■ Introduction
As part of a full renovation of a mid-century home, this staircase offers a contemporary reinterpretation of the classic central spine, where open risers, block treads, and a glass balustrade work together to preserve the original architectural intent while enhancing light, openness, and visual flow throughout the space.
■ base style
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■ Gallery
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112mm Oak Treads
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12mm Toughened Glass
RAL 7021 Black Grey
112mm Quarter Landing
Tapered Profile
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Ian Burtenshaw Carpentry
■ The Challenge
Replacing an existing spiral staircase within a restricted footprint, while preserving the home’s mid-century character and improving light and openness.
■ The Solution
A bespoke central spine staircase maximises the available space, introducing clean lines, open risers, and a light-filled design that feels both authentic to the era and contemporary in execution.
■ Words from the Client
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What are the regulations for the space between treads on open risers?
Legally, the gap between treads must not exceed 100mm. And the good news is that any of our styles can have open treads!
How does the stair fit to the floor?
All our stringers feature a precision engineered foot plate for a secure connection. We recommend either fixing the staircase directly to the structural slab, or shuttering out a space where the staircase will connect and installing or pouring a concrete pad for it to sit on. The foot plate is designed with countersunk holes for heavy duty concrete screws, along with through-holes for chemical anchors where required. This dual fixing approach ensures a secure, rigid connection to the floor slab.
What style staircase can have open treads?
All of our styles can feature open treads, creating a visually light and elegant look. Open risers work best when there’s an open space or architectural feature behind, allowing light to flow and enhancing the sense of space. If there’s just a wall behind, the effect can feel heavy or dark — in this case, a closed tread design might be better and could also provide the opportunity for clever under-stair storage.
How is a central spine attached to the floor? Do we need additional support?
Our central spine staircases are engineered for strength and stability. At the base of the spine, we weld a substantial steel base plate that forms the structural anchor point. This plate is designed with countersunk holes for heavy duty concrete screws, along with through-holes for chemical anchors where required. This dual fixing approach ensures a secure, rigid connection to the floor slab.
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