How to Guide

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represents the clear walking space you would get with our smallest 3’6” stair. Use the chart above as a
guide to determine what the most comfortable walking space is for you and your guests. This can help you
narrow down your diameter measurements if you are having difficulty.
Clear Walking Space Guide
Stair Diameter
Clear Walking Space
3’6”
17”
4’0”
20”
4’6”
23”
5’0”
26”
5’6”
29”
6’0”
32”
Your measurements may be defined by your staircase’s surroundings. If you need a smaller stair with a 3’6”
or 4’ diameter, you will have a smaller clear walking space, but it is still completely safe to use. This is
because the structural integrity of our stairs does not change with diameter size. We stand behind our build
and offer a lifetime warranty on all welding and fabrication.
If you have a larger amount of space for your spiral staircase, you can choose to install a larger stair that
will provide a more clear walking space. Generally speaking, a stair with a diameter of 5' or larger is going
to be very comfortable for your application.
Staircase Diameter
Now that you know the tread count, footprint and clear walking space, you are ready to choose the right
diameter. Diameter can be defined as a straight line going through the center of a circle connecting two
points on the circumference. In other words, when we ask you what diameter you would like for your stair
what we are really asking is, “How wide do you want your spiral stair to be?”
At Mylen, the smallest stair diameter we offer is 3’6”, which translates to a 42” diameter. If you are going
through a hole in the floor your finished floor opening should be two inches greater than your stair’s
diameter. For example, if you are using a 3’6” spiral stair to get you access to an attic through a hole in the
floor then you would need a finished floor opening of 44 inches x 44 inches. The extra two inches ensure
that you fingers will travel freely and unhindered as you walk up the spiral stair. Matching the floor opening
to the exact measurement of your stair’s diameter would cause your fingers to pinch while using the
handrail.