stair lift story: 2010

Stair Treads to Make Your Spiral Stairs Safer

If you are living in a small multiple-story house, then perhaps you have noticed that the staircase you have may take a lot more floor space than it should. Most homeowners in a similar situation try to make do with what they have by decorating it and by maximizing the space underneath it. However, you can now take back a lot of your lost floor space by using spiral stairs instead. Some people are hesitant to use a spiral staircase because they do not think it is safe, but you can be more at ease by installing stair treads.

However, keep in mind that you also need to find stair treads that will fit the actual spiral stairs. The reason is because the wedge-shape of the steps of a spiral staircase is different from the usual rectangular shape of the ordinary stairway. It is then necessary to look for a design made specifically for the type that you have at home. If you cannot find the one you have in mind from your local store, you can try searching for it on the internet. You can also improvise by purchasing the traditional design and cutting or adjusting them down to perfectly fit your own staircase.

Spiral stairs are also excellent for providing access to other areas of the house such as the attic. Even if you have limited space in your home, it would not cause many problems since most of the designs that are currently in the market were created to save space. If you find the steps of your staircase to be a bit slippery, you can install some non skid stair treads to add more traction. There are also designs that have anti-skid backing which is perfect if you are going to put your spiral stairs outside or in an open area of the house.

Another important benefit of using stair rugs for spiral stairways is the fact that they truly enhance their look. Generally having spiral stairways at home means that your room has an extra decorative touch, since not many homeowners have something like that in their own dwellings. And by adding to them decorative treads or rugs that match in color and design, you will increase the value of your home even more.

For example you can easily find decorative wooden stair-rugs that have been often featured in various home decoration magazines as being very modern and classy. You can find braided ones that give any room an extra touch of beauty, even when placed directly on the floor or used on regular stairways. The possibilities are endless and simply by knowing the fact that they are not expensive to buy at all, you can easily add that extra spark to your room any time you want.

Braided rug stair treads are just some of the most common types favored by many homeowners. Visit my website to learn more about installing braided stair treads the proper way.

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The Do's and Don'ts of Installing Stair Railings

Stairs are made up of several important components. These are the railings that include the posts and balusters as well as the handrails. Without them, a staircase would not be complete and functional.

Why the need for the stair railings and handrails? It is because they ensure the safety of people using the stairway. All types of people are protected when these fixtures are present. Toddlers learning to walk can make use of the railings as their guide. Teenagers ascending and descending the stairs two steps at a time will also be safer. Those with health conditions such as people suffering from back and knee problems as well those with disabilities and not to forget the old folks can depend on the stair railings for support.

Various types of materials can be used today in creating attractive railings for staircases. One material can be utilized on its own but a combination of two or more is also possible depending on one's personal style. Examples are a mix of wood and wrought iron, brass and wrought iron or wood and brass. For an indoor staircase such as in your home, it's best to use wood or wrought iron. The stone and pure metal type is ideal for outdoor use.

If you have small children and old people in the home, always prioritize safety over the aesthetic aspect of your staircase. What's important is they have the right support while moving up and down the house.

Railings should be installed in the entire length of your stairs. Whether you have one running in one direction, two directions or a spiral type, continue the railing up to the landing portion. You can also extend the handrail a few inches more from the bottom step to provide more support for those descending the stairs. This can either be straight or curved depending on the style of your staircase. Just make sure that the end part is rounded to keep it safe. Another option is to install a post at the end of your handrail to keep it sturdy.

The topmost part of a stair railing should have a handrail. This should at least be 34 inches in height from the floor. It can go higher up to 38 inches. For small children, a lower height is advisable. Other than putting the handrail on the railing, you can freely install another one on the wall at the other side. Remember, however, that it should be at least one and a half inches away from the wall to give your hand enough room to hold on to the rail.

The balusters also known as guards are another vital component of a stair railing. These need to be properly spaced approximately three to four inches so that no small child can get through it. They can be installed right on the treads of the stairs while the uppermost part is attached to a handrail.

So remember these basic steps when you decide to remodel your stairway or create a new one for your home.

For more information on Stair railings, please visit BuyRailings.com, a leading distributor of railings, hand and foot rails, curtain rods and more.

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Have Your Own Hardwood Stairs With Wooden Stair Treads

Many people love the look of wood especially on their staircases. But the price of hardwood has become very expensive, so not a lot of people can afford to have a wood style stairway in their house. If you are one of those who are dreaming of having a wooden staircase, you can have a more economical alternative by installing wooden stair treads instead. This is done by building the stairs with cheaper construction material like concrete and then using hardwood to cover the steps of the stairway. There are a lot of hardwoods you can purchase and install which are valued for their beauty and function. These include bloodwood, maple, cypress, cumaru, birch, black walnut, Brazilian walnut, Brazilian cherry, hickory, and mahogany.

Building your stairs with concrete is a lot cheaper than building it entirely out of expensive wood. This will also make your staircase more durable but not as visually appealing like those made of real wood. By using wooden stair treads instead, you are able to minimize the cost of construction since the usual thickness of it is only about one inch. Also, you do not have to purchase lumber for support and railings. You can buy finished hardwood treads or you can opt to get the ones with an unfinished look so that you can adjust it to the look you have in mind.

Hardwood stair-treads can be finished or stained to match the theme of the house. You can now feel the atmosphere a real wood staircase gives, and you can get it at a much cheaper price. There are a lot of shapes and sizes available on the market. If you have curving stairs, you can have a customized curved stairtread. If you already have existing stairs at home, you can still get your wooden stairs by installing stair treads.

Some of the most beautiful stair coverings nowadays are braided stair treads. Click here to learn how to install your braided stair treads with ease.

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Proper Stair Design and How to Spot Stair Hazards

Stairs are composed of stringers, stair treads and stair risers. The stringers are the slanted members on the sides of the stairs which sit on the floor and are tightly attached at the top of the staircase. In most stair construction, there are two stringers installed on each set of steps. The stair treads are the sections in which you step on to travel up and down the stairs. Stair treads are usually made of wood.

Proper stair design has a maximum rise of eight inches, a minimum run of nine inches and a minimum tread width of 9.25 inches. A safe and properly configured stairway should be at 34 inches wide. As a rule the wider steps are safer then narrow stairs. There needs to be adequate headroom above the set of stairs. The required headroom is at least 6 foot 6 inches.

When there is a door at the top of a set of steps, it should open away from the stairs for safety reasons. If a door opens toward the stairs a landing is needed so a person opening the door will not be able to push someone on the stairs.

Curved stairs are not as safe as a strait set of stairs. Curved stairs get very narrow on one side. A curved set of steps may be difficult to negotiate in an emergency or fire situation.

Handrails should be installed on at least one side of the stairs that has two or more risers. Properly configured stair handrails should 34 inches high and they should be designed to comfortably accommodate a person wrapping their hand around the rail.

Guardrails also should accompany a handrail system on a properly configured set of steps. The gaps should be only 4 inches wide so that the body of a child can not fit though the openings.

Stairs may be inadequately supported if the flooring is weak or if the stringers are improperly designed or are damaged. Where a side stringer is damaged the stair treads may loose their support and dislodge. Stairs can be loose, inadequately supported, and worn. All of these are considered safety issues that require correction in order to make the stairs safe.

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Stair Parts Contribute to Sturdy Stairways

One of the most noticeable features of a house would be having a grand stairway to welcome you as you enter the homeowners place.

For many people who grew up in a house with at least two floors, the presence of a stair case often lead to reminiscing childhood memories when one joyfully slides down it. For many, a stairway is often an integral part of the house as it contributes to the aesthetics of one's home.

Staircases are often times situated where it lands directly to a main door. This makes it one of the first things that people see when they get the chance to visit our homes. Be it our relatives, friends or spying neighbors, a staircase often gives the impression of grandeur.

Stairways are built by carpenters whom we contract to build our house as well. Often times, experts are not hired to make this for us. Many people do not see the need of getting a stair maker or even a craftsman in building our stairways or even adding those designs either.

There are two stair parts: the steps and the rails. The look and feel of the stairs would showcase how these stair parts are put together. Stair parts can be made of different materials. Some people use stone, others use marble. Some people prefer wood while others like metal stair parts more. The same stair parts may be used, or the home owner may also decide on mixing them. Some have wooden steps with a metal rail, while others may have stone steps and marble railings. The choice of what to use, really depends on your preference based on the design of the house of course.

A flight of stairs may be crooked; it can be straight and it can be spiral as well. Just the same, selection on what it would look like would really depend on the over-all look and feel that you would like to create for your home.

Aside for its aesthetic purposes, it is important to keep in mind the true function of a staircase. This is to provide members of the home a means to access rooms and parts of their house - be it to go up or go down the flight of steps. With this, it is equally imperative to ensure sturdiness of this system. First on the list is to invest in the right quality of parts to use. Secondly, checking the design to make sure that they are comfortable and safe, examples of which are to make sure that the steps are not too narrow that one risks into an accident tripping down.

Indeed, a good staircase is always a sight for sore eyes in any home. We just have to make sure that it is as sturdy as it looks well.

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Eliza Maledevic Ayson writes for Jump2top.com - SEO Company

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10 Things You Should Know About Stair Lifts

A stair lift has a many benefits for the elderly, as well as for mobility impaired. In modern times its utility and importance is increasing. This is due to the fact that we are living in a fast paced world with a need for multitasking. Instead of a person needing to help someone who is not capable of moving up and down the stairs; it is much easier to install a stair lift. If you need further convincing; here are the top 10 reasons to install a stair chair lift

Number 1: Independence! A stair chair lift enables one who cannot use the stairs on his own to do so.

Number 2: Safety! Often times a person with some joint problems or elderly are prone to falling while using the stair case. Using a stair chair lift increases safety in this regard. When you are using a stair lift, the probability of falling is greatly reduced.

Number 3: Conserved energy! For the mobility impaired, they are often times frustrated by their limitations. The mere idea of making it down the stairs can be quite daunting. Having the use of a stair chair lift can greatly increase their mobility, making the energy and time getting down the stairs a thing of the past. They do not need to assert much strain on their legs or joints and are transferred to the various levels of the dwelling with little trouble.

Number 4: Heavy lifting! Lifts are also useful if you have to carry heavy things from one floor to another. If you have a heavy item it can be placed on the chair and taken to its destination.

Number 5: Stair lifts offer a number of functions and features. Some stair lifts are battery operated which means that even in case of power failure, your stair lift will continue to do its job.

Number 6: Stair chair lifts are safe; They are designed with the safety needs of elderly or disabled people.

Number 7: Stair chair lifts are also cheaper than personal elevators; They are typically a fraction of the cost of installing an elevator.

Number 8: Time Saver! Some elderly or disabled people can still make it up and down their stairs, but it takes longer than it used to. A stair chair lift can make the descent/ascent faster.

Number 9: No matter what sort of stair case you have, they can easily be installed anywhere. Just be sure to use an experienced installer.

Number 10: A stair chair lift comes with a number of functions. You can find seated as well as standing stair lifts. Choose which type works best for your own personal situation.

For more information on stair lifts visit: http://stairlift-info.net

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An Outdoor Stair Lift - How Are They Different?

The outdoor stairlift is made to be mounted on a set of stairs which are exposed to the weather, including porches, sun decks, garden steps, shed or basements steps as well as front stoops. Should you be fortunate to live in a seaside property or your house is near to the ocean and therefore suffers from lots of salt spray, be certain the outdoor stair lift is going to be suitably protected from this super corrosive weather condition before you purchase it.

The outdoor stair lift has all the same protection attributes and advanced specs as the indoor stairlift. The primary difference is that it has been prepared in order to withstand natures elements no matter how severe they are. This offers an extended lifespan of the chair because of the more durable products that have been used during its manufacture.

Safety features on stairlifts may well vary enormously between suppliers. Because this stairlift will be carrying yourself or a loved one, you don't want to take any avoidable risks. Ensure you compare the numerous safety functions which each make of stairlift comes with as standard. Take special note whether any of the safety features are an extra charge. If they are, you may find the cheapest stairlift available is only inexpensive because it is rather basic.

On a high quality outdoor stair lift, the metal elements should be constructed from either aluminium, or must be zinc plated or oil annealed before they are powder coated. To be able to protect a stair lift from ambient heat damage as well as colour fading, plastic components should be UV and heat resistant. Prior to acquiring an outdoor stair lift, ensure it includes a sturdy plastic cover that will help to shelter it from rainwater, snow and also the sun during times when it's not used.

As with all stair lift purchases, it is important to buy the apparatus through a reliable dealer. The price of your outdoor stair lift needs to be contemplated, however, so does the after sales care and service that you will receive as a customer. You might be investing quite a bit of money into the stairlift and you must be confident that if it did happen to break down, you'd be able to get a technician to fix it and parts would be readily available if needed.

Establishments also can benefit from having a stair lift fitted within their building. If the enterprise has a high number of elderly and/or disabled patrons they can incorporate the fact that they have a stairlift as a special marketing point to attract a lot more customers. For example, if the enterprise was a stately home that was open for the public to see, there could be numerous patrons who aren't able to access the higher floors or different parts of the grounds. They could possibly choose to stop at another destination in the region due to accessability been much better. If an outdoor stair lift was fitted in the grounds, then good access would be provided to the visitors even if they had difficulties with climbing steps.

Choosing the right indoor or outdoor stair lift is very important. You can get more stairlift information at http://danclar553.blog.friendster.com/an-outdoor-stair-lift-why-are-they-different/

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