Relatively recently, a two-story apartment was considered an unattainable luxury. But today, almost everyone can afford such housing. And this is facilitated by modern developers. They build houses with duplex apartments of various classes. Among them are luxury apartments ranging from 80 to 100 square meters, and small-sized housing for young people.
Apartments located on two levels have some differences from traditional ones. They relate primarily to the division of zones of common space. The owner of such an apartment experiences the feeling of his own home, located directly in the metropolis.
Pros of two-level housing
Apartments with rooms on different floors have always been popular. Interest in such housing has not disappeared from modern man. After all, there is an opinion that an apartment located on different levels is a confirmation of the good taste of its owner. Behind the sceneshousing is considered very prestigious. Moreover, a similar opinion remains with respect to very modest options.
A huge plus of having two floors in the apartment is the isolation of the common space. This issue is especially relevant for a large family. In this case, it becomes possible to divide the house into two zones. The first one is public and the second one is private. As a rule, on the ground floor, the owners place an entrance hall and a living room where guests can pass. The second floor remains at the disposal of the household only.
Another advantage of duplex apartments is a large amount of open space. This is despite the fact that in recent years, developers have been offering small housing, located on two floors, with standard ceilings.
The indisputable advantage of two-level apartments lies in the possibility of using several styles in the interior at once. The connecting link in this case is a staircase, along which you can move from one floor of the dwelling to another. It is she who is the main element of decor in the house and must be made using an interesting design solution.
Cons of two-level housing
Such a layout is not without some drawbacks. And they are all enclosed in the same staircase. After all, as you know, everything that is an advantage for some people can be a big minus for others. So the staircase, which is a real decoration of a two-level apartment, can become a serious obstacle for kids and the elderly. Of course, here one can also talk about the benefits of physicalloads. However, not everyone’s state of he alth will allow them to go up and down more than a dozen times during the day from one floor to another. That is why the owners of such a dwelling should carefully consider the layout of the rooms so that each member of the family is comfortable and comfortable. Another way out of this situation is to build an elevator in the apartment.
Main accent
The main and most characteristic element of the interior of a two-level apartment is, as mentioned above, the staircase. Its design will certainly attract the attention of anyone, regardless of its location - in the center of the room or against the wall. However, in both cases, the owners of two-level housing should remember that the use of stairs in the apartment should be, first of all, safe, and this element itself should be organically located in the interior.
Determining the type of construction
When choosing the design of a staircase in an apartment, the owners must take into account the specifics and features of its various types. It will be necessary to approach this issue with all responsibility, because such a structure will serve for many years.
Stairs in the interior of the apartment should be functional and have an aesthetic appeal. At the same time, they need to fit so harmoniously into the interior of the room so as not to clutter it up in any way.
When considering options for stairs in an apartment, homeowners are advised to consider the following factors:
- locationdesigns;
- appointment of stairs (auxiliary or main);
- total floor space;
- amount of space allocated for installation of the structure;
- location of columns, niches, ledges, windows, walls and other architectural elements;
- style in which the interior is made;
- necessary level of comfort and safety.
Families with elderly people and small children should pay special attention to the last point, because some types of stairs in the apartment will become very uncomfortable for them. These are, for example, structures without fences, with a steep angle of inclination, with narrow steps and other features. Those owners for whom the issue of safety is one of the first places should not build such stairs either.
Main types of structures
What are the stairs in the apartment? Among the most common options are the following types:
- straight march;
- turning with winder steps or platforms;
- screw.
At the same time, each of these types of stairs in the apartment can be made of various materials and their combinations. These include wood and metal, concrete, stone or plastic.
Production
Today, the owners of two-story housing can buy a staircase in an apartment on the second floor. Various options for such designs are offered by many manufacturers. Individual orders are also accepted for similar designs. Finished products are assembled by specialists. There are also standard designs on sale, whichassembled on site and installed by yourself.
You can make a decorative staircase in the apartment with your own hands. But it should be borne in mind that for the correct drafting of the project, the implementation of all structural elements, as well as its high-quality installation, it is necessary to familiarize yourself in advance with the basic requirements that apply to such structures.
Master stairs
These designs are considered the most practical and comfortable. Their main feature is the presence of an inclined straight section with a march (steps). Like other types of similar structures, such stairs located inside residential premises take into account the mechanics of movements and the anatomical features of the human body. Comfortable and safe movement of people on them is regulated by the norms of SNiP. They indicate the angles of the stairs for the house, the height and strength of the fences, as well as other parameters.
The main advantage of mid-flight structures is the possibility of their construction by one's own hands. It should be borne in mind that according to existing standards, no more than 18 steps should be located in one march. More of them will make the climb too tiring. The best option, according to the recommendations of experts, is to install 10-12 steps on one march.
However, such stairs have disadvantages. They concern, first of all, their bulkiness and massiveness. In addition, the design of the stairs to the second floor in a march-type apartment will require the allocation of a large area for it. Exactlytherefore, such structures are not mounted in those housing options that have limited space. Another disadvantage of mid-flight stairs is manifested with a significant distance between floors. With high ceilings, such a design will take up almost the entire wall.
Turn stairs
What are these designs?
A staircase can be called a turning one if its marches are located in relation to each other at a certain angle. Based on the value of this indicator, such constructions are:
- quarter-turn (at 90 degree angle);
- half-turn (180 degree angle).
In home stairs, as a rule, two or three straight flights are provided. In cases where the area of \u200b\u200bthe room is not enough to accommodate one large span, it should be divided into two. These marches must be separated from each other by a platform. Its length is set in proportion to the step of an adult. The width of the platform always corresponds to the width of the march. When designing a turntable, you will need to calculate its dimensions, taking into account the likely movement of large objects.
They have rotary structures mainly near the wall of the room. Such placement will not only save square meters. It will allow you to use the space that is under the stairs. At the request of the owners, they can equip in this place either a pantry for household needs, or arrange a recreation area with a sofa and armchairs.
To build a staircase to the second floor with a turn, homeowners can do it themselves.
Use winders
When arranging a turning staircase, a platform between its flights can not be built at all. They are changed to cross-country steps. They are elements whose inner edge is much narrower than the outer. GOST and SNiP impose their own requirements on such steps. According to these regulatory documents, the depth of the outer and inner sides of the tread should be at the level of 40 and 10 cm, respectively. Smaller treads will be so narrow that they will not allow a person to place their foot on them.
Owners of two-level apartments should keep in mind that such structures, designed to move between floors, will be inconvenient for those people who have limited mobility. But at the same time, in the interior, a staircase with winder steps looks very elegant.
Spiral designs
The most attractive and interesting option for owners of two-level housing will be a spiral staircase in the apartment. This is a structure, the steps of which are located around the support column in an ascending spiral. When choosing this type of stairs, the owners of the apartment will be able to save their living space as much as possible. Some modifications of such structures are located on only two square meters. Moreover, a spiral staircase can be located anywhere in the room. But, as a rule, they carry it to the corner.
The spiral staircase type is forapartments are a versatile option. Nevertheless, experts recommend that before installing it, study the specifics of such a structure and the features of its operation.
Among the shortcomings of such stairs, there is a small width of the internal opening. On average, the radius of the structure is within 100 cm. Inconvenience in operation is also caused by steps that have an asymmetric shape with a narrow (10 cm) and wide (40 cm) edge. Anyone who has chosen just such a variant of the stairs for himself can reconstruct it somewhat. To increase the usable area of the steps, it is recommended to remove the riser. You can also add 2-3 cm of overhanging ledge to the horizontal plane.
Fixing steps
Stairs for a two-level apartment can be mounted using different ways of attaching the main parts for lifting. Steps can be fixed:
- On stringers. Such load-bearing elements serve as a support for the entire structure. When mounting steps, helical, broken or straight stringers can be used. This type of attachment is extremely safe and secure.
- On a string. This supporting element is not located under the stairs, like a kosour, but along its structure. The steps are attached with the end side to the bowstring, which can be concrete, metal or wood.
- On the Bolts. When using this method, the steps are attached to the wall using special bolts embedded or screwed into it. These fasteners make installation quick and relatively easy, while saving onconsumables. Staircase with this fastening looks elegant and seems very light.
Wooden structures
Based on the design of the room, it is necessary to choose the best option for the material from which the structure will be made. A classic style is a wooden staircase. Most of all, they prefer to install structures from this material in the apartment, which gives the interior nobility and respectability. The advantages of wood are its environmental friendliness and affordable cost.
Such designs are not difficult to make yourself. And this is the main argument when choosing a material for those owners who like to create interior details with their own hands.
The disadvantage of wooden structures is their susceptibility to mechanical damage and wear. Such a staircase must be maintained in the form of repair, painting, as well as the application of fire and antiparasitic impregnations.
Metal structures
This material is the strongest of all. It is used for the manufacture of both all staircase structures and individual elements. Such structures have many advantages. They are durable, wear-resistant and strong.
Using other materials
Increasingly, glass is used to make stairs for two-level apartments or its individual elements. It must be necessarily multi-layered or hardened. Due to its transparency, this material makes the construction elegant and light.
PVC and plastic designs are also popular. They are light in weight, low cost and attractive in appearance. At the same time, these stairs are wear-resistant and durable.
