Pitch - Stair Construction Angles

The pitch is often referred to as the angle of a sloped object used in construction. A good example of this would be the pictures below. The upper stairway has a steeper pitch or angle than the lower stairway.

Are Steep Stairways Safe?

They are not as safe as stairs that have lower pitches. Look at it like this, if you fell down a roof pitch that was 45°, there's a good chance that you would have a difficult time stopping, before you eventually fell off.

If you fell down a roof with a 10° pitch, there's a good chance that you wouldn't even move. This same type of thinking holds true as for stairs. The steeper the stairway, the more difficult it is to climb and descend.

What Is A Good Staircase Pitch?

Most of the stairs I built, were between 35 and 40°. This seems to be a good pitch or angle and provides users with a comfortable degree, for walking up and down, with little effort. Stairways built with maximum riser heights and minimum stair tread widths can be difficult to use on a daily basis.

Stairs like these are often used to access attics, but are rarely used as the main access to other floors. As a professional stair builders, it's the first thing I look at, when looking at a set of building blueprints.

If the stairs are going to be difficult to use, I will often point this out to the homeowner or builder.

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