Staircase Lexicon
When buying stairs, do you only understand station? We know that it is not always easy to find your way through all the technical terms. Therefore, we explain all the words about stairs here.
Fold-out space
The ladders of many attic stairs consist of several parts that are connected to each other by hinges. In order to be able to use the stairs, the ladder must therefore be folded out. This requires a certain amount of space at the front, which should be taken into account when planning an attic staircase. This additional space is also known as the fold-out space.
Exterior staircase
All stairs marked with the term outdoor staircase are suitable for outdoor use. The metal parts of these stairs are galvanized and therefore extremely resistant to environmental influences of all kinds. So they do not rust even in wind and weather. It is important to choose a suitable foundation for outdoor stairs. Of course, the Minka outdoor stairs can also be used indoors.
Projection
Protrusion is the dimension that a staircase needs from the rearmost point to the frontmost point. The radius is therefore a parameter for how much space a staircase requires. However, it should be borne in mind that space is also needed in front of the first step in order to be able to climb the stairs comfortably.
Loft staircase
Loft stairs are stairs that lead to uninhabited attics or granaries. They are usually fixed in the ceiling and only folded out or pulled out when necessary. Loft stairs can be made of wood or metal. A special form of metal attic stairs are so-called scissor stairs, which are extended like an accordion.
Stain
Staining involves applying a chemical solution (sting) to the surface of wood. This changes the colour of the wood, but the natural grain is retained. The walnut steps of the Minka stairs are not made of real walnut wood, but of beech wood that has been stained to a walnut look. For additional protection of the wood, our stair treads are also covered with a high-quality lacquer layer.
Fire Retardant EI₂30/EI₂60
According to ÖNORM, the fire-retardant effect of materials is divided into several classes. EI230 and EI260 also belong to these fire resistance classes. The number in the name indicates how long the material can withstand a fire at least. For example, if a loft staircase is marked EI
Spin per level
The rotation per step is about the angle at which the steps wind around the central column of a spiral staircase. If the rotation per step is high, it means that the steps are pleasant to walk on. With a smaller rotation angle, on the other hand, less space is required for the stairs.
Food cupboard
Professionals refer to the rectangular frame of loft stairs as a feeding box, which is installed in the ceiling and in which the staircase remains when folded. The length and width of the feeder must match the dimensions of the ceiling opening. In addition, when buying an attic staircase, you should choose the feed box height according to the measured ceiling thickness. Feeder boxes can be made of wood or MDF. Minka also offers a matching top lid for many feed boxes, which increases thermal insulation.
Flat roof hatch / flat roof staircase
In order to be able to climb flat roofs, for example for repair work or the like, a foldable flat roof staircase is recommended. In terms of functionality, flat roof stairs can be compared to attic stairs. However, they have special metal hatches that are suitable for outdoor use and provide particularly good insulation.
Railing bar
The term railing rod refers to all vertical rods of stair railings. On the other hand, horizontal bars present in some stairs are called lower chords.
Railing
The railing is one of the most important components of system stairs, as it allows safe mounting and dismounting. There are three different types of railings in Minka’s spiral and space-saving staircases: The rod railing consists only of vertical bars and a handrail. In addition to the vertical bars, the lower chord railing also has horizontal bars – so-called lower chords. The step railing, on the other hand, consists of L-shaped metal rods that are attached to each other.
Floor height
The floor height is an important value for the selection and installation of system stairs. To determine the floor height, you need to measure from the top of the floor of a room to the top of the ceiling or gallery.
Handrail
The handrail is the upper part of the railing that you can hold on to with your hand. The handrails of the Minka system stairs are made either of solid wood or of high-quality plastic (PVC).
Height extension
For most of our space-saving stairs and spiral staircases, height extensions are available as an optional additional product. You will need a height extension if you need to achieve a room height that exceeds the standard size. If you order a height extension, you will receive an additional step as well as the additional material for the extended railing.
Please note that you may not install more than a maximum of two height extension elements per staircase. From three additional steps installed, stability and safety can no longer be guaranteed when climbing stairs.
Clear room height
The term “clear room height” refers to the distance from the upper edge of the floor to the lower edge of the ceiling. The clear room height is particularly relevant when buying attic stairs.
Levorotatory
With a left-turning spiral staircase, you go up the steps counterclockwise. In this variant, the center column is on your left hand when you go up, and the railing is on your right hand.
All Minka spiral staircases can be installed both clockwise and right-turning.
Center Rails Stairs
A central spar staircase is a special form of space-saving staircase in which the steps are attached to supporting elements along the centre line of the staircase. The beams are made of metal and are adjustable in height, which makes central spar stairs very flexible and space-saving. Center-spar stairs are sometimes also called single-pole stairs or steep stairs.
ÖNORM
Austrian standards are known under the abbreviation ÖNORM. They describe certain standards that are to be met in various areas – such as construction. The standards developed by the Austrian Standards are also widely recognised throughout Europe, which can be seen from the letter combination EN (e.g. ÖNORM EN 1363).
Pedestal
The Minka spiral staircases are supplied with a triangular landing as standard. This is mounted on the same level as the floor of the upper floor. So you can get off comfortably on the upper floor.
Powder coating
Powder coating is a process for the surface treatment of metals. After the material has been pre-treated, a coating powder is applied to the workpiece and then cured. For example, products made of aluminum, cast aluminum, bright steel, galvanized steel and stainless steel can be wrapped in various colors and textures and protected against corrosion.
Minka is not only an expert in stairs, but also in powder coatings. At our location in St. Lorenzen, we not only coat the parts for our own stairs, but also various products for our business customers.
Dextrorotatory
A right-turning spiral staircase is walked clockwise from bottom to top. When you climb the stairs, the center spindle is on your right and you can hold on to the railing with your left hand.
All Minka spiral staircases can be installed both clockwise and right-turning.
Space-saving staircase
As the name suggests, space-saving stairs are usually used in places where there is not so much space. Minka’s space-saving staircases are so-called central spar stairs, which are particularly flexible in construction. They can be mounted straight and, in many cases, slightly rotated to the left or right. Minka also has some quarter-spiral space-saving staircases in its range.
Samba stairs
The steps of so-called samba stairs can only be accessed on one side at a time due to their sloping shape. This makes samba stairs a little less comfortable to walk on than stairs with straight block steps, but also particularly space-saving.
Riser
A stair step consists of the step and the riser. The term riser is the vertical side of a step. With our spiral staircases, there is a blank space between the individual steps as standard. Optionally, however, a metal riser can be attached to the wooden steps. This is especially useful when small children use the stairs, which is why the riser is also known as the child protection bar.
Spindle tube
The spindle tube is the middle part of spiral staircases. The wooden or metal steps are attached to it.
Scissor staircase
The scissor staircase is a special form of attic staircase. It consists of steps that are attached to each other using so-called scissors – so it is possible to pull out the stairs like an accordion and push them together. For this reason, scissor stairs are a good choice when there is no fold-out space or generally little space available.
Step Strength
The tread thickness indicates how thick the material of the stair treads is – i.e. it is measured from the lower edge of the tread to the upper edge of the tread.
Slope
The slope of a staircase indicates how steeply a staircase goes up. It specifically describes the height from one tread to the next and is usually given in millimeters or centimeters.
A staircase with a low incline is more comfortable to walk on, but it also takes up more space. With a high gradient, the situation is exactly the opposite. The choice of the slope is therefore an individual decision, which should be made according to one’s own feeling and the available space. You can adjust the slope of the Minka system stairs yourself within certain limits.
Spiral staircase
The spiral staircase is a space-saving special form of spiral staircase. In this type of staircase, the steps are attached to a central column – the so-called spindle. Thus, spiral staircases only have a railing on the outer edge of the steps.
Minka offers a wide variety of spiral staircases with wooden and metal steps and different types of railings.
System stairs
Minka’s space-saving staircases and spiral staircases belong to the category of system stairs. System stairs consist of a modular system – so there are different wood variants, metal colours and sizes that our customers can have put together according to their wishes. The modular system also allows private individuals to easily assemble their stairs themselves.
Stair Shoes
Stair shoes or stair feet are the plastic attachments at the bottom of attic stairs or ladders. They ensure that the wood or metal of the stairs do not wear out and also prevent scratches on the floor.
Step
A stair step consists of the step and the riser. The step is the horizontal surface of the step on which you step with your foot.
Telescopic handrail
Telescopic metal handrails are particularly suitable for scissor stairs. They are not permanently mounted in certain places, but move with the stairs when they are pulled up and pushed in. Once the stairs are in position, a telescopic handrail then ensures a safe and stable ascent.
Stringer
Experts understand the term stair stringer to mean the two side parts of stairs or ladders to which the steps are attached.
U-value
The U-value is an important term when selecting loft stairs and flat roof hatches. It provides information about the insulation performance of a material and is therefore also called the thermal insulation value or heat transfer coefficient.
Lower chords
Lower chords are horizontal bars in the stair railing. The lower chords of the Minka system stairs are made of high-quality stainless steel.
Galvanized
Our outdoor stairs are made of galvanized metal parts. This means that the materials are coated with a layer of zinc to make them corrosion-resistant, resistant and weatherproof.
Quarter Spiral
The term quarter-turn describes a 90-degree turn on a staircase. This is created with the help of several sloping steps or an intermediate platform. Viewed from above, a quarter-spiral staircase looks like an L or a mirror-inverted L. Quarter-spiral space-saving staircases are particularly suitable for winding rooms where the space for climbing to the next floor is limited.
Spiral staircase
A spiral staircase has an almost circular course and winds upwards around an open center. This open center point is also known as a stair eye, hollow spindle or light spindle. The spiral staircase, on the other hand, has a metal spindle in the middle to which the steps are attached.