comfortable when going up and down. The most acceptable depth is 300 mm;
step height cannot be more than 200 mm;
march width - 1000 mm;
the number of treads in a march can only be odd. Optimally - from 3 to 15 pieces.

1. the width of the opening for the stairs; 2. the height of the opening between the ceiling and the floor; 3. march width; 4. step height; 5. step depth

Definition right angle the slope of the structure when designing a staircase to the attic will allow you to build a comfortable staircase. The slope of the stairs cannot be flat or steep. Optimal Angle tilt - 30-45 degrees.

The most popular formula for the convenience of a flight of stairs: a + b \u003d 450 ± 20 mm, where a is the height of the riser; b is the depth of the steps. The graphical representation greatly simplifies the design of the entire structure. It allows you to first evaluate the appearance of the stairs. Then, the dimensions are transferred to the drawing. Stair structure design formula: (2a + b), where: 2a - two riser heights; b - step depth. The ideal design indicator is 600-650 millimeters.

The formula for calculating the steps of a ladder

Possible design errors

The size of the steps must be strictly observed. Different sizes of treads are the most common mistake that can lead to negative consequences during installation, such as excessive gaps between the bowstring and the tread. It is very difficult to eliminate such defects. The second error is the different heights of the risers. Muscle memory remembers the gap between the tread of the first and second steps and automatically lowers the foot to the next step by this amount. This allows you to calmly move around without thinking about where the next step is. Failure to comply with the standard requirements for the height of the riser leads to inconvenience in operation. Too high steps complicate the passage of children and the elderly. When designing bowstrings and stringers, it is important to take into account the clearance for fastening beams located in the ceiling.

Making an attic staircase with your own hands

Having decided on the location, material, type and design of the flight of stairs, you can proceed to independent work for the manufacture of stairs, which are carried out in several stages:

Determine the width of the opening. It is not recommended to make a narrow staircase less than 900 mm wide.
We calculate the height and depth of the steps. Optimal size heights - up to 200 mm, and depths - at least 250 mm.
We take into account the location of handrails and fences. It is recommended to install them at a height of 900–1000 mm.

We determine the slope and calculate the number of steps in the march.

Calculation of the number of stairs steps https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrqxQO_Nb0s

in the opening attic floor install load-bearing beams.

Prepare the kosours by first sawing recesses for treads in them.

Cut out notches for steps

Reinforce the stringers from below and to the beams in the floor.

Install stringers

Prepare boards for treads, at least 35 mm thick. Resize and carefully sand the surface. Then, cover with a protective layer of varnish or other means.

Cut steps to the required dimensions and process them

Prepare balusters and railings. Thoroughly sand and polish all surfaces.

Prepare the necessary elements for the fence

Installation

When all the elements of the staircase structure are ready - it's time to start its installation. It is necessary to carefully fix the stringers to the floor and beams located in the ceiling, then screw them with self-tapping screws.

After installing the stringers, they must be securely fastened.

Important! Steps and risers are fixed strictly at an angle of 90 degrees. All joints must be pre-glued with wood glue to give additional reliability to the structure.

We mount steps to the reinforced stringers starting from the bottom. Self-tapping screws or fastening spokes can serve as a fastener. In closed stairs, risers are installed.

When installing steps, lubricate the joints with glue

Thus, steps and risers are installed in a closed type of stairs

To give the stairs strength and rigidity, all load-bearing parts must additionally be reinforced with corners and threaded studs.

To make the ladder strong, reinforce it with threaded studs.

Balusters are fixed to the installed treads, on which handrails are installed.

Install balusters and railings on stairs

or on her steps

Treatment of stairs with protective coatings

All components of the ladder are solidly fixed and carefully sanded. It remains only to process the structure with antifungal and moisture-repellent protective equipment to extend the service life.

Internal stair structures decorate the room with their appearance, while harmoniously fit into any interior. paints and varnishes give the product an elegant appearance. The stairs can be covered with colored varnish or stain to give the wood a shade, or you can apply the effect of bleaching the structure of the tree (this method is extremely fashionable today).

By covering the staircase with protective equipment, you will not only extend its service life, but also be able to harmoniously fit it into the interior.

The whole process of protecting stairs with special coatings can be divided into 3 main processes:

treatment;
primer;
varnish coating.

As experience shows, the production of stairs on your own is a rather difficult and lengthy process. But it is quite doable, and the result may please the owner. The main thing is to correctly calculate and prepare the constituent structural elements in accordance with the drawings. Assembling correctly verified parts will not be a big hassle.

Ksenia Skvortsova. Chief Editor. Author.
Planning and distribution of responsibilities in the content production team, work with texts.
Education: Kharkov State Academy of Culture, specialty “Culturologist. Lecturer in History and Theory of Culture. Experience in copywriting: From 2010 to the present. Editor: since 2016.

hosts country houses, especially those suffering from insufficient space on the site, often try to accessible ways expand your living space. One of the best and most popular solutions is the arrangement of a residential attic in the attic.

The process of arranging an attic space into a full-fledged residential attic includes many stages, including the creation of an effective and subsequent high-quality finish. But no less important is the organization of a convenient, reliable and safe interfloor transition in everyday operation. This article will describe and show in detail how to gradually build a staircase to the attic with your own hands.

Carrying out preliminary calculations of the attic mid-flight stairs

Stairs to the attic can be located inside or outside the house. Of course, for all-weather use, the internal staircase looks much more advantageous. This option will be considered further.

The staircase itself can be marching, winding or. If you think in terms of maximum security, then it is preferable to make a choice in favor of the marching option.

But mid-flight stairs have one pronounced drawback - big sizes in projection onto the floor plane. And a common occurrence is when the area of \u200b\u200bthe room in which the staircase should be located is not so large that you can stop at the simplest, single-flight option. The fact is that if there is not enough space, such a staircase will turn out to be very steep and extremely inconvenient, and even dangerous for everyday use, especially for children or family members who have some kind of disability due to health reasons.

The maximum angle of steepness for such stairs is considered to be 45 degrees. But it seems a little too much in terms of comfort. rise and descent. So it is better to stop at an indicator up to 40 degrees.

So, a single-march option is obtained very infrequently. And in order to achieve the desired angle of steepness, you have to break the rise into two marches (sometimes more is practiced). A transitional horizontal platform is made between marches (it is easier to install and safer in everyday use). Or the marches are connected by a curved section with winder steps (it looks beautiful, but it is more difficult to calculate and install, and not so safe to use).

Further, we will only talk about a marching staircase with a platform, as a simpler and safer option. And who is interested in winder stairs - he needs to go to another page.

TO how a winder staircase is designed and installed

Drafting a staircase with a running section, carrying out assembly work - all this has a number of important features. Read more about - read in a special publication of our portal.

So, the construction of a marching staircase must be preceded by some calculations.

A. It is necessary to calculate what area of the room will be occupied by the horizontal projection of the planned staircase with a certain angle of inclination. Or, on the contrary, how steep the march will be, built on a specific area allotted to it. If one march for these reasons, is impossible (as often happens), then the stairs will have to be divided into two flights, and the mentioned parameters will be calculated for each of them, taking into account the location and height of the transition platform. Wherein prerequisite is the same slope angle for both marches.

Prices for wooden stairs

wooden staircase

The dependence of the steepness of the march and the value of its horizontal projection on the floor plane will allow us to evaluate the calculator located below.

With proper arrangement, an ordinary attic space turns into a comfortable and perfectly suitable for living. attic room. To ensure safe and most convenient access to the attic floor, it is necessary to install a reliable staircase. With the assembly and installation of stairs, if desired, you can handle on your own. Read the instructions and get started.

There are several main types of stairs suitable for providing access to the attic.

The most compact and easy to manufacture option. Such steps are assembled and hidden behind a cover that closes the entrance to the under-roof room.

The design is based on a spring mechanism that allows you to quickly and effortlessly open the stairs - you just need to pull the hatch down, after which the spans will smoothly decompose. The last flight of stairs usually has to be laid out manually.

To lift the structure, it is best to install special automation - with it it will be simply more convenient and easier to use the stairs.

The traditional and most common option. Such ladders are the most reliable and easy to use. The steps of the stairs can be fixed on bowstrings, bolts and stringers.

Installation of a conventional single-flight staircase is carried out at a certain angle. The specific value of the slope is selected individually, taking into account the height of the ceilings in the room. If the distance from floor to ceiling is large, the stairs will have a rather steep descent, which is not very convenient.

With the help of stairs of two and three marches, you can organize the safest and most convenient ascent to the attic. However, to accommodate such rotary structures, quite a lot of space is needed. Typically, such stairs are provided at the design stage of the attic.

A spiral staircase to the attic can be equipped exclusively with the use of winders. This design can significantly save usable space, but trapezoidal steps can hardly be called completely safe and very comfortable, especially for the elderly and young children.

A spiral staircase must be equipped with comfortable and stable railings.

Very beautiful and original design. Settled on a curved kosour. It is extremely difficult to independently calculate and assemble such a ladder in the absence of proper skills.

However, subject to proper arrangement, the involute staircase will be a great addition to any interior.

Pay due attention to the design of the stairs to the attic. The optimal depth of the steps is considered to be 30 cm. The most comfortable step between the steps is about 15 cm. On the stairs with such parameters, it will be possible to comfortably and safely climb and descend, leaning on the steps with the entire surface of the foot.

The most convenient width of the stairs is considered to be 80-100 cm. If the width of the stairs is more than 1.2 m, an additional central stringer must be included in the design.

One person of average build will feel comfortable when using a ladder with a half-meter width.

Try to make the slope of the span no more than 45 degrees.

The current regulatory documentation requires that the steps of the stairs have a depth of 25-40 cm, and the height of the riser is 12-22 cm.

Try to design the staircase so that there is at least 200 cm between each step and the ceiling. free space. Even tall people will not experience discomfort on such a ladder.

For the rest, be guided by your own preferences, not forgetting about personal comfort and, of course, safety.

What is the staircase made of?

For the arrangement of attic stairs, a wide variety of materials are used. Their list includes:

glass;
concrete mortar;
wood;
metal.

In practice, stairs are most often made of wood or use a combination of materials. At this point, you must make the decision yourself, focusing on the interior design features, personal preferences and available budget.

Each material has both a number of strengths and certain disadvantages.

Eg, metal stairs with glass steps look very impressive, but they are quite expensive.

Wooden structures bring a certain sophistication and comfort to the interior, but require competent and regular maintenance.

All-metal and concrete structures withstand even very heavy loads, but do not fit very well into the interior of residential premises and create heavy loads on the base (ceiling).

In general, when choosing a material for making stairs, be guided by your personal preferences.

Where to install the ladder?

stairs to attic floor can be installed outdoors and indoors. The most convenient option is, of course, the internal placement of the stairs. In such a situation, you do not have to go outside, which is especially appreciated in bad weather.

However, in some situations, there is a need for external arrangement of stairs to isolate the attic room. An external staircase is best made of metal. In such a situation, be sure to install reliable anti-burglary doors at the entrance to the attic in order to protect your property from intruders.

Can you think of original variants decoration of the street stairs. For example, quite often the owners add a beautiful tower around the steps to the house. Such a solution brings its own zest to the architecture of the site.

Choose the best option for placing stairs to the attic, taking into account the above recommendations. If possible, try to give preference to the internal location of the structure.

Do-it-yourself wooden stationary staircase

Most simple option for self-erection is a single-flight staircase, the design of which is based on stringers. This design is convenient and practical. It does not require a lot of free space and without any difficulty settles on its own. It is the order of assembly of such a structure that will be discussed below.

Work set

Glued laminated timber (preferably from pine or other durable rock) for arranging stringers.
Board for the design of steps. Use elements with a thickness of at least 4-5 cm. You can also buy steps ready-made. Do it the way you feel most comfortable.
Boards for the manufacture of risers. The optimal thickness of the elements is 2 cm. In most cases (if the load on the stairs is not too large), the use of these structural components can be abandoned.
Fasteners.
Railings to choose from.
Balusters.

This manual provides instructions for making stairs with cut-in treads.

Start preparing the kosour. To do this, make a markup on the original beam. The product must be divided into triangles. The hypotenuse of each such triangle will serve as the edge of the beam, one of the legs will be responsible for the depth of the step, and the second for the height of the riser.

Cut out the triangles with a suitable tool. The easiest and fastest way to do this is with a circular saw.

Trim the edges of the products. The optimal bevel size is 2-5 mm.

For greater convenience in marking work, you can pre-make a triangle template of the required size.

Proceed with the installation of the kosour in the place intended for this. The top edge of the product must adjoin the end of the interfloor overlap. As a result, a reliable and stable system will be created.

Select the fixing method in accordance with the design features of the stairs, the thickness of the beams and other significant parameters.

The best option for fixing the kosour to the beam located above is with the use of plunging. It is also possible to fasten the kosour with going under the surface of the site and without directly cutting into the beam.

The plunging technique is the most reliable and common. To make such a connection, make a drink right size in the support beam and insert the edge of the stringer into it. The created gash should not be too large, because. any recesses lead to a decrease in the strength and reliability of the structure.

Instead of plunging, you can use bolt-on or angle-mount options. However, these mounting options are only suitable for lightweight staircase designs.

The kosour must be fixed as rigidly and securely as possible so that the risk of shift is completely eliminated. You can use two methods to attach the lower end of the stringer.

In accordance with the first method, it is necessary to make an angular cutout for the supporting beam from below the element. A groove of the appropriate size is prepared directly in the beam. As a result, you will have to insert the cutout of the kosour into the groove prepared in the support beam and fix the element with the help of corners or tighten it with vertical studs.

In accordance with the second method, the cutout is created directly in the support beam, after which the lower corner of the stair stringer is inserted into it. This fixation option is reliable, however, the support beam in such a situation should have a rather large cross section.

If you plan to make a staircase of two flights, first determine the dimensions of the site. The site must be fixed before attaching the stringers. To do this, provide stable and reliable mortgages in the walls. If it is impossible to attach the platform to the wall, use vertical support posts.

To connect the treads and risers, it is best to use screws and glue. The nails will loosen over time.

Fixing elements are placed flush. Also, corners and strips can be used to fasten the structure. In addition, a fairly reliable and very durable connection option is installation using wooden dowels.

If the stairs are made of hardwood, it is recommended that the fixing pins be made of softwood, and vice versa. Otherwise, the fastener will split the base material.

Fasten the steps so that their edges extend beyond the boundaries of the riser by 2-4 cm.

Fix all the planned steps.

In conclusion, you will have to mount the railings and balusters, and then treat all the wooden structural elements with an antiseptic. It would be useful to cover the wood with a flame retardant. Also, the material can be subjected to such treatments even before the final assembly of the stairs. Do it the way you feel most comfortable.

If you wish, you can cover the stairs with a paintwork composition or decorate it with another finishing material of your choice.

Successful work!

attic floor in small house increases the useful area, but for its use as a living space it is necessary comfortable staircase. It can be arranged outside, which somewhat reduces the functionality of the second floor. The internal passage upstairs turns it into a full-fledged living space. The market offers beautiful, reliable designs, but it is difficult to choose the exact size. Not everyone can afford to order. Do-it-yourself attic staircase - perfect option. You can choose the most suitable look, material, calculate the optimal dimensions.

Selecting a product type - what should be considered?

Having decided to arrange a permanent staircase from the room to the attic, determine its location. If there is someone's bedroom on the second floor and you need a separate passage, then it's a good idea to place it outside. At the same time, the likelihood of intruders entering the house increases.

Most prefer to arrange stairs indoors. The limited area puts forward the requirement of a compact design. If you correctly calculate the location and all dimensions, then it will not take up much space, but will be a convenient, beautiful and reliable element of the interior. best material for the attic stairs - wood.

How to choose the shape and type?

All stationary stairs are divided into groups. The first includes marching, consisting of one section, as well as two or more. A straight line with a single span takes up too much space, so it is preferable to arrange platforms or turns - winder steps.

Stairs of a spiral (spiral) type are twisted around a central pillar or rest on the wall with one edge. They are arranged with a strong shortage of free space. It is not very convenient to use, especially for the elderly, and even dangerous for small children. Lifting furniture and appliances on them is problematic. Manufacturing is labor intensive and requires careful calculations.

Another factor to consider is the frame. The most popular load-bearing element is the stringers. They are beams with cut out openings for steps that rest on them. Another method of fastening is a bowstring, in which recesses are made, where support pads are inserted.

It should be borne in mind that the design on the stringers takes up less space, it is more durable. All load is on the supports. Bowstrings play a supporting role, holding the steps together.

Between the two load-bearing elements at the top and bottom, a coupler of threaded studs is arranged so that the structure does not loosen.

Optimal location

Professional experience suggests best places for the device stairs to the attic:

choose the part of the house that is used less than others;
the platform is more economical in terms of space and manufacture than winder steps;
a metal staircase is installed 1.5 years after the construction of the house, when it shrinks completely;
make sure that a hole can be made in the ceiling for access to the attic floor.

An important role is played by the angle of inclination: a design with a large inclination takes up less space. On the other hand, too steep a rise is inconvenient - it is difficult for the sick and the elderly to use. The optimal value is from 27 to 40 degrees.

With any steepness, the distance from the step to the ceiling is at least 2 meters, so that a person does not touch the ceiling with his head.

Calculation of product parameters - span and steps width, height, length

After determining the angle of inclination, the width of the flight of stairs is selected. 125 cm is considered the most comfortable, but in a house with a limited area and a small number of residents, they are useless. For one person, 90 cm is enough, and if there are rarely tenants in the house, then 70 cm at all.

Determination of the dimensions of the marching stairs

Step parameters require special attention. Usually they consist of two parts: treads to support the foot and risers, on which the height depends. It is missing in some versions.

There are formulas by which you can calculate the dimensions, determine which are the most convenient and safe. The result will still be something like this: height 17 cm, width 27–28. It is not always possible to keep optimal values. They are changed in one direction and the other, but one should not go beyond: the height of the steps is from 15 to 22 cm, the width is at least 22 cm, maximum 40. For ease of use, an odd number is chosen.

At the next stage, they find out the height of the stairs: they measure the distance from the base to the attic floor. From this value, the number of steps is calculated. The total height is divided by the number of steps. For example, with a staircase height of 2.9 m and steps of 17 cm, 17 platforms will be needed.

The length is calculated by multiplying the number of steps (minus one) by their width. In the example: 16×27= 432. These are quite large sizes. If you reduce the steps to a minimum value of 22 cm, then 16 × 22 = 352. But this is not the only way to change the parameters of the stairs.

Products with turns - platforms and winder steps

Direct single-march construction requires a fairly large space. With its lack in a small house, products with turns are built. A platform is arranged between the two spans. Its length is from 100 cm, and the width is equal to the stairs.

When turning with the help of winder steps, they are satisfied with at least three. Requirements for them:

wide edge from 40 cm, in the middle part at least 20;
rotation is carried out with a radius of 30 cm;
for a comfortable ride, the winder steps gradually follow the span line.

The minimum width of the tread from the narrow edge is 14 cm. Then the dimensions of the middle part, along which they mainly move, will be sufficient for the human foot.

Spiral design - calculation features

A spiral staircase consists of steps arranged in a circle with different edge widths. It occupies a much smaller area, and this is its advantage. There is a support post in the center, and treads around the circumference. Their length is equal to the radius of the entire structure. The height of the steps are calculated similarly to the marching stairs.

When arranging a spiral staircase, take into account important factors:

the length of the tread and the width of the span are equal to the distance from the rack to their border;
steps have a trapezoidal shape with a minimum width of 20 cm on the narrow side and a maximum width of 40 cm on the opposite side;
for convenient ascent and descent, the height of the tread is made as small as possible;
the vertical turns are arranged at a height equal to two diameters.

"Goose step" - the most compact ladder

The name is due to original form tread. They are installed in a small house when significant space savings are required, slope from 45° to 65°. Only half of the step is wide, the second is the minimum size. First determine the angle, then carry out the rest of the calculations, taking into account the following:

for leg support, the width of the step is 30 cm, it can be less;
the dimensions of the narrow side depend on the strength of the chosen material;
the height of the tread is 15 cm, you should not increase it much - it is unsafe for people.

Structurally, the staircase to the attic "goose step" is made in the form of a marching or spiral staircase.

Bases - manufacturing process

The support for spans are stringers. This is the simplest and robust construction. But its manufacture should be approached responsibly: the slightest error, and the steps will be crooked. A board 80 × 160 is sawn off in length with a margin.

The most delicate operation is to machine the ends at the right angle so that they fit snugly against the floor and floor beam. The workpiece is loosely fixed at the location of the future location of the kosour and the upper part is sawn off so that it stands on the side ceiling. Then the same operation is done with the lower end.

It should be borne in mind that the first time it is unlikely that it will be possible to accurately cut off and will have to be repeated. It is important not to cut off the excess.

The kosour is divided along the length into three parts, not necessarily absolutely equal. According to the marks (there are two of them), they are carried out using a level, horizontal lines. Now each segment is divided into equal parts, the number of which corresponds to the number of steps. Draw along the horizontal marks.

A line is drawn along the entire board, departing from the edge of 50 mm or more. At its intersection with horizontal markings, angles are formed from which verticals are drawn. Remove the temporarily fixed board, check the distances, if necessary, make changes. The finished kosour is laid on the second board and an exact copy is cut out.

The marking of the bowstring is carried out in a similar way. Only instead of cutting out pieces of the beam, it is required to make grooves in it for the steps. It is better to work with a portable router. Application hand tool requires hard work and a lot of time. To maintain accuracy, a pre-made plywood template is used.

To support the spiral staircase, a thick-walled metal pipe diameter from 50 mm. It is attached to the floor in a strictly vertical position. For the installation of steps, bushings are made, which are freely found on the riser, and washers are installed between them. The total height of each individual node is equal to the distance between the treads.

Assembly of products of various types

Despite the difference in design, stairs with stringers or bowstrings are almost the same, except initial stage- manufacturing of the load-bearing parts themselves.

One board is bolted to the wall, fixed from above and below. Along the width of the march, a second one is installed in parallel and the places where the steps are attached are checked for horizontality. They must match in both products. Deviations are corrected by moving the loose structure up and down.

The installation of the stairs begins with the fastening of the risers. For manufacturing, a dry board with a thickness of 20 mm is taken. It is much easier to install along the stringers than into the grooves of the bowstring. In any case, carpentry glue and self-tapping screws are used. There are products without step support, which gives them a lighter, more elegant look.

For supporting platforms, a board with a minimum thickness of 36 mm, equal to or greater than the steps in width, is used. They may show up a little. The blanks are ground, the edges are rounded. Attached with glue and screws.

The components of the railing are balusters and handrails. Balusters are made from a square rail or bought made on lathe. Stronger elements are installed above and below, intermediate between them at each step. Fastening is carried out with screws or spikes. There are railings on top. The acceptable height of the fence is 85 cm.

The design of a marching staircase with turns is more complicated, respectively, and installation too. The following scheme is recommended: 3 steps to the platform, then the rest. If winder steps are used: first two straight steps, then three rotary steps. Additional supports are installed under the rotary elements.

Assembly spiral staircase shown in the figure. Node A - connection of the support pipe and the fence in the attic. There is a bolt on the rack, on which a handrail is put on through the slot. Everything is closed with a decorative cover. B - threaded connection of the support and the bushing inserted into the step. B - washers and sleeves. G - fastening the support to the base.

Everyone can choose the most suitable design according to their capabilities. Only the calculation stage presents difficulties. If you perform them accurately, correctly install the bearing supports, then a reliable staircase will come out.

What should be the stairs to the attic? If you are a Batman and your wife is a fairy with wings, you will conquer any peak and take off to the attic floor without any problems. Oh yes! Perhaps you are a thrill-seeker, then a rope ladder to the attic will suit you - an unforgettable attraction for the strong and brave. For people who are not looking for easy ways, an attached structure is just right, because balancing on the edge and even with a cup of coffee is so breathtaking!

Our article is for people who are used to taking care of their comfort and safety, so they just need a convenient, practical and compact staircase to the attic. Next, we will discuss in detail how to make an attic staircase with your own hands, what design and what materials are appropriate for such structures, we will offer several diagrams, drawings and photos from step by step instructions, videos will help you understand the nuances of the device attic stairs.

Where to install the ladder

It seems possible to get to the attic floor of the house in two ways - from the street and from the inside. Convenient internal device stairs to the attic, no need to go outside, this is especially true in the cold season. But sometimes a separate entrance to the attached floor is required in order to maintain the isolation of the room, if the bedroom is located in the attic, or to exclude the anxiety of the household, then an external staircase leading to the attic is installed along the wall of the house.

An external staircase to the attic is installed for a separate entrance to the upper floor in order to clearly delimit the premises, or when there is no space inside the house

Advice: The street staircase to the attic floor has a significant drawback, intruders can enter the house through it, therefore it is recommended to install strong doors, or provide a staircase to the attic from the veranda.

Often a tower is attached to the house in order to place a staircase to the attic floor in it. Such a solution can become an architectural highlight in the arrangement of the attic with great practical benefits - saving usable living space.

Attic stairs, photo of 2 structures that occupy almost the same usable area: on the left - an attraction for hardy, on the right - a comfortable and safe staircase

Before proceeding with the practical part of making an attic staircase, you should consider what design it is advisable to install in the attic and how to arrange it so as not to lose most of the living space.

Staircase for the attic floor

I would like the design not to clutter up the space, since many houses and cottages do not have extra space. The stairs to the attic floor should be at least safe and compact, but comfortable, so that the descents and ascents do not become a dangerous adventure for the residents. This is especially true if small children and the elderly live in the house.

Stair elements

Staircase - hatch

The most compact option for the attic floor is the attic hatch ladder, it folds and retracts behind the lid, which smoothly closes the entrance. The attic staircase is equipped with a spring mechanism, so when opening it, it is enough to pull the hatch down, the spans do not fall, but are neatly unfolded, the last flight, as a rule, unfolds manually. The structure is lifted with the help of automation. In some models, the spans are connected in a scissor way, they are laid out in one march.

Staircase hatch to the attic floor, compact, easily transformed, a convenient option when there is no room for stationary flights of stairs in the room

Marching stairs

Classic marching stairs are easy to use, they can be made independently. The designs differ in the way the steps are attached to the supporting beam: on stringers, on bowstrings or on bolts.

Ladder device options

A standard straight, single-flight attic staircase is mounted at an angle. The angle of inclination depends on the height of the ceilings: if the room is low, then the stairs will be steep, which is extremely inconvenient to use.

The bolt staircase to the attic floor is a light, weightless design, a properly calculated staircase can withstand a weight of 1800 kg per step, they practically do not exert a load on bearing structures building

Two-, three-flight turning stairs make it possible to make a convenient and safe ascent to the attic floor, but they take up a lot of space, you will have to allocate a platform in the house, usually such structures are provided when designing the attic floor. This is convenient if the area of \u200b\u200bhousing allows you to give up several square meters, but more often the attic is made precisely because of the lack of living space, so it is not always advisable to install such a design. Usually flights of mid-flight stairs are separated by a square platform where you can rest, but sometimes the turntable is equipped with trapezoidal winders.

The stairs on the stringers are two support boards at an angle, on which the steps are attached.

Spiral and involute attic stairs

The device of a spiral staircase to the attic floor involves the use of winder steps only. It saves a lot of space in the house, but you can stumble on the trapezoid steps, descents and ascents are associated with certain inconveniences. To adapt the design to operation, it is necessary to install stable and comfortable railings that you can hold on to. For children and the elderly spiral staircases represent a fair amount of risk.

In some cases, only an involute staircase will help to correctly organize the entrance to the attic

Involute stairs are distinguished by a curved stringer, it is very difficult to calculate and make such a design on your own, but it will harmoniously fit into any shape of the room and, undoubtedly, will become an interior decoration.

A spiral staircase to the attic, the photo clearly demonstrates that such a design saves a lot of space, but a steep climb to the floor and almost triangular steps make it difficult for children and the elderly to operate

Comfortable stairs dimensions

The most comfortable distance between the steps is 150 mm, and the depth is 300 mm, the same depth should be in the middle of the winder steps, these dimensions allow you to effortlessly climb the stairs, leaning with your entire foot. The most convenient width of the stairs is 800-1000 mm. With a width of more than 1200 mm, where 2 people freely diverge, it is recommended to install an additional stringer in the middle. For one person, a staircase to the attic floor and 500 mm wide is suitable. The slope of the span for comfortable use should be from 45 degrees or less.

Table for determining the angle of inclination of marches

According to the norms of SNiP, including considerations of ergonomics and safety of operation:

Depth of steps - 250-400 mm;
The height of the riser is 120-220 mm.

The material for manufacturing can be metal, concrete, wood, glass, most often in practice there are combined structures or wooden ones. It depends on the interior design and financial possibilities.

The original design of the stairs to the attic will be a decoration for the house

Each manufacturing option has its own advantages and disadvantages. A very impressive technique for decorating an extension is shiny metal structures with glass steps. Wooden stairs, of course, add luxury, sophistication and solidity to the interior. Metal structures can withstand heavy loads, and if they are decorated with forged steps and railings, then the staircase becomes the highlight of your home.

Rules for calculating the slope of the stairs

All-metal stairs inside the house are rarely installed, more often do-it-yourself attic stairs are made of wood, or the frame is made of metal, and the steps are wooden. If the ceiling height is standard, then you can buy a finished structure and install it yourself.

Photo, staircase to the attic floor, you can buy it ready-made and assemble it yourself, modular structures are adjustable not only in height and width of the steps, but also in the angle of rotation, which allows you to make a straight or rotary staircase to the attic floor

Advice: The height between each of the steps and the ceiling should be 2 m or more, so that even a tall person does not experience discomfort when walking up the stairs.

Compact attic staircase "goose step", the difference in the width of the steps can significantly save space

So that when climbing to the floor there is no pressing sensation on the head, the direction of the march should be the same as the direction of the roof slope. Also, if the direction of the march is towards the slope, then the exit will have to be just to the wall.

Incorrect layout of the stairs to the attic, in order to avoid typical mistakes, be sure to draw a diagram

How to build a ladder

Do-it-yourself staircase to the attic is a responsible task, but quite doable, independent production and installation will significantly save the budget, and the result will certainly become the subject of your pride.

The most simple model- this is a staircase on stringers, with some imagination, such a design can turn into an original element of the interior, it is safe and practical if a living room is arranged in the attic.

Methods for attaching steps to stringers

Required:

for stringers, glued laminated timber or pine carriage;
board for steps, with a thickness of 40 mm, you can buy ready-made;
board for risers, thickness - 20 mm (this element of the stairs can be excluded);
balusters;
railing;
fixture.

Option: cut protrusions.

How to make a kosour

The construction of the stairs to the attic begins with the manufacture of the stringer. On the beam intended for the kosour, we make markings - right-angled triangles, in which: the hypotenuse is the edge of the beam, one leg is the height of the riser, the second leg is the depth of the step. Cutting marked triangles circular saw. It is desirable to mill all edges, chamfer 2-6 mm.

Advice: for marking accuracy, it is better to use a rigid triangle template with marks. The template is applied to the stringer, the marks must exactly match the edge of the beam.

How to correctly transfer the dimensions of the steps to the kosour

Stringer installation

Next, the kosour is installed in place. The top edge adjoins the end of the floor or platform, which creates a horizontal bursting force and a vertical load. The fastening method depends on the thickness of the beams, the strength of the platforms and design features attic stairs.

The fastenings of the stringer to the upper beam can be with cutting, without cutting into the upper beam, and with entry under the upper platform, the photo below shows three options:

Stringer fastening with cutting into the beam

This is the most common and reliable mounting option. The first option involves washing down in the support beam, into which the edge of the stringer is inserted. The second option is that a rectangular cut is made both in the kosour and in the beam, or an inclined gash is made only in the beam, it must coincide with the slope of the kosour. Washed down, made in a kosour, weakens it, so it cannot be made large.

Kosour without cutting into the beam

Kosour with entry under the upper platform

In addition to cutting, you can install the kosour on metal fasteners, on corners or bolts. This mounting method is simple and convenient, but only possible for light stairs.

It is also important to provide a strong support for the kosour and its secure fixation at the bottom to avoid shifting. The lower end of the kosour can be attached in two ways.

The first scheme - from the bottom of the kosour, an angular cutout is made for the supporting beam, a corresponding groove is also made in the beam. The cutout of the stringer is inserted into the cutout in the supporting beam. After that, the kosour is fixed with metal corners, or by vertical tightening with studs.

The second scheme - a cutout is made in the beam, then the lower corner of the stringer is inserted into the groove. Such fastening is very tight and reliable due to the expansion, but the section of the support beam must be large enough, since such fastening weakens the beam.

Ways of the lower fastening of the kosour

Important: In the manufacture of a two-flight staircase, the size and height of the platform must be determined. The platform is installed before the installation of stringers. Mortgages are provided in the walls for its fastening. If fastening to the walls is not possible, then support poles are mounted.

How to fix steps

It is better to connect the risers and treads with glue and screws, the nail connection weakens during the operation of the attic staircase. They are fastened flush with screws or in a groove. You can also use overhead strips and corners for fastening. Strong and reliable connection - nailless fastening with wooden dowels.

Advice: During installation wooden parts For hardwoods, use softwood dowels and vice versa. Otherwise, the pin will split the parts.

Ways of fastening steps for a wooden staircase

The edges of the steps should protrude beyond the riser by 20-50 mm.

After all the steps are fixed, you can install the balusters and railings of the stairs.

The article contains informative diagrams, photo and video materials on how to make a staircase to the attic floor with your own hands, be sure to look, perhaps they will give you an idea and prompt you to solve complex problems in the construction of the attic.