Wall stairs – the steps protrude from the wall

Wall stairs – the steps protrude from the wall

A special form of stairs made of natural stone or concrete are stairs, in which the steps are fixed to the wall with one end. This form originated in the outdoor steps, built in gardens and parks. Natural stone hewn steps (granite) they were embedded in holes carved in the southern wall of rock steep slopes. The free steps formed stairs and did not require diagonal reinforcements. The charm of this structure lies in its elegance and lightness. At first glance, it seems easy to build, but this impression is deceptive, because only in certain cases of home construction we can use them. The steps for this purpose must be made of granite or factory reinforced concrete, to prevent a breakthrough. Here also a static calculation of the relationship between the step and the wall is required, step length etc..

In this type of staircase there is a right lever. The further the step protrudes from the wall, the longer the lever arm and the greater the force applied, which is taken over by the load-bearing wall. That makes it easy to understand, steps may not be built into every wall. The smallest thickness of a brick wall is 25 cm, i.e.. the length of one brick, in which a step with a length of up to 90 cm. Walking up such stairs is audible throughout the house. The permanent and strong connection of the step with the wall transfers the step vibrations to the wall, which behaves like a tuning fork. The sounds of footsteps on the stairs penetrate all rooms along the walls of the house. This should be taken into account when planning such a structure. Therefore, further advice, so as not to rely on the messages of the craftsmen in the construction of this structure, and refer to the construction statics – a good architect (designer).