Creating extra space without increasing a home’s overall footprint, loft conversions are a popular and often straightforward project to undertake. They’re perfect if you’re slowly outgrowing your home and are known to add value, so can provide a great return on investment too.
If you’re planning to convert your loft space, you may need a little assistance with one of biggest stumbling blocks our customers often come across – the stairs.
Enlist the help of an architect or structural engineer
First and foremost, with any loft conversion project, you’ll need professional support from either an architect or structural engineer who will essentially draw up your dream. They’ll be able to take into account building regulations (more in this below) and what will be possible with the space you have available.
Check staircase building regulations
Stairs are a tricky element of any loft conversion, so it’s important you take careful consideration for building regulations and the standards you need to follow. If you’re planning to make a habitable room, you must have a staircase that meets the following criteria:
Minimum of 1.9m headroom in the centre, reducing to 1.8m at the side
No more than 16 steps in a straight line
Maximum step rise of 220mm and minimum depth of 220mm
Minimum of 900mm above the pitch line for balustrades
Spindles must have a separate distance that a 100mm sphere cannot pass through
Consider positioning
When converting your loft space, the simplest and most effective position for the stairs is often above the existing structure that links your first and ground floors. While recommended as the most seamless and natural option, there are no set rules!
Positioning will ultimately be determined by what works for your home and it may be that you have space limitations that make it impossible to place your loft’s stairs above your main set. If this is the case, the alternative will involve altering floor plans and using space from another room.
Stair design
When designing your stairs, you should consider using a clever mix of styles and materials to achieve your desired look.
Glass
Complementing all modern interiors, adding glass to your stairs can improve the flow of light and helps to create a striking feature. It has become a popular design option with many of our customers who have found that the addition of stairs to the loft will make their existing landing quite dark otherwise. If you want carpeted stairs, glass balustrades are particularly effective and will make the area feel much more spacious.
Open riser
Open risers are another effective choice for your loft’s stairs. The space between adjacent treads is left open so that light can flow in and around, creating a modern and distinctive feature. Multi-Turn’s open riser stairs are designed to conform with building regulations, easily meeting safety requirements without compromising on style.
Matching your interiors
If you want your loft’s stairs to blend in with the interior of the rest of your home, you can discuss matching styles and components with our team. We can also provide recommendations for finishing your timber with oils and varnishes to achieve highly similar results.
If you want to convert your loft space, get in touch with our team to discuss your stair requirements on 01962 712299 or email web-enq@multiturn.co.uk.