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Spiral staircase vs. regular stair case

3 years ago

Our architect suggested we add a lookout area (he called it aire) for our house to take advantage of our view even more as it would allow us a view over the tree-tops and along the full 270 degrees and it would be a nice hideaway for reading, puzzles, board games, our chess table and kind of fun as a house we almost bought had a small tower that we all liked.

Now besides adding the square footage for the lookout room we obviously need to get up there, but really don't want to expand the foot print of our main floor. We originally had a regular stair case in an L-shape drawn in, but it reduced the size of our storm room that is in the area that we would like to use for storm shelter as well as storage. Our architect suggested using a spiral stair case instead and drew in a 6x6 area for a 3x3 spiral staircase. It is cutting down some on our master closet where it would go, but I think we could deal with that as the closet was a bit larger than needed, but the shape needs some re-working.

However, I've never lived with a spiral stair case and not sure if I will like it. I've lived with winder stairs with no issues so I'm sure we could adapt.

Issues I can see with this arrangement though is as follows - am I just being too negative and these aren't a big deal?

1. Getting furniture up there - although mainly chairs/table/book cases where the last two at least can be assembled upstairs.

2. Cleaning of the stairs. This seems like dusting/vacuuming would be a pain with all the exposed areas.

3. Do you need a 6x6 area as a minimum for a 3x3 just to be able to get around and clean the area underneath or can you get away with smaller.

4. This would be more of a positive, but I understand they are less costly to install than regular stairs, but is regular stairs that expensive?

Are there any other things? It just seems to me like with regular stairs that overall I'm wasting less square footage even though overall they take up more, but the space under the stairs is used.

Featured Answer

just_janni

3 years ago

Spiral stairs are the work of the Devil.

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Comments (14)

strategery
3 years ago
Strange feature. Is this in North America? And, spiral stairs are not well-liked here on Houzz, mostly for safety reasons.
lyfia thanked strategery
Lindsey_CA
3 years ago
Am I the only person who gets dizzy going up and down spiral staircases? I do not like them at all.
lyfia thanked Lindsey_CA
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chispa
3 years ago
We rented a house with one. I would never build one purposely. People who bought that house, immediately remodeled to remove the spiral staircase and add a normal staircase.

Spiral staircases are hard for the young, old and every age in between.
lyfia thanked chispa
millworkman
3 years ago
Its only a matter of time before someone ends up at the bottom of them unintentionally...........................
lyfia thanked millworkman
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
3 years ago
Well...I guess it depends.

It depends on what you will place in the aiire in the way of furnishings and equipment. If almost nothing, and your health (and that of other users) is good and strong, spiral stairs might be a workable solution.

On the other hand if you see a significant amount of furnishings (lparticularly large furnishings) and equipment; if your knees and hips are weak and painful; if small children will have access, then I would think spiral stairs are a negative.

As for space requirements, keep in mind that a spiral stair with 3'-0' clear treads will be wider than 6'-0", due to the center supporting pole, and the external continuous handrail. The opening will need to have at least a couple of inches of clearance beyond the outside dimensions of the stair itself.

Standard stairs, of one type or another, probably will be serviceable and useable over a longer period, if you intend to stay in the house for an extended period.
lyfia thanked Virgil Carter Fine Art
doc5md
3 years ago
we have a similar such room, but it is accessible from both a spiral stair such as what you describe as well as a regular set of stairs. I don't think I would like it only being accessible from only the spiral stairs as we age.
lyfia thanked doc5md
lyfia
Original Author
3 years ago
I guess our intuition of spiral was correct and we should move back again to regular stairs.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Have you checked into using a lapeyre staircase? I don't know how folks here feel about that system--maybe no better than a spiral staircase.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
For access to this particular room, a spiral stair is an excellent idea.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
Consider an alternating tread stair.
PRO
JudyG Designs
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Around here, we call an aire, a widow’s walk. The wives of blue water sailors would pace and wait to see their husband’s ship come into view. Picture #3 is from an antique home Cape and Islands.

Here are some images which may help you.

Added the last photo…does your property have the elevation to allow for an exterior staircase?: (This is so Harvard Square, memories).
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
3 years ago
Check local building codes.
strategery
3 years ago
Country?

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