Who has a spiral staircase, and...

MotorSeven · May 8, 2012

how wide is it?...are you happy with it?

I am looking at one for my log house and have 8 quotes in front of me. One of the last company's I talked too said that a 4' is too narrow and I won't be happy. They really recommended a 5', but a 4' fit's better between the strongbacks on my floor trusses. I can move the strongbacks, but just want to know if I should go wider. Opinions appreciated..........

jbarker855 · May 8, 2012

I have a 4 foot. I find it to be narrow, but adequate. It is slightly difficult to carry my 2 year old up the stairs without whacking his head. But it is functional.
-Jay

Pete Judd · May 8, 2012

Try to haul a king sized bed up one, and you won't do that again. Building codes around here make them very hard to do. I understand that they will lower the footprint of the staircase, but it comes with a cost.

KennyG · May 9, 2012

I had one in a house. It was needed because of the design. I hated carrying anything up it and didn't like walking up it much. That's my 2 cents.

I also had an older house once that had a 90 degree turn three steps before the top. I didn't much like that either.

ultrarunner · May 9, 2012

My cousin built one from the upstairs balcony down to the garden... it has 36" treads and only used for people and maybe a beverage or two.

It was not very hard to make... the treads are pressure treated wood set in an angle iron frames around a pole.

MotorSeven · May 9, 2012

Carrying big stuff up is not a problem. A block & tackle attached to my ridge beam will hoist furniture right up and over the loft railing....no problem.

I think the biggest concern is carrying stuff up from the basement like a hamper full of clothes. Ultra, I probably could build one, but it has to be 21' long going from basement to loft with two landings. Skill level is a 'maybe"...but the big killer is the time involved since I still have quite a bit of work to do to finish the house.

newbury · May 9, 2012

We HAD a spiral, probably 4', in the house when we bought it.
A NO-GO.
Unless it's for kid's or very wide they are to dangerous and difficult to maneuver with stuff you didn't expect to carry up or down.
Try it with a pair of high heels

We had it torn out and a nice gentle wide staircase put in in the opposite corner.

Remember most people are getting older. Narrow spirals and old age don't mix.

hr3 · May 9, 2012

I have both the 4' and 5'.. It mostly depends what you are going to use it for.. My 4' goes from the master bedroom down to the rooms below " hot tub,, walk in closet and exersize room".. it's good for that but I wouldn't want to up and down it 10 times a day.. The 5' is in the guest house.. much nicer to navigate..

xtn · May 9, 2012

Do you mean four or five feet tread width? Or do you mean four or five feet total diameter? My father has a 4' diameter spiral in his house, and I cannot go up it empty handed, much less carrying anything, without getting a concussion, cramps, hemorrhoids, a twisted ankle, and the Mexican Trots.

xtn