These days, the manufacture of metal stairs has become especially popular. Attic, roofing, firefighters, as well as internal and other stairs are made of metal. This is due to their strength, reliability and attractive appearance.
Having certain skills in working with metal, you can even make a metal ladder yourself. Moreover, in skillful hands, this design can become a real work of art, capable of decorating an interior or a personal plot.
Of course, it will hardly be possible to boast of the perfect performance of the first work, however, the subsequent manufacture of metal stairs will be much better. Next, we will step by step consider the manufacturing technology of such stairs.
Ladder calculation
So, first of all, the finished product must meet certain requirements:
- High quality.
- Convenience and safety of operation.
- Durability.
- Nice appearance of the stairs.
- Compactness (if it is necessary to build an internal staircase in a small house).
In accordance with these requirements, it is necessary to create a project for the future staircase. There are various design options:
- on the bolts;
- on kosoura;
- on bowstrings;
- embedded in the wall;
- screw;
- cable ladders.
Regulates the manufacture and installation of metal stairs of various types corresponding to GOST for each subclass, for example, GOST 23120-78 applies to flight stairs, platforms and fences.
In addition, requirements for welds, stair railings and other important elements are specified in separate documents. Of course, in home construction, few people adhere to all these norms, but you should still remember that a staircase is a structure of increased danger. Therefore, its creation should be taken seriously.
Often the materials of the stairs are combined. This makes the structure lighter and more attractive. The most common are wooden stairs based on a metal frame.
How to calculate the load and dimensions
It is best to entrust the calculation of the bearing capacity of the structure to professionals who can carry it out according to all the rules. If it is possible to make the calculation yourself, then it is recommended to use the drawings of already proven structures.
The staircase is first divided into several separate elements and after that the calculation of the rigidity and strength of the structure is carried out. During operation, the stairs are subjected to alternating loads. In this case, the deflection of the bearing elements should not be more than 1/400. The load on marches and sites for residential buildings is taken conditionally as 300 kg / sq.m.
The parameters of the stair step must meet the requirements of the following formula: 2h + a = 0.6 - 0.64 m, where h - step height, a- its width.
In addition, the step should be wide enough to accommodate the entire foot. As a rule, this value is 200-320 mm... The angle of rise must ensure safety and ease of movement. For residential premises, it is usually no more than 45 degrees, however, in their homes this figure is increased in order to save space.
Calculation of a metal ladder
The number of steps depends on the size of the steps and the angle of inclination of the structure. All steps must be of the same height. Failure to do so can result in serious injury, as a person uses muscle memory when climbing stairs.
Particular attention should be paid to the fence, which must ensure complete safety during movement. Therefore, the handrails must be made with a height of more than 0.9 m. In order to exclude the possibility of falling under the fence, it is also necessary to install intermediate crossbars.
Having calculated all the dimensions of the staircase, you can calculate how much material will be needed to create it. The price of materials, multiplied by their quantity, will allow you to find out the cost of manufacturing a metal staircase.
If specialists are involved in the work on the structure, then the estimate for the manufacture of a metal staircase should be increased by another 15-25% of the cost of the material. This is how much the work will cost.
Making stairs
Tool
If you decide to make a ladder with your own hands, then you need to prepare the following set of tools:
- Bulgarian;
- Electric drill;
- Welding machine;
- Hacksaws;
- Brushes for cleaning metal;
- Squares and levels of different lengths;
- Wrenches of different sizes;
- Hammers;
- Protective glasses;
- Welding mask and gloves.
All of these tools should be at least semi-professional, and better - professional level. You shouldn't skimp on the tool, as this can not only complicate the work, but also lead to an accident.
Operating procedure
As an example, let us take a design that is based on 8-10 channel bars placed on the ribs. For subsequent cladding, wooden boards can be used. If the staircase is external, then metal sheets with a relief will be required for the steps.
You will also need a corner for fencing and reinforcement for performing tread supports.
The instructions for performing the work are as follows:
- First of all, it is necessary to make filly from the reinforcement in accordance with the design dimensions. These congruent support devices are mounted on the beam.
- To the part of the filly, on which the step will lie, it is necessary to weld the brackets for fastening.
- Then the channel placed on the edge must be marked and filly welded to it, observing the utmost accuracy.
- Then all the elements of the metal staircase must be assembled together using electric arc welding.
- The finished structure must be coated with a corrosion-protective compound.
Advice! To achieve the maximum identity of the second channel, it must be attached to the first channel, to which the fillets are already welded. If necessary, the markings should be corrected, since the manufacture of stairs from metal requires extreme accuracy.
As supporting parts for fastening the steps, you can use posts welded from a channel or metal corners welded to the supporting beams.
Advice! If the ladder has a standard march width, then two bowstrings or stringers are sufficient for its construction. For Wider structures, add one or two more beams to provide the required structural strength and rigidity.
Sheathing of steps with wood
Before proceeding with the cladding, you need to assess the likelihood of installing additional fasteners.
Then the work is done in the following sequence:
- Bolt holes are marked on metal brackets. The frequency should be 15 cm.
- A plywood backing is installed on metal treads. The assembly is carried out using a special assembly adhesive with a filling effect. It will fill in and thereby eliminate defects that arise even with the highest quality performed welding.
- With the help of two clamps, the wooden plate is fixed and attached to the metal tread using bolts with screws or self-tapping screws.
Manufacturing of fences
Output
Having familiarized yourself with the simplest technology for manufacturing a metal staircase, you can proceed to its construction.This can be a structure leading, for example, to the attic or cellar. And then, when experience arrives, you can create a more complex and aesthetic staircase.
Additional information can be obtained from the video in this article (also find out what a staircase is in a private house).
