What angle for a small set of steps

[ScottGoddard]

Hi all,

A friend of mine has asked me to make a small set of steps so her little one can climb up on to a box area. Are there any recommendations/standards for the angle? I can then work out the length of the timber...

 

[Alpha-Dave]

I’ve refitted a couple of banisters, and they were both 3-4-5 triangles. 4 along the floor, 3 in height, and 5 as the hypotenuse. This give a 37.5 degree incline.

Steep steps are ~45 degrees in my experience.

I think a leaning ladder is also a 3-4-5 triangle, but with the floor and height lengths swapped.

Obviously you then can do a vertical ladder, but that’s difficult to climb.

 

[MikeG.]

Building regs maximum is 42 degrees, if that's any use as a guide for you.

 

[MikeG.]

.......I think a leaning ladder is also a 3-4-5 triangle, but with the floor and height lengths swapped.....

No, that would give an angle of about 51 degrees, but a ladder should be at about 75 degrees. A 5 metre ladder should be about 1.3m from the wall at its base.

 

[Stormer1940]

For a ladder - FFL divided by 4. This will give you the base length of your triangle.

The StairBuilder on this site is handy. 42 degree and under is reg for a staircase ---- http://www.stairbox.com/stairbuilder-st ... U4LTAtMA==

FFL 780mm Steps ---- Stair Builder

3D Model

 

[Inspector]

The problem with standards is that they are written for adults and not little sprogs. To make a ladder use the info that MikeG mentioned which is 4 to 1 but add rungs to suit the size of the kid now and in the future. Steps would need to have the same angle as normal stairs but the rise and runs shortened. Make it a bit of a stretch for them now so they can grow into it later. When they get big enough they will likely skip steps or just hop straight up without using it at all.

This comes from somebody that never had any of the little beasties, only observing my friends little creations.

Pete