Floating Staircases
Cantilever Stairs With the Steel Structure Hidden in the Wall
A floating staircase is a flight of treads that seem to come straight out of the wall with nothing underneath. It is one of the most striking things you can put in a house, and the effect depends entirely on engineering nobody sees.
We fabricate the steel structure for floating and cantilever staircases in our workshop in Malad, Mumbai, and install complete flights across India.
What Holds a Floating Staircase Up
Each tread is carried by steel, not by the tread itself. There are two usual ways of doing it.
- Steel fixed into a structural wall. Each tread sits on a steel section anchored into the wall, so the wall carries the load.
- A concealed steel stringer. A steel member runs along the wall and each tread is fixed to it. The stringer is hidden behind the wall finish or the tread itself, so the treads still appear to float.
Either way, the steelwork is designed and detailed on the shop drawing before anything is made.
Can Your Wall Carry It?
This decides whether a floating staircase is possible at all, so it comes before any choice of treads or finish.
- A structural wall, such as reinforced concrete or load-bearing masonry, can usually carry cantilevered treads directly.
- A partition wall of block, brick infill or board cannot carry them on its own. A concealed steel stringer, or a different design, is needed instead.
- The earlier the better. The ideal time to plan a floating staircase is before the wall is finished, so fixings can be built in. Adding one to an existing house is often still possible, depending on the wall.
We confirm the wall and the fixing detail on the shop drawing and at the site survey.
Treads and Structure
- Structure in mild steel or stainless steel, hidden or partly exposed.
- Hardwood treads such as teak or walnut, the most common choice, warm underfoot and quiet.
- Stone treads, heavier, which the structure has to be designed for from the start.
- Steel treads for a lighter, more industrial look.
Staircase materials for Indian conditions compares each option.
The Open Side and the Gaps
A floating staircase is open on one side and often open between treads, so safety has to be designed in rather than added later.
- A balustrade on the open side. Glass keeps the floating look, while slim steel rods from floor to ceiling or to a handrail suit a more architectural style. See glass railings and MS railings.
- A handrail between 34 and 38 inches high, continuous from bottom to top.
- Gaps between treads that a small child cannot pass through, if there are young children in the house.
- The same rise on every step, so the climb has a steady rhythm.
How an Order Works
- Send the floor-to-floor height, the wall the staircase will run along, and photographs of the space.
- We quote against those details, covering fabrication, finish, transport and installation.
- The shop drawing, including the fixing detail, is part of the contract and its cost is already in the quotation.
- Once the quotation is agreed, we survey the site, anywhere in India.
- The steel structure is fabricated in our workshop and the staircase is installed by our own team.
Most staircases are completed in 2 to 4 weeks from drawing approval. Larger or more intricate builds can take longer, and we confirm the timeline before fabrication begins.
Common Questions
Can any wall take a floating staircase?
No. A structural wall can usually carry cantilevered treads. A partition wall cannot, so a concealed steel stringer or a different design is used instead.
Can you add a floating staircase to an existing house?
Often, yes. It depends on the wall, which is what we check first.
Is a floating staircase safe with children?
It can be, with a balustrade on the open side and gaps between treads that a child cannot pass through. Say at the start if children will use it, so it is designed for them.
What is the difference between floating and cantilever stairs?
They are two names for the same idea: treads supported at one end by the wall, with no visible support underneath.
What does a floating staircase cost?
It depends on the height, the wall, the tread material and the balustrade, so we quote against your details rather than publish a figure. What sets a staircase price explains what moves the number.
Send the Height and a Photograph of the Wall
The floor height and a photograph of the wall the staircase will run along are enough for a first answer on whether a floating staircase will work. Send your details, or see custom staircase solutions and spiral staircases.