Would there be any interest in an extension to build stair cases which comply to UK building regulations?
Too complicated if there are winders - surely…
It’s the winders we are specifically working on. I have just had to create them manually until now.
Tell me about it !
We are just working on it at the moment, but just trying to gauge interest, because - as you say - the winders are complicated and we are wondering whether it will be worth the effort.
The only time I calculate stairs with winders is for a loft conversion and every time I’ve forgotten and need to dive back in to understand the setting out.
I start out in Layout and draw in 2D first and then export that as DWG to SketchUp to make it in 3D.
If it’s a new space I’ll do a rough estimate of the area footprint and send a plan to a stair manufacturer or play about with a manufacturer’s online stair creator to work out the footprint area.
Yes - we always play around with the manufacturer’s creator tool, but they don’t produce it in a format which can import into SU, which is what we are trying to replicate. It takes time to manually create a model which looks good with the stringers etc. So when you want it to perhaps turn the other way, you have to start again to some extent. It might be slightly easier now that SU 2023 has the easier mirroring tool.
Interesting that you start your design process in Layout. I’ve been using this as simply a presentation tool and middle man before exporting to .pdf
I used to build loft conversions and my friend, who was a bespoke joiner amongst other things, made the stairs.
He would turn up with a big fat pencil, cardboard, a Stanley knife and wooden set square and protractor, and proceeded to set out the stair in situ on the cardboard.
I replicate his process in Layout.
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Hi loubydesigns,
In a word Yes, I’ve designed new build properties, extensions & loft conversions in the past with a variety of stair layout designs & found winder type stairs very useful. The complex element is just the winder part, either made up of 4 or three winders to turn 90-degrees, namely a W3 or W4 after that, its just a normal straight stair to form the remainder of your stair layout.
In this endeavor, I’ve always found the BOULTON & PAUL or now JELD-WEN joinery drawings very useful. Click on this link to view these designs = stairs layout - JELD-WEN - Page - PDF Catalogs | Documentation | Brochures
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Exactly the process I was illustrating when I created the thread, “Do You Still Draw in 2D”, except in that case is was a spiral stair instead of a winder. I’d be curious what differences there are in the UK vs, the “International Residential Code” (a.k.a. IRC) which is USA only 
. If they have the same terms and parameters, it could be done as multinational with the right pull down menus, etc.
HI - thanks for the link to JELD-WEN; I have in fact used their stair designer before. Below are the current UK regulations for stairs. Basically, the pitch cannot be above 42 degrees. Is it the same for you?
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Hi loubydesigns,
No prob’s, the link below is a good guide to UK Building Regs for Stairs; i.e. Approved Document K - Protection from falling, collision and impact. (an odd title !)