Regulations and Standards
Scottish Regulations
The 2007 Technical Handbook gives guidance on achieving the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, which governs the manufacture of timber stairs. The Handbook comes in two volumes, one for domestic buildings and one for non-domestic buildings. The revised edition of the Handbook was published on 1st May 2007.
Section 4.3 of the Domestic Handbook covers the regulation of stairs and ramps for private stairs, and can be viewed by clicking on the following link: 
View the 2007 Technical Handbook
The main regulations governing private stairs are covered
in these excerpts from Section 4.3 of the Domestic Handbook:
A private stair is "a stair within a single dwelling, which is not accessible to the public".
- The minimum rise of a private stair is 100mm
- The maximum rise of a private stair is 220mm
- The minimum going of a private stair is 225mm
- The maximum pitch of a private stair is 42°
- All rises in the flight should be of uniform height
- The going measured at the narrow end of a tapered/kite tread should be at least 50mm
- The minimum effective width of a private stair is 900mm, 800mm where a continuous handrail is fitted to both sides, or 600mm where it serves only one room
- A flight should have not more than 16 rises, and at least 3 rises
- Any spaces/gaps in the stair or balustrading should be small enough to prevent the passage of a 100mm sphere
- A stair landing should be provided at the top and bottom of every stair and should have an effective lenght and width of no less than the effective width of the stair
- Handrails must be provided on a flight if there is a change in level of 600mm or more
- It is recommended that raking handrails should be fixed at a height of at least 840mm and not more than 1000mm, measured vertically above the pitch line of the flight
- It is recommended that landing handrails should be fixed at a height of at least 840mm and not more than 1100mm, measured vertically from the surface of the landing
- A flight or landing on a stair should have clear headroom of at least 2000mm- the height should be measured vertically from the pitch line, or the surface of the landing
English & Welsh Regulations
The same regulations for England and Wales are documented in Approved Document K of the Building Regulations 2000.
Document K highlights the regulations pertaining to Protection from falling, collision and impact, and Section K1 covers Stairs, Ladders
& Ramps. Approved Document K (1998 edition, incorporating 2000 amendments) can be downloaded here:
British Standards
Additionally, the British Standard BS585: Part 1:1989 governs the manufacture of Wood Stairs, with a specification for stairs with closed risers for domestic use. This can be purchased by clicking on the following link:
