Stair modeler

Task area Stair

You can use this tool to design (variants of) custom stairs with a minimum of entries.

Note: To modify a stair created with the Stair Modeler tool, you can use the Modify Stair Modeler tool.

To design a stair with the stair modeler

1. Click Stair Modeler (How).
   

   Activate Stair Modeler in one of the following ways

   • Actionbar:Role Architecture Task Elements Task area Stair

   • Menu bar: Create Architecture Stairs

   • Palette: Tools Create area in the following module(s):

   Stairs

   The Stair palette opens instead of the Properties palette.

2. Select the Settings tab, go to the Shape area and select the basic shape of the stair. In the case of spiral stairs, you can also select the direction (counterclockwise or clockwise).

   Important!
   After completing the stair design, you can neither change the basic shape nor the direction! Therefore, make sure you choose the correct settings right from the start. Otherwise, you would have to delete the stair and design it from scratch.

3. Define the geometric properties for the stair.

   In the Dimensions area, you define the general height of the stair by using Starting height. To define the total height of the stair, use Height difference, Number of steps and Rise. Tread and Number of steps define the total length of the stair.

   Height difference, Number of steps and Rise are mutually dependent; the same applies to Rise, Tread and 2 x R+T.

4. Use Width and Axis position to define the horizontal dimension and position of the stair.
5. When creating a spiral stair, you define how to skew the steps with the settings in the Skew area.

   The Method list box offers six skew methods including three geometric skew methods. Select the Display geometry check box to display the geometric structure used for skewing. This is only possible for the geometric skew methods.

   Enter the number of Steps you want to skew together.

6. In the Stair area, select the Create complete stair check box to create the total length of the stair, which results from the parameters defined in the Dimensions area. Otherwise, the stair ends at the last axis point of the stair axis. For example, this is useful if the stair projects beyond the outline defined.
7. Select the Lengthen last step check box in the Flight area to extend the last step as far as the last axis point of the stair axis. For example, this is useful if the last step does not reach the last axis point of the stair axis.
8. Use the Steps area to create starting steps and last steps.
9. Use the Representation area to specify whether you want to display the stair in plan (2D representation) or in elevation and perspective view (3D representation). You can also select both check boxes.

   Note: The Plan view tab is only visible when the Create 2D representation check box is selected. The Elements tab and the tabs for the stair elements selected on the Elements tab are only visible when the Create 3D representation check box is selected.

10. Use the Representation area to specify whether you want to create a Headroom clearance for the stair.
11. Only if you have selected the Create 2D representation option on the Settings tab:
    Select the Plan view tab and define how the stair looks in plan.

    Note: The individual stair elements are only visible in plan when the Create check box is selected in the 2D representation area on the tab for the relevant element, regardless of whether the tab is visible or not.

12. Only if you have selected the Create 3D representation option on the Settings tab:
    Select the Elements tab and define which stair elements are visible in perspective view and in 3D view. To do this, point to a stair element and select its check box.

    Open the tabs for the selected stair elements and define the required parameters:

    • To define the steps, use the Stair tread and Stair riser tabs.
    • To define the tread support, use the Stair slab and Rough carriage tabs.
    • To define the carriage, use the Carriage tab.
    • To define stringers, use the Stringer tab.
    • To define posts, use the Post tab.
13. Only if you have selected the Create headroom clearance option on the Settings tab:
    Select the Clearance tab and enter the dimensions of the required headroom clearance for the stair.
14. Click where you want the stair axis to start.

    You can see a preview of the stair with the current parameters.

    Note: Check the position of the stair in relation to the stair axis. If it is not correct, change the Axis position in the Dimensions area on the Settings tab. You can also change all other parameters.

15. Place a point for each segment of the stair (for example, stair flight, landing, or new direction) if this is not defined by the basic shape.

    This also applies to straight flights of stairs: Place a point where you want to insert a landing or change the characteristics of the stair flight. When you create a straight, single-flight stair without a landing or with a predefined landing, the second point you click is the end point of the stair.

    By means of the Modify Stair Modeler tool, you can change any stair segment, turning it from a landing into a stair flight and vice versa.

    Important!
    You cannot change the number of stair segments later. Therefore, make sure you define a separate segment for each stair flight, landing or change in direction right from the start.

16. After you have placed the last point, select Esc to finish designing the stair.
17. To close the tool, click Close in the Stair palette or select Esc again.
18. To modify the stair afterward, select the Modify Stair Modeler tool. For example, you can change the characteristics of individual stair segments.