Introduction: Spiral stairs offer a dimension to the home that conventional stairs don’t. Spiral stairs come fully assembled and ready to install by attaching the attach points on top of the stairs to a header on the upper floor or they may come as a spiral stairs kit. If you are considering a spiral stair case take special care in where you plan to locate it and measure the space carefully.

Measuring for spiral stairs can be a tricky job, especially if you have never done it before. If your measurement are not accurate the stairs will not fit correctly. Rather a thing of beauty they will be an eye sore. The following tips will help you locate your stair case where you want it.

Measuring width and depth:

Begin by measuring both the width and the depth of the opening where you want the spiral staircase to be installed. If the spiral stair cases come in kits you can round to the nearest size and accommodate the space. Determine how many times you want the staircase to wind when you are measuring. This will determine the height of the stairs as well as the width.

Measuring floor height:

Measure the floor to floor height so that you will be able to plan out how often to turn the spiral as well as how high the stairs will be. Measuring this total space can determine how the steps are staggered and how far apart they will be in height.

Record the measurements and then measure a few more times for the most accurate measurements to ensure that the stairs will fit the opening. Take the measurement at a few different locations as the area may be uneven at some points. Measuring and re-measuring for any stairway is important as the walls don't always match up, especially in older homes.

Consider what kind of material the spiral stairs will be made from before measuring. If the stairs are going to be outside you need to determine how they will be attached and how the temperature will affect the installation. Some types of material will expand and shrink in the weather. Different materials will be attached in different ways so measuring will have to take into account the type of fittings and attachments that will be used to secure the stairs.

Once you have completed taking your copious measurements you can special order your spiral stair case to fit the opening or consult with a professional for installation. Spiral staircases are a little tricky to measure and install so you must be accurate with all the measurements.

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