How To Measure Spiral Stairs

How to measure for a spiral staircase

Here at Great Lakes Stair, we often get asked by potential customers how to properly measure the area where they are thinking about installing a custom spiral staircase.

Measuring an opening for a spiral stair is really simple. There are actually just two (2) measurements that our designers need to be able to begin the process:

• Overall Rise: this measurement is the top of lower floor to the top of upper floor overall height. It is also known as the overall rise of the staircase.
• Diameter: next, we need to know what diameter of spiral stair the customer is thinking about. Diameter (which is often confused with Radius) is the length across the circle of the spiral staircase. The majority of spiral staircases are designed and built with a 5’ diameter. Occasionally we have requests for larger or smaller diameters.

Additionally, it is important to know the rotation of the spiral stair which is either clockwise or counterclockwise ascending the spiral staircase which determines where the platform for entering or exiting the spiral stair will be at the top.

With these 2 simple overall measurements our design team at Great Lakes Stair can start a conversation with our customers about what style of spiral staircase would work best for their space. If you are unsure of how to make these measurements, give the experts at Great Lakes Stair a call and we can easily guide you through the process. Upon request, we also have a fee-based service where a Great Lakes Stair representative will visit your home or business and take the measurements. This is for customers who just aren’t comfortable with using a measuring tape!

It’s much easier (and less expensive) in the long run when we have the correct measurements to start a spiral stair design project. In many cases in the past, we have had to work with spiral stair projects that were measured incorrectly, and sadly the only recourse in these cases is to start over.

Great Lakes Stair, Your Premier Manufacturer for Spiral Staircases

Great Lakes Stair has over 33 years of experience in spiral staircases, making us the premier choice for designing, fabricating, and installing custom spiral staircases. Our extensive industry background and reputation enable us to ask our clients the right questions, some of which they may not have considered, ensuring an exceptional project outcome.

With three decades of experience, we have gained a wealth of knowledge on what works best and what doesn’t, and we can use this to help our clients save time and money while providing valuable guidance on their custom spiral staircase project.

Get started by calling us today at 330-225-2005 or filling out the Free Project Review form on this page.