Creating a Stair

The stair obtains some of its parameters based on the layer where it is placed and, if it is configured to do so, displays on both the lower layer and upper layer; stairs should be placed in a drawing with layers set up according to the project building levels.

A stair should be inserted on the layer representing the lower of the two floors it connects.

Stairs are made up of flight and platform “components,” and are assembled to create unlimited possible configurations.

 

To insert a stair:

1.	Click the Stair tool from the Building Shell tool set.

2.	Click to insert the stair.

The first time a stair is placed in a drawing file, the Select a Stair Configuration dialog box opens automatically. Otherwise, click Preferences from the Tool bar before placing the stair to set the default stair parameters.

Select an initial stair configuration from the default resources (see VectorWorks Design Series Default Resources). Components can be edited and added to the initial configuration.

 

Parameter	Description
Symbol Folders	Specifies the location of stair symbols
Symbols	Provides a graphical list of available stair symbols

3.

Click OK.

The Stair Preferences dialog box opens. Click the General tab to set the overall stair height, tread and riser information, and 2D parameters.

 

Parameter	Description
Overall Height	Specify whether the stair height is obtained according to its upper and lower layer elevation or with a set value
By Layer Elevation	Sets the stair height according to the distance between its lower and upper layers. Select the upper and lower layers. If the layers set here are different from the active layer where the stair was originally placed or when the Stair tool was selected, the stair is placed on the layers specified here, and not on the active layer.
Specify	Sets the stair’s height to a specific value, regardless of layer height
Tread and Riser Sizes
Tread Depth	Sets the tread width
Max. Riser Height	Specifies the maximum allowable riser height
Actual Riser Height	Displays the actual riser height, in the current file units, based on stair height
Number of Risers	Displays the number of risers, based on riser and stair height
Draw Top Tread	Specify whether the stair should include a tread at the same level as the upper floor it serves
2D Detail
Draw Dashed Nosing Recess	Specifies whether to indicate the riser position with dashed lines
Unless Hiding Wall Components	If drawing dashed lines indicating the nosing recess of risers, specify whether to hide the lines when also hiding wall components with the Hide wall components document preference
End/Start Marker	Specify a starting and ending marker style for the path-of-travel marker (arrow)
Arrow Class	If desired, select a class for the path-of-travel marker
Data Class	If desired, select a class for stair data that displays with the path-of-travel marker
Apply	Applies the current settings to the preview image; use the preview to judge the effect of the parameter changes
Browse	Opens the Select a Stair Configuration dialog box, to select a different stair symbol from the default resources

4.	Click the Flights and Platforms tab.

The selected stair configuration displays in the preview, with the current component displayed in red. Stair components can be added and removed, and the stair configuration is automatically adjusted to meet the stair height.

If adjacent flights and platforms (landings) do not have the same width, they are aligned by the center of the adjacent edges.

 

Parameter	Description
Add After	Opens the Add Stair Component dialog box, for adding a stair component (stair flight, winder, or platform) after the currently highlighted component. Select the component to add and click OK. If treads need to be removed to meet the stair height requirement, they are removed from the next flight.
Add Before	Opens the Add Stair Component dialog box, for adding a stair component (stair flight, winder, or platform) before the currently highlighted component. Select the component to add and click OK. If treads need to be removed to meet the stair height requirement, they are removed from the previous flight.
Next/Previous	Highlights the next or previous stair component, for adding or removing components, or changing parameters
Remove	Removes the currently highlighted stair component
Type	When adding or editing a stair component, sets the type of component and its associated parameters. Edits are applied to the currently highlighted component.
Apply	Applies the current stair component parameters to the preview image; use the preview to judge the effect of parameter changes

5.	Click the Upper/Lower Floors tab to set the stair appearance in Top/Plan view for both the upper and lower floor layers.

The appearance of the stair line style, line weight, and fill style can be set in the Attributes palette. If style classes are selected for the appearance of the 3D components on the Construction tab, the fill style set here is overridden.

The drawing must have an upper and lower layer and have height set by layer elevation to display parameters for each floor. Otherwise, only lower floor parameters can be set.

 

Parameter	Description
Show Stair Break	Hides a portion of the stair with a stair break, so that the upper/lower portion of the stair can be displayed in 2D
Break at Tread #	Specifies where to begin the stair break; if the stair break is a platform, the break is drawn at the last tread going up (for the lower floor) or the last tread going down (for the upper floor)
Draw Dashed Stair Below/Above	When the stair break is shown, draws the portion of the stair above or below the break with dashed lines; deselect to hide the stairs above or below the break
Show Arrow	Select to display the path-of-travel arrow
Show Stair Data	Select to display stair data with the path-of-travel arrow
Number of Risers	Displays the number of risers
Riser Height	Displays the riser height

6.	Click the Construction tab to set the 3D stair appearance, including construction style, and tread, riser, and stringer parameters and style classes (see Using Style Classes).

 

Parameter	Description
Construction Style	Select the construction material of the stairs
Treads
Nosing Depth	Specify the nosing depth
Tread Thickness	Specify the vertical thickness of the nosing
Class	Select a tread style class
Risers
Riser Style	Specify whether risers are open or vertical
Riser Thickness	Indicates the horizontal thickness for vertical riser styles (for wood stairs, this refers to the grade of lumber used to construct the stair)
Class	Select a riser style class for vertical riser styles
Stringers
Style	Specify whether stringers are underneath or outside the stair
Offset from Outside	For Underneath stringer styles, specifies the distance between the outside of the stair tread to the outside of the stringers
Stringer Thickness	Specifies the stringer width
Stringer Height	Specifies the stringer height; if the stringers are underneath the treads, this height includes notches and cannot be less than the notch depth +2
Class	Select a stringer style class

7.	Click the Handrails tab to specify handrail settings for the left and right sides of the stair. The preview displays the handrails on one side.

 

Parameter	Description
Left/Right Rail	Select to add a rail to the left or right side of the stair (going up)
Left/Right Balusters	When selecting a rail, specify whether it contains balusters (upright supporting posts)
Settings	Specify the handrail settings, which apply to both the left and right handrails except where indicated
Inset from Edge	Indicates the horizontal distance of the handrails from the outside edge of the stairs
Overall Height	Specifies the height of the top rail
Top Rail Diameter	Specifies the diameter of the top rail
Num Inter Rails	Indicates the number of horizontal intermediate rails (parallel to the top rail)
Inter Rail Spacing	Sets the distance between the intermediate rails (when there are more than one)
Inter Rail Diameter	Sets the diameter of the intermediate rails
Baluster Spacing	Specifies the distance between the balusters; baluster spacing cannot exceed the Tread Depth (specified on the General tab)
Baluster Diameter	Specifies the diameter of the balusters
Extend Top Rail Past Last Tread	For the left and right rails, specify the distance to extend the top stair rail past both the top and/or bottom of the stair
Rail Class	Select a rail style class

Stairs with multiple horizontal rails can take a long time to regenerate. Temporarily deselect Detail 3D Handrails in the Object Info palette to speed up performance.

8.

Click OK.

9.	Click in the drawing to insert the stair. Click again to set the stair rotation.