To weld a metal staircase to the second floor means to get an almost eternal and at the same time the most durable and aesthetic design. You can try to make it yourself if you wish. There are several varieties of such stairs. Some of them are easy to make, others require some skill to weld. Of course, special equipment will be required to make such a design.
Open and Closed Structures
The frame of a metal staircase can be either closed or open. In the first case, the entire structure is subsequently covered with a finishing material. That is, the staircase is sheathed with drywall and wood. For the manufacture of such a frame, it is allowed to use not very attractive-looking cheap channels and a corner.
In order to make an open type frame, you will need to purchase enameled metal. All welding work is carried out with the utmost care. Indeed, on the open frame, which in this case becomes part of the interior, there should not beno seams are visible. But such metal stairs (photo below) look just great.
Master stairs
Master ladder is considered the most convenient option to use. Everyone is familiar with this design. It is these stairs that are installed in the entrances of high-rise buildings. Of course, such a design can also be made of metal. There are only three main types of mid-flight stairs: on bowstrings, on stringers and on supports.
Stairs on bowstrings
A characteristic feature of the stairs on bowstrings is that the steps from the side are not visible in them. The manufacture of metal stairs of this variety is a simple process. In this case, the tread supports are simply attached to the inside of the main beams.
Stairs on stringers
When making stairs on kosoura to pre-installed channels (serving as support beams), the corners under the steps are welded from above. This results in a very robust design. It is possible to weld a metal staircase to the second floor both on two stringers and on one. In the latter case, there is only one support beam-channel, and it is installed in the middle of the flight of stairs. This design looks very light and elegant and usually does not require risers.
Stair on supports
Metal stairs to the second floor of this variety in residential buildings are not used very often. The point is that forits manufacture requires a lot of metal. The risers and steps of such a staircase are attached to horizontal supports starting from the floor itself.
Spiral stairs
Spiral staircases are most often used where the dimensions of the room do not allow the installation of a mid-flight structure. They look very interesting, but in operation they are not very convenient and less safe. In this case, the entire structure is built around a single horizontal support pipe.
Production of stairs on bowstrings
So, how to make a metal staircase to the second floor? First of all, you need to prepare the source material. To make a bowstring structure you will need:
- Channel section 150x200 mm with wall thickness 8 mm.
- Steel angle 45x45 mm.
- Welding machine.
- Electrodes.
- Grinding welding discs.
- Primer for metal.
The channel bars are attached to the supporting concrete beam from above and to the slab from below parallel to each other. The optimal angle of inclination of the stairs is 20–45 degrees. When installing channels, this must be taken into account.
Further, pieces of a metal corner under the steps should be welded to the inner sides of the resulting supports. In this case, be sure to use the level. It is also important to remember that the step height should not be more than 18 cm. The optimal width is 30 cm. If you comply with this condition, you will get a very comfortablemetal staircase. It will not be too difficult to build such a structure with your own hands.
Production of stairs on stringers
For the manufacture of stairs on stringers, you will need the same material as for the construction on bowstrings. In this case, the channel carriers are also pre-installed. Next, you will need to make supports for the steps. They are made from a corner that must be bent at an angle of ninety degrees. The resulting kerchief supports are welded to the channels from above or from the inside, carefully monitoring their horizontalness. The result is a very reliable metal staircase. Doing such a design with your own hands is somewhat more difficult than the option on bowstrings.
There is also another way to install supports under the steps. In this case, racks are welded on top of the channel, the height of which is equal to the height of the step. During installation, they use a level, achieving strict verticality of the elements. Separately, a frame under the steps is welded from the corner. The resulting quadrangular frames are welded to the posts on one side, and to the channels on the other.
If one of the channels adjoins the wall, it makes sense to additionally attach it to it with anchors. After the frame is fully welded, all its elements must be primed and painted with two coats of paint.
What steps can be made of
Metal steps for stairs must be made of material at least 3 mm thick. It is best if their surface iscorrugated. You can also cover such steps from above with anti-slip material. For their fastening to the supports, metal screws are used, which must be screwed in from below.
Metal steps are rarely used in residential areas. After all, the material is quite cold. And walking on it, say, barefoot will not be too pleasant. Therefore, most often in houses a metal staircase with wooden steps is installed. The tree is attached to the frame in this case also using self-tapping screws.
How to make handrails
Fencing for a metal staircase can be made using reinforcing bars, tubes or rolled metal. Handrails can be attached to the supporting channel in three ways: by bolts, by welding or as a whole structure. For railings, you can take pipes with a diameter of 35–80 mm. They are welded to the upper ends of the pre-fixed racks. In order for the surface of the railing to be pleasant to the touch, they can be covered with a plastic pipe, having previously cut it along.
How to design a finished staircase
After the frame is welded and the steps and handrails are installed, you can proceed to the final design of the stairs. When welding structural elements, the seams should be located inside. In this case, they will not interfere with the finishing sheathing. The stairs are usually trimmed with wood or drywall. When choosing a material, they are guided primarily by the general style decision of the interior.
The material is cut according todesign features of the stairs. The sheathing is attached to self-tapping screws or screws in such a way that there are no gaps at the joints.
Do-it-yourself metal staircase is made without much difficulty. But only if you have basic welding skills. Inept actions can lead to damage to the frame. As a result, you will have to redo all the work again, or the stairs will turn out to be unsafe in operation. In the event that you are not confident in your abilities, it still makes sense to spend money by contacting specialists.
