Staircases Derby

New staircases and staircase renovations

The staircase is the first thing most people see when they open the front door, and one of the hardest things in a house to change without a joiner. Some need replacing outright: treads worn hollow, creaks that come back however often they are screwed down, or a flight that is in the wrong place for a new layout. Many more are structurally sound and only look tired, and those can be transformed by renewing the parts you see and touch.

We do both. Our joiners make and fit complete new staircases, and renovate existing ones with new newel posts, handrails, spindles or glass. Every job starts with a visit to measure the stairs and the stairwell, so the quote is for your staircase rather than a standard size.

Staircase work we do

Most staircase work we do falls into one or more of these.

• New & replacement staircases
• Staircase renovations
• Banisters, spindles & handrails
• Oak & glass balustrades
• Newel post cladding & caps
• Bespoke staircases

Renovate, re-tread or replace?

There are three ways to change a staircase, and the right one depends on the condition of the flight you have.

• Renovate the balustrade

  Right when the treads, risers and strings are sound. New newel posts or cladding, a new handrail and new spindles or glass change the look completely, and the stairs stay usable for most of the job.

• Re-tread or clad the flight

  Worn or damaged treads can be replaced or overlaid, for example with oak, while the strings underneath stay in place. This suits staircases that are solid but scuffed or uneven.

• Replace the staircase

  Right when the flight is weak, the rise and going are uncomfortable, or a renovation moves the stairs. A new staircase is made to the measured floor-to-floor height and fitted in place of the old one.

New and replacement staircases

Every new staircase we make is bespoke in the plain sense of the word: built for your stairwell rather than picked from a catalogue. It is made to the exact floor-to-floor height of the house, which is rarely the same as the one next door. We measure the rise, the opening in the floor above, the headroom and the space at the foot of the stairs, then plan the number of steps, the going of each tread and where any turns or winders fall.

Softwood staircases with MDF treads are the usual choice where the stairs will be carpeted and the balustrade painted, and they keep the cost down. Oak, or oak treads on a softwood frame, suits stairs that will be left as bare timber. The balustrade can then be timber spindles, glass or metal, chosen separately from the flight.

Banisters, handrails and balustrades

• Oak

  Hard-wearing and warm in colour, oak is the most popular choice for handrails, newel caps and treads that will be seen. It can be oiled, lacquered or stained.

• Softwood and MDF

  Pine or redwood frames with MDF treads and risers are ideal under carpet and paint, and are the most economical way to build a new flight.

• Glass

  Glass panels between an oak or painted handrail and base rail keep a stairwell bright and open, which helps in narrow hallways and open-plan rooms.

• Painted timber

  Square or turned spindles painted to match the woodwork suit period houses and family homes, and are simple to touch up.

• Metal spindles

  Slim metal spindles, often combined with an oak handrail, give a modern look without the cost of glass.

• Mixed balustrades

  Oak, glass and metal can be combined on the same staircase, for example glass on the stairs and spindles on the landing.

Staircases and the Building Regulations

New stairs in a house in England have to meet Approved Document K of the Building Regulations. For a private staircase that means each step can rise no more than 220 mm and each tread must be at least 220 mm deep, the pitch can be no steeper than 42 degrees, and there should be at least 2 m of headroom (less is allowed over stairs in a loft conversion).

The guarding matters as much as the steps. Handrails sit between 900 mm and 1,000 mm above the pitch line, the balustrade on stairs and landings must be at least 900 mm high, and no gap in it should let a 100 mm sphere pass through, which is why spindles are spaced closely and glass panels are fixed so that the openings stay small.

Work that changes the position or steepness of a staircase, or forms part of a loft conversion or extension, will involve building control. Renewing the balustrade on an existing flight does not normally need an application, but it still has to meet the same safety standards. We will tell you at the survey which applies to your job.

How our staircase fitting works

1. Survey and measure. We visit, measure the staircase, the stairwell and the headroom, and talk through what you want to change.
2. Design and quote. You get a written quote for the work and the materials, with no charge for the visit.
3. Made to measure. Parts are made to the measured sizes, with as much as possible prepared before we arrive to keep the time on site down.
4. Fitted in place. Our joiners take out the old parts and fit the new staircase or balustrade, scribed to the walls and floors of your house.

As well as indoor staircases, we make timber steps for gardens, where a steep slope needs a safer way up or a set of steps crosses a rockery or pond.

A new staircase often goes hand in hand with new internal doors, architraves and skirting in the hall and landing, and we fit those too. For more ideas, see our staircase design ideas.

Derbyshire Joinery Specialists is part of Derbyshire Specialists Group, founded by Liam Taylor, who has more than ten years in property and joinery.

Staircase questions