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20 articles tagged with “Staircase”
July 2, 2026
A staircase is one of the most powerful architectural elements in a home. When most homeowners think about staircases, they think in terms of function — getting from one floor to another. But in a well-designed home, a staircase does far more than connect levels. A staircase shapes how a space feels, how light moves, […]
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September 6, 2022
Nosing is required anywhere there is balustrade or newels. Typically, nosing from a flooring company has a shorter overhang and does not have the space for trim under it. Typical floor nosing overhangs 1-1/4”, whereas Designed Stairs nosing overhangs 1-3/4” to allow for trim under the nosing. This includes apron and cove. Designed Stairs provides […]
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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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March 11, 2021
Traditional European stair-building methods were transferred to the US along with immigrant craftsmen in the early years of our country’s history. The Great Depression caused the stair-building arts to almost disappear. The resurgence of the two-story home in the 1950’s and 60’s caused stair-builders to spring up in most major metropolitan areas across the country with a […]
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February 24, 2021
An important consideration when designing any space is the presentation and distribution of light. This is especially true when considering a staircase, since the available light will have a direct effect on safety. We recently completed a project where we were presented a design for a contemporary home with a staircase featuring glass treads. The […]
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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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January 14, 2021
Traditional European stair-building methods were transferred to the US along with immigrant craftsmen in the early years of our country’ history. The Great Depression caused the stair-building arts to almost disappear. The resurgence of the two-story home in the 1950’s and 60’s caused stair-builders to spring up in most major metropolitan areas across the country […]
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March 18, 2020
Create a stress-free process and a happy ending
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March 4, 2020
Differences, costs, and Pro tips
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February 27, 2020
What's in and what's new in the world of stairs
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February 13, 2020
The vast differences from one region to another
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January 29, 2020
Part 4 of 4 As with styles, components made from wood species that are stocked will always cost less than custom orders. We have noticed a trend over the past eight to ten years to natural or brown toned species such as walnut and white oak. Within the United States, red oak is the most […]
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December 6, 2019
Part 2 of 4 — Shape In the last blog, Getting the Most from Your Stair Dollar (Part 1), we introduced the three basic factors to keep in mind when thinking of your stair budget. Here we’ll explore the first of those three factors: Shape. A straight stair is the least costly and also takes […]
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November 14, 2019
Part 1 of 4 — Overview Milled stairs may cost from $2,000 for a hardwood stair with wall rails, to $200,000 on the high end. Most of us are shopping in the $5,000–20,000 range. When designing your stair and railing plan, there are three basic factors to keep in mind in order to use your […]
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May 5, 2015
If you are buying a stair with balusters in a contrasting material, such as painted balusters on an oak stair, questions will likely arise regarding the finishing of the stair. “Should my painter finish the balusters separately from the stair, then have the balusters installed when the stair is finished? Here are some things to […]
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April 10, 2015
We often talk curb appeal the first thing a prospective home buyer sees. Real Estate professionals say a buyer makes up their mind if they will buy a home in the first 3 minutes of walking through your front door. So how important are the stairs just inside your front door? The entry sets expectations […]
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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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November 7, 2012
A squeak in a stair is generally caused as the lumber dries out over time. Hardwoods are regulated by industry standards for a moisture content of 6-8%. This matches the moisture content inside the average home and allows the wood to remain stable under normal conditions. Pine (grades used for basement stairs and stairs to […]
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