The staircase is the most used part of your home that you almost never consciously look at. Yet treads wear, start to creak, and a 1970s staircase suddenly looks dated after a new floor goes in. The question then is: spruce it up or replace it? This article explains what a stair renovation involves, when a new staircase is the wiser choice, which rules apply to the dimensions, the handrail and the balustrade, what to look out for with a winding staircase or a relocated stairwell opening, and what a carpenter or stair maker does.
Renovating or replacing: the difference
In a stair renovation the existing staircase stays in place. The structure, the dimensions and the location do not change; only the outside is renewed with stair overlays, paint or a new handrail. This is relatively quick and the stairs usually remain usable during the work, although you should allow for a day or more during which you need to be careful.
With replacement the old staircase is removed and a new one takes its place, possibly in a different shape or in a different location. That gives you the chance to improve a staircase that is too steep or too narrow, but it is more work: the staircase is made to measure, the connection to the floor and stairwell opening must be right, and there is a period during which you cannot reach the upper floor via a fixed staircase. Which choice suits you depends mainly on the condition and dimensions of the current staircase.
Stair renovation: overlays, painting and a new handrail
The most popular form of renovation is stair overlays: caps fitted over the existing treads and risers. They come with a top layer of laminate, PVC or wood, so the stairs can match a new floor. Usually the nosing of the old treads is sawn off first, after which the caps are glued on and the risers are clad. One point of attention: because of the thickness of the caps, the height of the bottom and top step can change relative to the rest, unless the tradesperson compensates for this or the floor is also raised. Unequal step heights are a well-known cause of tripping, so ask how this will be solved.
Overlays only work on a staircase that is itself in good order. Have creaking and loose treads repaired first; often these are treads that sit loosely in the stringers or dried-out glue joints. An open-tread staircase can also be renovated, but the options differ per system.
Painting is the simplest makeover. A staircase is subject to heavy wear, so good preparation and a hard-wearing lacquer or paint for stairs are important. Glossy lacquer can be slippery; ask about an anti-slip additive or anti-slip strips. How that combines with a new floor is explained in Choosing a new floor.
A new handrail or balustrade changes the look considerably and often makes the stairs safer. Make sure the handrail is firmly fixed, easy to grip along its whole length and at the right height; more about that below.
When replacing is the better choice
Replacement is the obvious choice if the staircase is no longer structurally sound, for example due to wood rot, cracks in the stringers or a staircase that has started to sag. Even if the staircase is very steep or narrow, or if you want to change the layout of the home, renovating does not solve the problem: overlays change nothing about the pitch or the width. If you want to use the attic as a bedroom, it becomes a habitable room and a fixed staircase is required; for a storage attic a loose ladder or loft ladder is allowed.
Straight, quarter-turn or spiral staircase: space and comfort
A straight flight is the most comfortable to walk and the simplest to make, but takes up the most length. A staircase with a quarter turn or double quarter turn turns by a quarter once or twice, so it fits into a shorter space. A spiral staircase turns all the way round and takes up the least floor area, but is less easy to walk and awkward for moving furniture.
On a winding staircase the treads become narrow on the inside. That is why the Bbl (Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving, the Dutch Building Decree) measures the going along the walking line: an imaginary, smoothly running line across the front edges of the treads, which must be able to lie at least 0.2 m (existing buildings) or 0.3 m (new buildings) from the sides of the staircase. A winding staircase that looks compact can therefore in practice still be too steep at the point where you walk. A good stair maker measures the space and draws up the staircase before making it, so you can see where the stairs turn and how much headroom remains.
What does the Bbl say about a new staircase?
Replacing a staircase counts as alteration work within the meaning of the Besluit bouwwerken leefomgeving (Bbl). For alterations, the rechtens verkregen niveau (legally acquired level) applies: the quality after the alteration may not be lower than before (articles 5.4 and 5.5 Bbl). The level for existing buildings is the lower limit and the new-build level the upper limit: so a new staircase does not have to meet all new-build dimensions, but may not be worse than the old one and may never fall below the requirements for existing buildings. For a home that is occupied by its owner or built under private commissioning, the requirements for existing buildings apply to stairs and barriers instead of those for new buildings, even for new builds (article 4.9 Bbl). Because the new-build rules also apply to alterations via article 5.4 Bbl, it stands to reason that the requirements for existing buildings are the yardstick for such a home in the case of alterations too; if in doubt, ask the municipality how it applies this.
The requirements for existing buildings apply to a staircase on an escape route, in a home as a rule the staircase to a floor with bedrooms or other habitable rooms (table 3.20 Bbl):
- width of the staircase at least 0.7 m;
- headroom above the staircase at least 1.9 m;
- going on the walking line at least 0.13 m;
- rise at most 0.22 m;
- walking line at least 0.2 m from the sides.
By comparison: for a new staircase in a new-build home the requirements include a width of at least 0.8 m, headroom of at least 2.3 m, a going of at least 0.22 m, a rise of at most 0.188 m and a walking line at least 0.3 m from the sides (table 4.26 Bbl). At the top, the staircase connects to a landing of at least 0.7 by 0.7 m for existing buildings and 0.8 by 0.8 m for new buildings. Those new-build dimensions are a good guideline for a comfortable staircase if space permits. If in doubt, you can ask the municipality how the rules work out in your situation.
Handrail, balustrade and openings
For existing buildings a handrail is mandatory if the staircase bridges a height difference of more than 1.5 m and is steeper than 2:3; the top of the handrail is then between 0.6 and 1 m above the front edge of the treads. For new buildings this applies from a height difference of more than 1 m, with a handrail between 0.8 and 1 m high. A handrail on both sides is not mandatory for a home, but can be pleasant.
If the side of the staircase is high above the floor, for example at an open stairwell, a balustrade or railing is required. For existing buildings this applies if the side of a tread is more than 1.5 m above the floor; the barrier is then at least 0.6 m high and, up to a height of 0.6 m, has no openings through which a sphere of more than 0.2 m can pass. The new-build rules are stricter: a barrier from 1 m height, at least 0.85 m high, up to 0.7 m height no openings larger than 0.1 m and no footholds that a child could use to climb over it. With young children in the house the new-build values are a sensible starting point, even if you are not obliged to meet them. Horizontal balusters act like a climbing frame; vertical balusters or a solid panel are safer.
Safety at home: anti-slip, lighting and stair gates
Falls are a major cause of injury in and around the home, and the stairs are a well-known spot for them. A few measures make a big difference:
- Anti-slip. Glossy lacquer, smooth PVC treads and socks are a risky combination. Choose a top layer with enough grip or have anti-slip strips fitted.
- Equal steps. All rises should be the same height; a different first or last step is a tripping hazard.
- Lighting. Make sure there is lighting that illuminates the whole staircase well and that you can switch both at the top and at the bottom. An electrician can install this, for example at the same time as a renovation.
- Handrail. A continuous handrail that is easy to grip helps when going down, especially for older people and children.
- Stair gates. A gate at the top and bottom of the stairs keeps small children away. Choose a gate that meets the applicable safety standard (the European standard EN 1930) and that is screwed in place at the top rather than pressure-fitted.
Moving the stairwell opening: structure and permit
If you replace the staircase in the same place, without altering the floor or the load-bearing structure, this is usually possible indoors without a permit. If you want the staircase in a different place, or the stairwell opening must be larger for more headroom, you affect the floor above. A stairwell opening is left open in the joist structure with trimming: joists that are interrupted and transfer their load via other joists. A new or larger stairwell opening is therefore an intervention in the load-bearing structure, and for that you have a structural engineer do the calculations. For the technical part, an omgevingsvergunning (environmental permit) is then generally required; a bouwmelding (building notification) with a kwaliteitsborger (independent quality assurer) only comes into play once the Wet kwaliteitsborging (Wkb, the Quality Assurance in Construction Act) also applies to alterations (article 2.17, fourth paragraph, Bbl). How that works is explained in Removing a load-bearing wall: rules and step-by-step plan; the same logic applies here. With a concrete floor it is even trickier, because the reinforcement is cut through. The old stairwell opening must then be closed up properly in structural terms and, in an apartment, also in terms of sound and fire safety.
Listed building, VvE and rented home
In an old building the staircase is often one of the most beautiful features, and in a rijksmonument (national listed building) it may have heritage value. There, only necessary regular maintenance aimed at preserving the heritage values is permit-free, as long as detailing, profiling, design, type of material and colour do not change, as is an internal alteration to a part of the listed building that has no heritage value (article 13.11 Besluit activiteiten leefomgeving, the Dutch Environmental Activities Decree). Replacing a historic staircase, cladding it with overlays or finishing it differently therefore requires a permit; if the staircase was added later and has no heritage value, the situation may be different. Have this assessed beforehand. For municipal listed buildings, the municipality's rules apply.
In an apartment, a staircase within your own home, such as in a maisonette, is usually private. The communal stairwell falls outside this. If a stairwell opening must be made or moved in a floor, you affect the structure, and according to the splitsingsakte (deed of division) that usually belongs to the communal parts; for this you need permission from the VvE (owners' association). See Renovating a VvE apartment.
If you rent, first ask the landlord for written permission; as a rule this is needed for changes that you cannot easily undo at the end of the tenancy (article 7:215 of the Dutch Civil Code, BW). Overlays and a replaced staircase generally fall under this. Report a staircase that is unsafe due to wear or loose treads to the landlord as a defect.
Who does what, delivery time and payment
- Carpenter or stair maker. A carpenter can repair a staircase, fit a handrail and replace a staircase. A new staircase is usually made to measure in a workshop, after measuring up in your home.
- Stair renovation company. Specialised in overlays and cladding existing staircases, often in a single operation.
- Painter. For sanding and lacquering or painting the staircase and the balustrade, call in a painter.
- Floor layer. If you want the same top layer on the stairs and floor, agree who does what; some floor layers also clad stairs.
A made-to-measure staircase has a delivery time that varies per company and per season; ask about it beforehand and record it in the contract. Also plan how you will reach the upper floor on the day the old staircase is removed. If the company asks for a deposit for materials or bespoke work, first read Paying a deposit to the contractor: what is usual. As for VAT, a stair renovation or a new staircase falls under the general rate of 21%; painting work on a home older than two years falls under the reduced rate of 9%. More about this in 9% or 21% VAT when renovating.
What should be in the quote?
- exactly what will be done: repair, overlays, painting, a new handrail or a complete new staircase;
- for renovation: the material and top layer, the colour, the finish of the risers and nosings, and how the height of the first and last step stays equal;
- for replacement: a drawing showing the shape, the rise and going, the width, the headroom and where the staircase turns;
- the handrail and balustrade: material, height and the openings between the balusters;
- whether repairing creaks, adjusting the stairwell opening and the connection to the floor, skirting boards and walls are included;
- who removes the old staircase, who paints and who adjusts the lighting;
- the delivery time, the schedule and how long the stairs will be out of use;
- for a new stairwell opening: the structural engineer and the omgevingsvergunning;
- the payment terms, the guarantee and the insurance.
How to compare quotes fairly is explained in Comparing quotes: how to read a building quote.
In short: if the staircase is sturdy and the dimensions are reasonable, a renovation with overlays, paint or a new handrail delivers a lot. If it is too steep, too narrow or structurally poor, or if you want to change the layout, replacement is the better choice. On VerbouwPro you post your job free of charge and carpenters from your region respond.