Staircase Spindles - distance between.

[Russell]

Building regs state that there should be no more than 99mm between spindles, presumably to prevent little people from falling through.  Does this only apply to new builds?  Or to renovations/replacements as well.  Or to all staircases regardless of age?

We have seen on these house makeover type programmes staircases with few or even none - so what goes?

We are redecorating the hall with a view to selling, will our large spacing cause any issues?

Ta

R

[hellymedic]

I am wobbly.

I chose a house with a fall-safe staircase.

I would not have touched one without!

Unless you can guarantee that nobody old, wobbly, young or small (including pets) will ever climb your stairs, I'd put in closely-spaced spindles.

[rafletcher]

Building regs state that there should be no more than 99mm between spindles, presumably to prevent little people from falling through.  Does this only apply to new builds?  Or to renovations/replacements as well.  Or to all staircases regardless of age?

We have seen on these house makeover type programmes staircases with few or even none - so what goes?

We are redecorating the hall with a view to selling, will our large spacing cause any issues?

Ta

R

Regs will apply to anything not original. Our (1840 farmworkers cottage) top floor ceiling “rafters” are 1/4 tree trunks. Definitely not up to current regs.

[Moleman76]

Building regs state that there should be no more than 99mm between spindles, presumably to prevent little people from falling through.

Actually, it's to keep little people from getting their bodies but not their heads though the gap, and being choked.  99mm (4" in USA) keeps them from wiggling the body through.  Until perhaps 12-15 years ago the standard was 6" (nominal 150 mm) until ther were enough cases where torsos, but not heads, squeezed between the uprights.

[Russell]

I have re-spaced the spindles to 100mm and we are very pleased to see that the overall effect is very smart, and that is before they are painted.  It was OK before but now is much better looking.

Result!