Whether you’re an architecture enthusiast, a curious traveler, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of well-crafted design, this blog will take you on an enlightening adventure, showcasing the diversity and ingenuity of South African pine stair shapes. From sweeping spiral staircases that exude elegance and grandeur to minimalist and modern straight flights that embody simplicity and functionality, we will uncover the distinct characteristics and historical significance behind each unique shape.

Let’s embark on a journey through South Africa’s architectural wonders and explore six famous stair shapes that have become iconic in this remarkable nation.

National regulations for building Pine stairs

If stairs are not safe enough, it could result in major injuries or even worse. Stairs need to always be strong and secure enough to ensure safe movement at all times.

Here is a list of some of the regulations that need to be followed when building a staircase:

We are not builders of stairs but we do offer the timber to build them with. You can read more about the regulations that need to be followed by visiting the SANS 10400 Regulations webpage.

Pine is the perfect building material for stairs

Stairs can be built with materials such as concrete, metal, rubber, etc. Then, there is the most preferred material which is wood. Hardwoods such as Saligna or softwood such as Pine can be used. Hardwood is a great material to use for stairs mainly because of its durability. The question is, “Is it always the best option?”

Most designers prefer SA Pine to build stairs. SA Pine holds some major advantages that make it worthy of consideration such as the fact that it is the most inexpensive option and, as a softwood, it is easy to handle giving designers more opportunity to be creative. It may be harder and more resilient than many other softwoods, but may not be as resistant to scratching, scraping, and denting as hardwoods. SA Pine can handle different temperatures and moisture well. However, if Pine is CCA is treated and sealed with a quality sealant like Timberlife’s Khuni sealer, you have solid stairs that could last you a lifetime.

With Pine, there is no need for heavy machinery or anything similar to cut the wood into certain shapes. Other than stair treads, they can also be used to build risers or even for flooring around the stairs. Designers get extra creative when they add other materials such as Perspex, resin, stainless steel, aluminum, or glass with pine to build risers for modern staircases.

6 Pine Stair shapes used in South Africa

Of course, a set of stairs in a room is essentially the main focal point of the room. They must blend in with the overall design of the space where it is being built. With modern design and technology, stairs can look exceptionally great with custom designs while all the necessary rules are still implemented.

Here are 6 basic steps for stairs:

1. Straight – Stairs are only straight with no curves or change of direction.

2. L-shaped (a.k.a. quarter-turn) – Stairs are straight with a 90-degree turn to the left or right side. Thus, the stairs are in an L-shaped form.

3. Winder – Stairs are also L-shaped, however, some treads closer to the landing space are wider than the other treads.

4. U-shaped (a.k.a. half-turn) – This shape is often seen in bigger buildings such as offices. The stairs form a U-shape where a landing space separates each set of stairs.

5. Spiral – This staircase runs down like a spiral and is often supported by a pole in the middle. This shape is often used in areas where there is little space.

6. Curve – These stairs are straight which then makes a curve to change the direction of the stairs.

Finishing off pine stair shapes

Pine is such an uncomplicated material to work with, it makes a job just that much easier while leaving you, the builder, with ample satisfaction.

As mentioned above, Pine, as a softwood, may be susceptible to scratches and dents to a certain extent. Adding extra protection to the wood would be a wise option.

Three basic ideas to finalize your pine stair shape

– If you enjoy the natural look of the pine wood, you could use only a clear sealant that is preferably water-based which will add emphasis on the overall natural look of the pine wood. Timberlife solvent-borne sealers, for instance, penetrate the wood and build a protective, semi-gloss finish with good wear resistance.

– You may want to change the color of the pine to something a bit darker. By using a water-based stain, you will be able to achieve this. All pine stair shapes can also be painted. Thereafter you can apply a water-based sealant. TimberLife Ultradeck Stain is a superior organic solvent-based wood stain that consists of high-quality transparent iron oxides that don’t hide the grain of the timber and can be used as an interior or exterior wood stain.

It is available in different shades of brown, namely, Mahogany / Walnut / Oregon / Teak / Dark Oak / Imbuia / Kiaat / Golden Brown.

– Carpets are always a great idea. They are excellent when it comes to protecting your wood stairs. it adds to the coziness of your home and provides soft and spongy comfort underfoot. Synthetic nylon carpet works well for stairs because of its strength, and wool is also a good option as its fibers repel stains and dirt.

You can either cover your stairs fully or add a runner which only covers the middle part of the stairs leaving the wood on the sides of the stairs exposed. If you have children in the house, this may be your best option.

Additionally…

There are two kinds of stairs namely open-riser stairs and closed-riser stairs. Open riser stairs have open spaces between the treads while closed riser stairs are completely closed. Many designers convert the open space of the closed riser stairs into a functional storage space. This space is called a “spandrel” which simply translates to the triangular space underneath.

At Sabie Poles, we have the material you need to build a beautiful flight of stairs that will suit your entire building design. We recommend using Pine Flooring or Pine Decking which is available CCA pressure treated or untreated. Pine Decking should be used for outside stairs.