Are you in the market for a new staircase? Understand the technical jargon...

It is not often we go shopping for a new staircase. As with most modern-day purchases, there is an increasing range of options from which we need to make our choice. With such a starling array on offer, it can be difficult to know where to start...

What is a staircase – and why glass?

A stairway or staircase, stairwell, flights of stair, stairs and a staircase are all the same thing – it a means of bridging one level of floor with another. You can either go up them or come down them.

Traditionally, in most Hamilton homes and business, staircases are made from wood, sometimes metal and, on occasions a mix of the two. Glass staircases are modern inventions that are becoming a favourite of the stair-buying homeowner.

A staircase factoid:

Stairs are not found in nature. They are a human invention designed for human legs. Their gradient, if they were a hill, would be very steep indeed and so when you read of animals not being able to go down stairs this is partly true. Animals such as cows and horses cannot see their feet very well and their hip joints also find it difficult to accommodate the taking of steps down. And so, if you are planning a glass staircase for your Hamilton home, animals won’t find it any more difficult on glass than they would on any other material...

Glass staircase components explained

So, before you nip off shopping for your glass staircase to fit into the beautiful surroundings of your Hamilton home, take a few moments to acquaint yourself with the various components of staircases:

Step – this has two components but one is not always apparent on every staircase. The tread is the bit you stand on when walking up or down stairs. In a glass staircase, this is made from toughened and tempered glass. The riser is the bit that bridges the gap between one tread and the next. If you have an open staircase, you will not have these and you will be able to see the floor beneath you as you climb up and down the stairs.

Handrail – the fashion when it comes to handrails varies from one era to another but is not always an essential component. More minimalist design has negated the use of a handrail but in some settings, for example with children or the older generation, a handrail running alongside the glass staircase in your Hamilton property would be a welcome addition.

Wood, with metal brackets and fixings are a great way of adding a modern design to your glass staircase.

Other components on staircases are spindles; these are the vertical, decorative pieces that are between the handrail and the stair tread. The do have a function but on glass staircases, many Hamilton property owners find that the traditional wooden pieces look out of place. Instead, many people opt for the thin, yet strong metal wires than run from the bottom of the glass staircase to the top. It adds a stylish element rather than detracting from it.

Make a statement in your Hamilton property; invest in a glass staircase. Who said something functional has to be boring?