We recommend that you contact your local Building Inspector to find out what code applies to your area and how that code is interpreted. The Iron Shop has spiral stair kits to meet all building code requirements and our Sales Team can help walk you through the ordering process to ensure your stair will meet these requirements.

Municipalities may have different building code requirements. Some follow the International Building Code (IBC) for commercial buildings and the International Residential Code (IRC) for residential buildings, or variations of these model building codes. Other areas do not follow any building code relevant to spiral stairs.

When using a spiral stair for a loft application the “well opening” measurements are not applicable because the stair is installed in open space. However, you should still make sure that you have enough room for the entire stair diameter at the installation location. An easy way to confirm that you have sufficient space is to mark off an area on the floor with masking tape that has the same diameter of the stair.

Depending on where you plan to install your spiral stair, there are two critical measurements for ordering:

First, you need to measure finished-floor to finished-floor height. For the base of the stair, that’s easy — for the top of the stair, you can’t just measure to the ceiling height.

If you’ve already cut your well opening, simply measure to the top of the opening, including finished floor.

If you have not yet cut your well opening, you must factor in the height of your rafters, subfloor (usually 3/4″ plywood) and the thickness of your finished floor (wood, tile, carpeting, or other).

Second, you need to measure your proposed well opening for standard, square “through-the-floor” installations. Your finished well opening must be 2″ larger overall than the diameter of the stair you plan to install.

Remember – this is a finished measurement, so be sure to factor in the width of any wood, drywall, or other finishing you plan to use to complete your well opening.

The Iron Shop spiral stair kits are ideal for decks and outdoor applications. In most environments, our metal can be installed outdoors by replacing our standard hardware with stainless steel hardware.
the stair should receive two coats of rust-inhibitive, oil-based enamel.
For ocean, lake, and other waterfront environments, and for any ocean-area setting, we recommend all-aluminum stair kits.
Our Victorian kit is ideal for outdoor applications with its’ cast aluminum construction and stainless steel hardware.
Our oak spiral stair kits are not suitable for outdoor use.

Yes. The same 2″ rule applies as with the standard square opening.

You will need to order a special round landing; call us 800-523-7427 to review your options.

Most metal spiral stair kits can be picked up at our Broomall, PA workshop. customer pick up is scheduled; You’ll be contacted 7 days in advance by a fulfillment team member to confirm your appointment.

Of course, The Iron Shop can ship your spiral stair kit directly to your door. Delivery times vary depending on the type of spiral you order:

For small children and pets, The Iron Shop recommends that you order and install in-between spindles.

Our CODE stair kits come standard with in-between spindles, which provide less than a 4″ spacing between verticals.

You may want to use a gate at the top of the stair.

A sales consultant can recommendation nonskid tread surfaces.

You should never leave small children unattended on or near a staircase.

Installing a stair kit from The Iron Shop is a two-person job.

For the typical do-it-yourselfer, the stairs can be installed without the help of a contractor.

We do recommend that everyone (experienced or not) consult a qualified contractor for cutting and framing the opening. The contractor will help identify whether any additional structural support will be required, and he or she can reroute pipes and electric lines.

For two do-it-yourselfers, the typical Metal and Victorian kits can be assembled in about one full day.

All Oak and CODE Metal stair kits take slightly more time to assemble — we estimate two days for complete assembly.

For all stair kits from The Iron Shop, all you will need are basic hand tools and an electric drill.
Before installing your spiral stair kit, we strongly recommend that you read through the entire installation manual, and for the metal kits and oak kits, watch our video.

Refer to the manual and the video during setup to help you visualize the entire process and identify potential trouble spots.

We’re here for you. Call us 888-816-0550 for help preparing for your installation, or during the assembly if you’re stuck.

Powder coating is a dry coating process Powder coating is applied as dry powder through an electrostatic process, then cured with heat. It is well known for providing high-quality finishes in terms of both functionality and overall look.

All stair components are powder coated i.e. treads, landing, spindles, IBS cups, and spindle heads.

We do not powder coat hardware for the staircase -during assembly the paint will chip and break off, so all the hardware is delivered in a mill finish.

We recommend that you paint your spiral stair after assembly to prevent scratches that could occur when you are installing and positioning the treads.

Metal and Victorian stairs, need an oil-based enamel paint. Do not use a latex paint.

Consider the application of the stair when choosing your paint. For example, exterior stairs should be painted with an oil-based enamel paint with rust-inhibiting additive.

Primed stairs should be painted after assembly.

Oak kits require two coats of polyurethane finish within a week of installing your stair to protect the wood from damage.

if you run into a problem, simply call our help line 888-816-0550. We’re here to help!

Our kits are all quality-checked before shipping to ensure that you get all of the right components. What’s more, all of our stair kits are guaranteed for one year from the date of purchase.

If you ever have a problem with your spiral stair kit from The Iron Shop, EVER, call us and we will work with you to remedy the problem. It’s why we’re the leading manufacturer of spiral stair kits.