Elliptical Staircases by Arcways

Elliptical Stairways

The concept of an elliptical staircase was developed centuries ago – long before Leonard Da Vinci used his Golden Ratio to describe the shape we associate with both helical and elliptical stairs. Elliptical (or skewed) stairways are designed when a well opening can be elongated with a greater footprint in one direction. Where a single radius curved or spiral staircase might fulfill the same needs, the elliptical staircase provides a far more elegant addition to the architecture of the property.

The Design Challenge with Elliptical Stairs

An elliptical stair does not have a single radius point like a spiral staircase. Rather, it has multiple radius points. This means each stair is a different dimension. Since comfort and safety on a stairway depends on uniformity, the challenge is to build an elliptical staircase that is pleasing visually, meets all building codes, and is comfortable to use. The engineering challenges are often too great to be able to accomplish it in metal. If built on-site, the framing is so complicated, that very few framers will take on the challenge.

Arcways and Elliptical or Skewed Stairs

Since we first began building stairs more than a half-century ago, Arcways has been committed to using the most sophisticated engineering principles to build stairs that will stand the test of time. We build our stairs to be beautiful, long-lasting, and safe. We can meet and exceed the challenges posed by any elliptical stair design.