Before designing a bespoke piece for a client, whether it be a staircase, balcony, balustrade or railing, we always sit down with them (either in-person, on the phone or via email) to try and get a clear idea of their vision. Customers are often surprised by the amount of choice and design decisions they need to make. For a typical spiral staircase alone, common questions can include:

• Would you prefer wooden or cast aluminium treads?
• If wooden then what type of wood (we offer a wide range of grade-A timbers)?
• If cast aluminium then which pattern (options include Victorian, LCC, Modern Art Deco, Diamond or a completely bespoke pattern)?
• What material would you like the handrails to be made from (we can match any handrail design with our treads)?
• Would you prefer the riser bar to be metal or timber?
• How many spindles and/or railing panels would you like per each tread?
• What design of spindle and/or railing panel would you like?
• Would you prefer a wooden or metal handrail?
• Do you need an inner handrail?
• What colour would you like the metalwork to be powder coated?

This is before we even get to more practical questions about the diameter of the staircase, depth of treads and height of handrails.

Understandably, all these choices can be a little overwhelming. To make things easier, it is a good idea to gather together examples of designs you like in one place. This might include images from our website, ones found on social media or sites such as Real Homes or Houzz or even pictures of staircases, railings or balconies you’ve seen when out and about.

Whilst it is possible to simply collate these all in a folder on your computer, we’ve found that the approach which works best is to create a Pinboard on Pinterest. If you’ve not used it before, Pinterest is basically a digital version of a noticeboard, allowing you to “pin” images together and add notes to them. You can either search for images on Pinterest, link to other images by pasting in their URL or even upload pictures from your phone, tablet or computer.

Pinterest offers a useful beginners guide to help anyone who is new to the platform to help you get set-up.

What to include in your inspiration board

To give you an idea of what to include, we’ve created an example inspiration board. In this case, the customers are looking for a spiral staircase for their new home.

As you can see, when you open each image in the pinboard there are useful notes pointing out what we like about each image, whether it be details like the thickness of treads and design of spindles or simply the design of the entire staircase.

To add some context, we’ve also included some interior images to help communicate the overall feel of the property. These can be really helpful in narrowing down the design options.

You don’t have to pin hundreds of images but if you can gather around 7 or 8 it should provide a useful starting point, meaning we can get on designing your staircase more quickly!

Once the board is ready, simply click the three dots next to the board name, select “Share” and then click on the “copy link” button as shown below. Then simply paste this link into an email and send it over.

Visit our Pinterest board and start gathering your ideas today!

The post Creating an inspiration board for your project appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.

Types of Staircase

Straight — The most common type of stairs. They rise in a single direction.

Combination — Introduce a 90 degree turn in a straight staircase. These staircases use spiral treads to create the turn.

Kited/Winder — Also have a 90 degree turn but with flat edge treads which follow the lines of a wall. 

Spiral Stairs — The treads on these stairs rotate upwards around a central post. The outer edge of the treads is curved to create a circular outer diameter.

Squarial — An adapted version of the spiral staircase with flat edge treads which follow the lines of the walls.

Helical/Curved — Do not pivot around a central post but ‘sweep’ in an elegant curve.

Parts of Staircase

Baluster/Spindle – decorative or plain vertical shafts which help to support the handrail and close the gap between it and the baserail/tread for safety.

Balustrading – The name for the full construction of spindles, newel post, cap, baserail and handrail to form a guarding.

Base Plate — The fixing at the bottom of the centre post of a spiral or squarial staircase which secures it to the ground.

Baserail — The bottom flat steel section on which spindles can be fixed too. It is usually only used on balustrade sections that are used as guarding but depending on the shape and construction of the stairs can be used on the rake of the staircase also.

Cap/Finial — Decorative top piece for the newel post.

Handrail — The railing which sits on top of the spindles and can be used as a support by staircase users.

Nosing — The leading edge of a tread that protrudes out.

Centre pole — The central pillar in a spiral or squarial staircase which supports all of the treads.

Newel Post — A square or round post which is used to support the handrails at the top and bottom of the staircase and also where there is a change in direction of balustrading. On long runs of balustrade it acts as a support to strengthen the balustrading.

Riser — The vertical facing between treads. This can either fully or partially fill the space between the treads.

Step — the name for the combination of tread and riser.

String/Stringer — This covers the sides of the treads and structurally supports them on straight, combination, kited and helical staircases.

Tread — The top surface of the step where you stand.

Measurements for a Staircase

Rise— The measurement from the top of one tread to the top of the one above it.

Headroom — The height measurement from the nosing to the ceiling.

Flight — The stairway from one floor to the next.

Going — The depth of a tread minus any overlap from the nosing of the tread above it. On a straight staircase this is typically taken from the centre of the tread. For tapered treads, inner and outer goings are also measured at a 270 mm distance from the edge of the tread.

Pitch Line — A notional diagonal line from the nosing of one tread to the nosing of the next.

Pitch — The angle between the pitch line and the horizontal.

The post Glossary of Staircase Parts appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.

In staircase design, a fraction of a centimetre can be the difference between a perfect fit and a complete mess, that’s why we always go above and beyond to ensure precision, whether our staircase is being installed in London or on the other side of the globe.

Before our team of highly skilled craftsmen can get to work, we first have to create an accurate design. In the past, much of this drafts work was carried out by hand. For a visual aid, this technique was very effective, but our meticulous attention to detail made it a time-consuming process, particularly on more complex jobs.

To resolve this problem, we began using a highly customised Computer Aided Design (CAD) package. This powerful software handles the complex calculations and allows us to break our staircase designs down into sections. This means our craftsmen are able to work on separate sections of the staircase at the same time. As a result, we’ve been able to reduce our turnaround time, whilst still ensuring our customers receive the lovingly and precisely handcrafted staircase they’ve come to expect.

The CAD software factors in all the key details, such as the distance from walls and the height raise from the floor. These measurements can be very important to a customer when planning their spiral stairs. The side elevations drawings also really help us to bring the plans to life, and if our customers then need to make late design changes, it is very easy for us to make alterations.

One of the latest projects we’ve designed is our stand for the Homebuilding and Renovating Show at the NEC in Birmingham (14th – 17th April). Have a look below for an exclusive sneak peek!

The post CAD Design: Blending the Traditional with the Modern appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.

An attractive detached house dating back to the 18th Century, situated on the edge of this historic village of Hurley-on-Thames is one of the latest properties in the UK to benefit from a truly bespoke staircase from British Spirals & Castings; in fact not just one staircase but four!

The homeowners first came across British Spirals & Castings at Grand Designs Live when they started looking for their perfect bespoke staircases and commented “We met Richard, the Managing Director of British Spirals & Castings at the show and very much liked him, and felt confident that we could work with him well. He quickly understood we wanted something truly bespoke, and that we already had a lot of ideas which he assured us he could help develop.”

Richard Harding of British Spirals & Castings commented “They were lovely people to work with who had some fantastic ideas about what they wanted, and with our experience and ability to create something truly unique we created four different staircases for them; The main stairs (straight with a kited bottom section with enlarged dias bottom step), a squarial (spiral but with treads running into the corner of the walls) leading to the master bedroom, a second spiral leading to the home office and finally a straight stairs down to the basement.”

“There were a number of challenges when designing these staircases, as some of the original ideas did not comply with building regulations and it was a very difficult design due to the headroom on the stairs that ran underneath the main stairs. We worked very closely with the owners to get a design which complied with the building regulations yet visually gave them the wow factor they were looking for in their dream home.”All four of the staircases were made from Solid Oak, some featuring glass balustrades supplied by VISTA GLASS, and incorporated a variety of designs including straight, kited and spirals to suit each installation area.

British Spirals & Castings have been designing and manufacturing bespoke spiral stairs, straight staircases and balconies since 1980; all hand crafted here in the UK to each customers requirements. We offer an extensive range of straight, spiral and kited wooden stairs.

The post Why Settle For One Staircase appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.

Bryan Drew, the homeowner decided to include a three storey spiral staircase as part of the extensive refurbishment of his property, which also included creating an open plan kitchen, dining and living area with an Orangery added to the rear.  The house was completely redecorated and many other improvements were also made, including the replacement of the fireplace in the formal dining room with an 1880’s marble surround and basket which could have been installed when the property was originally built.

Bryan Drew commented “I was making a number of improvements at Westbrooke House and wanted an alternative to a timber staircase that would suit the overall look of the property whilst being stylish as well as functional.  I first came across British Spirals & Castings when searching the internet, and after an initial meeting with Richard Harding the MD I felt confident they could provide me with the staircase I was after.”

The traditional Victorian Cast staircase consists of three flights of stairs (39 steps) linking the cellar- kitchen-guest bedrooms on first floor – loft, with 3 balusters per tread, this staircase is the first from British Spirals & Castings to feature a brass handrail.

Richard Harding, Managing Director at British Spirals & Castings said “We have been producing bespoke staircases for over 30 years, and in that time this is the first time we have ever had one which included a brass handrail. This just goes to show that we really mean it when we say we can produce whatever staircase design you like!”

Bryan Drew added “I wanted a traditional looking spiral staircase but was slightly concerned that it could potentially look like someone had stuck a fire escape in the middle of my house.  With the inclusion of the brass handrail, the Anthracite Grey colour (RAL 7016) of the staircase was broken up and it has emphasised the staircase as a feature point in my home.”

British Spirals & Castings have been designing and manufacturing bespoke spiral stairs, straight staircases and balconies since 1980; all hand crafted here in the UK to each customers requirements.

The post More than just a staircase appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.

Wooden or Metal

One of the first thing to decided is whether you want a cast or metal staircase or one made out of timber/wood or a mixture of the two. At this stage there are plenty of options available in respect of the overall look so choosing the material you want your staircase to be made of is a good starting point.

Style and Tread Design

The second major decision is whether you want a contemporary or more traditional look. So what are your options?

British Spirals & Castings believe that they have a range of styles available in any of the materials offered. It is the tread of the staircase that determines the style so at this point you need to establish which treads that you like and then we go from there.

In our cast aluminium range we have the following:
Traditional Victorian Range – still one of the favourites and most widely available staircases on the market. It is identified through the filigree design that is in the top of the tread/riser and is normally preferred if you are looking for a more ornate look. This tread is ideal for external applications as it offers plenty of drainage for our British weather.

Modern Art Deco Range

Our Modern Art Deco range offers a stylish but plain and contemporary look and is a design unique to British Spirals & Castings. Traditionally if you wanted a plain modern staircase your choice tended to be either a mesh or chequered plate design which many found too industrial for use in their homes. This slotted design means that your staircase is still suitable for internal and external use and adds a sophistication to the staircase design.

LCC Range

Following in the success of the Modern Art Deco staircase and also due to a high demand for a Georgian look staircase, especially in London’s conservation areas, where it is of upmost importance to keep any staircase in keeping with the area, came the development of the LCC tread. Again it offers a plainer look to the ornateness of the Victorian range but still enough of a design to be a very definite feature in any property. Again this tread is a popular choice for external staircase.

Scandinavian Staircase

If you prefer the idea of mixing wood and steel, then the Scandinavian could be the range for you. Although the Scandinavian is a design in itself, you can vary the look of the tread by using different woods, and then applying different finishes to these woods whether it be an oil, stain or varnish. We offer a range of ply and hard wood treads whether they be a blonde wood or darker timber. Also the type of riser bar you opt for can dramatically change the look of the staircase. A riser bar is either a thin steel bar or a piece of timber planted to the front tread which reduces the gap between each rise/tread to less than 100mm which is a British Building Regulation requirement.

If a solid timber is the type of staircase that you like,  again you don’t have to have a traditional looking staircase. As well as being able to affect the overall look of the staircase through the timber chosen and the finish applied the detail in the staircase can vary. You can have very plain looking tread with a smooth centre bobbin and closed riser or a more decorative looking tread with a more sculptured riser bar and centre bobbin and for those that want something somewhere in between there is options for those also.

Ok, so you have chosen your material and tread design, now you need to choose your balusters. All our balusters can be used on any of our staircases so by the time you get to making your decision, the type of balusters that you opt for really comes down to personal preference and can ultimately determine the look of the staircase as a whole. If your staircase does not need to comply with Building Regulations, then you can opt on how may balusters you would like per tread from as little as one.  However, if your staircase is subject to Building Regulations then you normally need more balusters per tread to ensure there is no gap more than 100mm between each baluster.

Choosing Balusters

With the more modern staircase, irrespective of the material and style chosen, it is more likely that you will either choose to have 3 round or square balusters per tread as it is more in keeping with the overall vision of the staircase. However this is not your only option and if you want to add a bit of detail or soften the look then there is a whole range of twisted, caged and knotted wrought iron balusters that we can offer which in the right setting can create stunning results.

Again although you can utilise any balusters on offer, with any of the styles we offer, the clients that decide on the more ornate Victorian range often opt to keep the balusters in keeping with the tread design and therefore opt for a more traditional Victorian baluster.

For some people though the concept of having three balusters per tread can make the staircase feel a little heavy and to accommodate those that feel like this, we have an range of infill panels that replace two of the three balusters on the tread. They are a wider type of baluster which is why only one of them is required. They vary in style from something relatively plain and simple to ones much more ornate but create a more spacey feel on the staircase.

The balusters can really influence the overall look and feel for the staircase so baluster choice is as important a choice as the material and style of the staircase. With so many options you really have an opportunity to create a stunning piece of furniture and show piece in your room or outside area and use your personality and style preferences to add your own individuality to the staircase.

Just from this brief overview of the different choices that are available to you when choosing your spiral staircase it is important that you take the time to make the right choices for you to ensure that it is something that reflects you as an individual and compliments the environment that it will go in.

Don’t forget if you would like to visit our showroom to get a feel for the different options available then please feel free.

The post So Many Choices When Choosing a Staircase appeared first on British Spirals & Castings.