Staircase Regulations in the UK

Given the safety implications, make sure you are aware of Building Regulations requirements for staircases when thinking about your design.

• Staircases should have a maximum rise of 220mm and a minimum going of 220mm
• They should have a maximum pitch of 42°
• Flights should have a handrail on at least one side if they are less than one metre wide and on both sides if they are wider than this
• Handrails on stairs and landings should have a minimum height of 900mm
• No openings of any balustrading should allow the passage of a 100mm sphere
• A minimum of 2,000mm of clear headroom is required above the pitch line
• For further Regulations see Approved Document K

How Big Should a Staircase Be?

The first thing you need to determine is what size your staircase needs to be. Begin by measuring the total rise. This is the measurement from the finished floor below to the finished floor level above.

You will then need to work out the number of risers required. To stay within Building Regulations, a domestic staircase needs a rise of between 190mm and 220mm. Standard risers are around 200mm, so aim for this.

A typical rise is 2,600mm, which divides easily into 13 200mm risers, or steps. Now you need to calculate the number of treads. Generally you require one less tread than the number of risers. Next, work out the ‘going’. This is the measurement from the face of one riser to the next.

To comply with the Regulations, the minimum going should be 220mm, whilst the pitch of the staircase should not exceed 42°.