What to consider when choosing a staircase
Beautiful, special staircases presented in design magazines are eye-catching, but may not be practical or safe. For example, very open staircases make a home feel airy and spacious, but can become dangerous for small children or the elderly. Advice from TrepiAbi OÜ specialist Risto Kallaste.
The first piece of advice from stair makers: a homeowner who is building or commissioning a staircase should consult people who make stairs every day before work begins. You cannot rely only on the builder or designer – they focus on their own core tasks and may not know the best design and material choices, not to mention parameters such as riser height and stair width, because it is very difficult to make the planned stair opening bigger or smaller later.
On safety: stairs with no railing at all, or with balusters spaced too far apart, are not safe. Horizontally mounted balusters are also unsafe – children can climb them as easily as a ladder. When planning a staircase it is wise to think one step ahead – for example, what material makes sense if the staircase will be outdoors.
Read more about stair types on the Stairs page.
Materials and colour trends
The most common staircase material in Estonia is wood – usually pine, birch, ash and oak, ordered from the most affordable to the most expensive, i.e. from the softest to the strongest. Treads are usually made of stronger wood, with stringers for example in pine. Dog owners should definitely choose a stronger tread material – otherwise the treads will quickly be covered in claw marks.
The current colour trend: darker treads and handrails with lighter-toned oiled or painted posts, stringers, balusters and riser boards. LED lights under the treads or in the stringers are increasingly popular – in that case, decide on the cabling before the staircase is installed.
See the choice of materials on the Stairs page.
How to maintain a staircase
Maintenance differs by finish. The most common finishing materials are tinted transparent oil waxes, mostly used on treads and handrails, and paint, mostly used on details such as stringers, posts, balusters and riser boards.
Over time the oil wears off the treads, so they should be deep-cleaned and re-oiled a few times a year. Oiled surfaces can be cleaned with special maintenance oils and cleaning waxes. Painted details can also be maintained – old paint can always be removed and the part repainted.
How the price and delivery time are formed
The price of a staircase depends on several details: its shape and size, the amount of railing, the choice of material, the finishing, and extras such as LED lights, drawers in the treads or riser boards.
Delivery time depends on the size, material and complexity of the staircase: a simpler L-shaped oiled open pine staircase usually takes 4–6 weeks, but we can react faster when needed.
Start here: request a quote.