Eight Good Reasons to Choose Outdoor Spiral Staircases
If you are considering an outdoor renovation project this spring or summer and looking to get access to and from your garden from above ground-floor levels, perhaps to a balcony or from a first-floor maisonette, a metal staircase might be a good solution. It’s very low-maintenance, strong, durable and weather-resistant.
The traditional straight timber staircase can take up a lot of useable outside space and be prone to rotting, potentially becoming unsafe. This article explores the many advantages of metal spiral staircases, whether you are looking to replace an existing straight flight or embarking on a new project.
1. Space-Saving Stairs
Outdoor space is precious, and anything that gives you more useable space has to be a good thing. By choosing an outdoor spiral staircase, you can create a functional and elegant access route between floors without wasting any space, as the staircase rises up directly above its own footprint.
2. Custom Design
Whether your project is in a contemporary or traditional garden, roof terrace, functional walkway or anything else, an external spiral staircase can be endlessly customised to suit your needs and budget. Different tread and railing styles can be selected, or perhaps a mix of different materials, such as metal and glass, could be used depending on your own style and taste. This type of staircase is so versatile that designs can range from the fabulously ornate and elegant to the most minimalist and purely functional.
3. Increased Landing Size
Because a spiral staircase can be fitted to rotate off a corner of the landing area, it can allow you to create a bigger balcony, roof terrace or whatever you are working on, taking up a small area without compromising on style or practicality.
4. Natural Light and Drainage
This type of access is usually designed with perforated treads, which allow light, water and dirt to get through. This means that rooms adjacent to the whole area taken up by the staircase are not robbed of too much natural light, the steps are self-draining, so do not become a slip-hazard through being waterlogged, and the structure is easier to keep clean.
5. Multiple Sizes
Any size and height of staircase can be fabricated to suit the specification.
6. Child-Friendly
If a child or elderly person (or anyone for that matter) slips while climbing up or down a spiral staircase, they could fall only a few treads before being stopped by the handrail balustrades, which is not the case with a straight flight of stairs. People also tend to hold on to both handrail and central column on a spiral staircase, which can help their stability.
7. Value for Money
A spiral staircase costs less than an equivalent straight type, and using metal over timber reduces the cost of maintenance and replacement components significantly. This can also be a good investment, as a spiral staircase can be a work of art in its own right, enhancing the value of the space it occupies.
8. Easy to Fit
Spiral staircases can be fitted quickly and easily and do not need the services of specialist carpenters and tradesmen.
