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July 2, 2026
What every builder and homeowner should understand before starting a curved staircase project
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July 2, 2026
Even in large multi million dollar homes with curved stairs, builders and homeowners are looking for ways to save. Staircase layouts often have the main staircase stacked over the basement stair for the most efficient usage of space. It’s likely a larger home will not be as limited by space constraints. A substantial cost savings […]
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April 20, 2022
Sometimes your design calls for an elegant curved stair, but the budget falls short. Here are some variations on a full curved stair. These take up less space and cost less than a full curved stair, while still providing an elegant and unique solution. These designs save on the cost of stringers and rails, as […]
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February 18, 2021
A spiral staircase is the most compact stair design. Spiral stairs have a center support post, a landing deck at the top and usually have a diameter of 48″ to 96″. The small size of a spiral allows it to fit into corners and service lofts, attics and other secluded areas where traffic will be […]
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February 17, 2021
A curved staircase has been an architectural highlight for centuries. While the geometries of curved staircases are all closely related, the fit and finish options are virtually unlimited. Let’s take a look at the use of stone treads overlaying a wooden stair structure. Of all available building materials, nothing presents a timeless feel more than a stone […]
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February 11, 2021
Most staircases are supported, at least partially, by walls built directly below the stair. Designing a staircase to be freestanding, or at least partially open below, is a great way to gain useable floor space in your design. A true freestanding stair will not have a wall on either side, whereas a stair that only […]
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January 20, 2021
The most common confusion - the spiral vs. circular stair
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April 2, 2015
A curved stair takes far more floor space than other types of stairs. Ideally you want a large square space to allow for the most gracious and elegant curved stair. You can narrow and tighten up the space, which will require your radius to get tighter. As your radius gets tighter your stair will not […]
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March 24, 2015
A volute is that “Curly” piece that is at the start of many stair rails. This photo shows a manufactured volute with a manufactured up ease fitting. The up ease fitting is the connector between the volute and rake rail. A standard volute shape will have a rail fitting attached to it, called an “up […]
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January 20, 2014
Often curved staircases, and occasionally straight stairs, have complicated railing requirements calling for twisting and turning of the rails that cannot be made by bending the rail or with machines. In these cases, we must create a “hand carved fitting” specifically for the need of this particular application. The process starts with a meticulous design […]
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December 11, 2012
Curved staircases like straight stairs, should be installed after your drywall is primed and before your finished flooring is laid. Curved staircases and rails take a considerable amount of time to build, so getting the stairs ordered early will help avoid any delays once your site is ready. It is likely that you will need […]
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November 24, 2012
Curved stairs and rails are complex to design and build, but not to install.
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January 6, 2012
No one designs a curved staircase for the simple purpose of getting from one floor to another; there are other, much more practical ways of getting that done if you don’t care what it looks like. A curved staircase is an enduring statement of elegance and one of the most functional pieces of art in […]
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December 30, 2011
The Spiral Staircase at the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe New Mexico is truly an Amazing Stair. The stair winds approximately 760 degrees total, more than two full turns, and is made of Spruce; it ascends a total of 22 ft. from floor to floors. The joinery used on the treads, risers, stringers, and even […]
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December 30, 2011
The 1939 film Gone With The Wind features four beautiful staircases that have come to define the elegance, grace and grandeur of interior stair design. The most amazing staircase in the film is without question the massive central staircase within the Twelve Oaks Plantation. This is the stair that most people refer to as the […]
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December 30, 2011
When you see a curved staircase that appears to have an elegant flow and breathtaking presence, I can guarantee you that didn’t happen by chance. The elements of a well designed curved staircase are contained in a number of mathematical principles that a good stair designer must adhere to. Unlike a standard staircase where all […]
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December 30, 2011
Designed Stairs was called in to assess and restore a 1874 black walnut curved stair and curved stair rail. Abraham J. Hoffman built the stately River Forest Young Ladies Seminary in River Forest, IL in 1874. The building had many uses before it fell into disrepair prior to the eventual restoration in 1994. Many parts […]
Read Article →December 30, 2011
The Nathanial Russell House (1808) in historic Charleston, SC features two of the most noted curved staircases in the world. The two curved staircases are “freestanding” (no supporting walls beneath the stairs) and rise from the first floor to the 3rd floor in a counter-clockwise direction offering a continuous handrail on the left hand side […]
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December 30, 2011
When you are designing a curved staircase, knowing what NOT to do can be just as important as knowing what TO do. Here are some pitfalls that you will want to avoid. Adding a curved staircase into your home design as an afterthought. As strange as this may sound, the best curved staircases result when […]
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December 30, 2011
The RMS Titanic’s “Grande Staircase” refers to a series of six custom staircases designed for use by the ship’s First Class Passengers. The most ornate staircase was the curved stair from the Promonade deck up to the First Class Lounge on the Boat Deck which was lit during the day by a 20 ft. diameter […]
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