Most commercial buildings today are said to have staircases that serve as focal points and useful fixtures for the whole structure. Often, these stairs are installed either inside or outside the building to give people access to different floors and areas of the property throughout the whole day. Since they’re used by many people, it’s important that only the right materials are used to make them.
To determine which materials are ideal for stair construction, commercial property owners should consider factors such as cost-effectiveness, aesthetic appeal, ease of use, and others. While they may choose to install wooden or concrete stairs in commercial buildings, structural steel is believed to be the most ideal material for constructing commercial metal stairs.
Below are some of the reasons why steel stairs are said to be a perfect fit for use in commercial properties:
Steel Stairs Are Highly Durable
It’s regarded that steel stairs are ideal for commercial properties because they’re designed for long-term use. Once commercial property owners install this type of stairs, they can count on them to last for years without requiring immediate replacement.
This is because steel is a material designed to withstand varying conditions. Steel stairs mostly undergo chemical treatments to increase their strength. Additionally, a top coating is added to enhance its durability and help guard it against rust under damp conditions. Naturally, structural steel is very rigid. This means that steel stairs are capable of enduring any kind of impact or stress. This makes them serviceable for many years.
The other aspect that makes steel stairs highly durable, and hence ideal for constructing commercial stairs is that it’s free of pests that usually attack and impact wooden stairs. Plus, you wouldn’t need to think of extra expenses necessary for pest control. Furthermore, further construction planning will aid you in your search to end up a success.
Steel Stairs Are Sturdy
Structural steel that’s used to make steel stairs is an alloy that comprises iron and other metallic materials mixed together. This makes it extremely strong with only a few materials matching its sturdiness and ability to withstand high levels of pressure.
Compared to concrete or wooden stairs, steel stairs are capable of holding up well when excessive weight is applied to them. As a matter of fact, these stairs are said to be able to hold weights that are up to five times the weight most concrete and wooden stairs can carry.
Steel Stairs Are Highly Versatile
Structural steel is believed to be easy to mold and customize into different styles, shapes, and patterns. This allows commercial property owners to creatively use it to design steel stairs that have a contemporary look as opposed to sticking only with traditional designs.
The malleability and versatility of structural steel allow your designated contractor to customize the stairs of your commercial building into varying staircase designs that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. These two aspects make steel staircases the ideal choice for commercial buildings of any type.
Steel Stairs Are Highly Affordable
In addition to being durable, the installation of steel stairs on commercial properties isn’t as costly as one might think. On the contrary, these stairs are believed to be the most cost-effective option in the market. This is because the cost of buying structural steel is far lower compared to materials like concrete or wood that are also used to construct staircases in commercial buildings.
Besides the cost of buying structural steel, the process of constructing stairs using structural steel is said to be cheaper compared to using other materials. Individual compounds of the steel staircase are fabricated separately and assembled on the construction site. This reduces installation costs significantly, which makes steel stairs a great choice for commercial property managers looking for a less expensive option for their buildings.
Steel Stairs Are Easy To Maintain
Unlike wooden stairs that need to be maintained regularly in order to maintain a good luster, steel stairs can maintain their attractive appearance for years with only minimal maintenance efforts. Commercial property owners that install metal stairs don’t have to apply varnish, sealant, or paint to keep the stairs looking good. Only simple upkeep can help. Cleaning them with water and mild detergent regularly will help the steel stairs maintain their curb appeal for a long time.
Steel Stairs Offer Safety Benefits
The structural steel that’s used to make steel stairs is believed to be extremely sturdy. This means that when steel stairs are installed in commercial buildings, they’re able to provide reliable support to their users. This is particularly important in buildings where heavy items or materials have to be moved up and down different stories of the buildings constantly.
Steel Stairs Offer More Flexibility
Steel stairs can easily be installed in different yet unique designs because the structural steel that’s used to make them is highly flexible. The handrails that need to be installed on the stairs for support can easily be bent in order to shape it to the desired design through heating. This level of flexibility allows designers to install sleek staircases and handrails on complex designs including spiral staircases.
Steel Stairs Can Be Installed Independently
If you own a commercial property and you decide to add a flight of stairs inside or outside the building, the easiest way to do that is to construct steel stairs. These stairs can be installed independently of the building structure because they can be constructed as self-supporting systems by your chosen contractor service.
Where landings or floors exist, the stairs are supported structurally by them. If these are not provided, the stairs can be constructed independently of the floor structure.
The process of installing steel stairs as independent sections of a commercial building is particularly easy because metal stairs can easily be fabricated in segments at a metal shop and assembled at the construction site.
Final Thoughts
If you own a multiple-story commercial property, you need to install stairs to give people access to different floors and points of the building. While the design of the building may have factored in stairs, you may need to add additional stairs to enhance accessibility.
When it comes to installing stairs on a commercial building, property owners have the option to use concrete, wood, or metallic materials to build the stairs. Structural steel is believed to be the most viable material above all that can be used to build stairs on commercial buildings thanks to the benefits discussed above.
