5 types of stairs in front of the house. What should a legal staircase be like?

The design of the front stairs is very important in terms of both living and Feng Shui. The type of stairs, no matter where they are in the house, have supporting laws. Let’s take a look at 5 types of front stairs and what a good staircase should be like.

How many types of stairs are there?

The front staircase or staircase design can be divided into 5 different styles, which have different characteristics and beauty, depending on the taste of the resident as well as the size of the house area.

1. Single span staircase

It is a staircase that has a straight line, a single piece, and no curves or turns. It is suitable for houses with a long front door or a relatively narrow front door. It can be designed in a variety of ways.

In addition, the area next to a single-span staircase can be designed as a bookshelf or storage space for other uses besides just going up and down the stairs.

2. L-shaped stairs or “L” shaped stairs

This type of staircase is a perpendicular staircase that resembles the shape of the English letter “L”. This type of staircase is suitable for small houses that want to save space.

This type of staircase is divided into two sections. The first section is the base section before turning perpendicularly up to form the shape of the letter “L” at the landing area of ​​the stairs.

3. Reversible stairs or “U” shaped stairs

This type of staircase is similar to a fire escape, which has the same number of floors and is turned at a 180-degree angle, or in the shape of the letter “U.” This type of staircase is found in houses or buildings where the ceiling height of each floor is the same or has a very similar shape.

Normally, houses use a staircase that looks like this. The “U” shaped staircase is long and extends to the landing in the middle of the staircase before turning back in the same direction from the landing.

Suitable for small houses with limited space, the “U” shaped staircase will have different sizes depending on the size of the house.

4. Circular staircase

This type of staircase is a circular staircase that emphasizes showing all parts covering the interior of the house. This type of staircase is designed so that each level is a circle that continues to rotate.

Suitable for luxurious houses with large areas, this type of front staircase will be very suitable for the house.

5. Spiral staircase

The spiral staircase is a staircase that has a spiral shape that twists to one side and rotates continuously. It has a small usable space inside the house. Small houses that want to save space can modify the spiral staircase to have a beautiful appearance.

But the disadvantage of this type of staircase is that it is inconvenient to use, especially in houses with small children or elderly people living there.

These are all types of front stairs that are often used to decorate houses. Those who are planning to build a house or renovate an old house can use this as a principle to decorate their house beautifully in the style they like. But don’t forget to consider building it by the law.

Which type of front staircase is legal?

To design and build a house correctly, there must be building control laws to meet standards and ensure the safety of residents and people in the vicinity. This includes designing the front stairs as well. There are 8 points in total as follows:

1. The stairs must be at least 80 centimeters wide for easy walking up and down, meaning not too narrow. Net width means the width excluding obstacles on the stairs, such as handrails. If there is more than one large person in a house who walks past each other without waiting for the other person to finish walking first, the stairs should be wider than this.
   The width of the stairs also affects the possibility of carrying large items down. Therefore, before buying large furniture that cannot be disassembled for use on the upper floor, don’t forget to check the size of the stairs before buying.
2. A section of stairs must not be higher than 3 meters, which means the height from the floor level before the first step to the floor level of the next floor.
3. Risers are the distance between the steps, which must not be higher than 20 centimeters so that stepping up is not too difficult and stepping down does not feel too steep and dangerous, including making it more convenient for the elderly to walk up and down.
4. Treads or steps, when the overlapping parts of the steps are removed, must be at least 22 centimeters wide so that there is enough space for your feet and safety when stepping down each step, and walking up and down without difficulty.
5. The surface in front of the stairs must be at least as wide and long as the width of the stairs. To provide those walking up and down with a place to rest at the end of the stairs, and to have enough space before walking down to prepare to step down comfortably.
6. If each floor in the house has a height difference of more than 3 meters, there must be a landing so that the staircase is not higher than 1 meter, and the landing must be no less wide and long than the width of the stairs.
7. Stair users must be able to walk up and down without their heads hitting any part of the house above each step. The law specifies that this area must not be less than 1.90 meters high.
8. Sufficient lighting. Stairs can be placed in various positions in the house, depending on the layout and design. However, the lighting used to facilitate walking up and down the stairs must also be taken into account, which can be either light from a lamp or natural light from a glass window that is often near the stairs.

The front staircase design is a favorite among spiritual people.

In addition to building a legal front staircase, another thing that spiritual people should not overlook is building it according to Feng Shui principles, because stairs are a link between the chi energy between the floors of each floor and are also a creator of movement and energy movement.

If the feng shui on the stairs is placed incorrectly, it will hurt the residents. However, if the feng shui is placed correctly, it will help increase luck. The correct feng shui arrangement of the front stairs is as follows:

1. The stairs should not be placed directly in line with the entrance door of the house because it will make it difficult for the flow of Chi to enter the house. It will also make it easy for the flow of Chi to exit the house. In Feng Shui, this means “not being able to keep wealth” or “obstructing wealth”. It can be said that no matter how much money you earn, you will not have any left.
2. If it is necessary to build stairs at the entrance door, you should build them to the side instead, so that the area in front of the door becomes a landing. However, you should not build stairs on both sides, such as going up one side and going down the other side, because it will look like a cremation ground, which the ancients considered inauspicious.
3. Do not place the stairs in the center of the house. In Feng Shui, this is considered the heart of the house. Designing the front stairs in this position is considered a disadvantage and a prohibition in Feng Shui because it will make the owner stay home or have a heartbeat because the stairs are in a state of constant movement. In addition, it may make the owner have heart disease easily because the heart is in constant movement.
4. There should be a landing in the middle of the stairs to prevent the constant flow of air currents around the stairs from accelerating too much. Building a landing in the middle of the total height of the stairs is considered to be a way to slow down the flow of air currents.

This principle is in line with the architectural principle that requires landings to help people using the stairs rest while walking, especially if they are elderly or carrying heavy objects.

Therefore, spiral staircases are considered to be incorrect in both Feng Shui and architectural principles, except in cases where space is limited.

5. The number of stairs should be odd. Ancient beliefs believe that even-numbered stairs are not good for the residents of the house. This is consistent with the principles of architecture because according to the principle of balance in walking rhythm if one foot steps up the stairs first, the other foot must always end, which will help balance the weight and prevent danger.
6. The stairs should not be in line with the bedroom in the house. The distance between the stairs and the bedroom door should be at least 1-2 meters because the stairs have constant airflow. If the bedroom is in line with the stairs and is less than it should be, the room that receives good energy will be blown out as well, causing the occupants to become sick, as well as having continuous expenses and losing money.
7. A house with stairs outside the house is a thief’s staircase. In Feng Shui, the design of the stairs in front of the house should not be outside the house. Even though it is beautiful, it is considered a thief’s staircase. In addition to causing the occupants to lose money and gold, it also makes it easier for criminals to enter the house.

For those who plan to buy a house, build a house, or renovate a new house, designing a front staircase that is pleasing, legal, and in line with Feng Shui principles will require a fair amount of study. However, if it is built correctly, the beautiful house of your dreams is not too far out of reach.