Steel staircases are everywhere in Dubai: warehouse mezzanines, villa roofs, retail interiors, office atriums, and external escape routes. Steel is strong, slim, quick to install, and can be shaped into almost any form. Here is what to know when you commission one from a staircase fabrication company.
Common types of steel staircase
Straight stairs
A single flight between two levels. Simple and economical, ideal for mezzanines and plant access.
Dog-leg and quarter-turn stairs
Two flights with a landing, turning 180° or 90°. They fit into a smaller plan area and suit offices, villas, and multi-storey access.
Mono-stringer and cantilever stairs
One central stringer, or treads cantilevered from a wall. These are architectural stairs with a light, floating look, and they need careful engineering of the stringer or the wall fixings.
Spiral and helical stairs
Compact spirals around a central column, or open helical stairs with curved stringers. See our spiral staircase design guide.
External escape stairs
Galvanised steel stairs on the outside of a building, providing a protected escape route. Their widths and layout are controlled by the fire code.
Ship ladders and access stairs
Steep stairs for roofs, tanks, and plant rooms where only maintenance staff go.
Dimensions to get right
A staircase that feels wrong is usually a dimension problem. The key ones are:
- Riser: the height of each step
- Going: the depth of each tread
- Pitch: the angle of the flight
- Width: clear width between handrails
- Headroom: clear height above the pitch line
- Handrail and guard height, and gaps in the balustrade
In Dubai, these are set by the Dubai Building Code and, for escape stairs, the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code. Your consultant confirms the numbers for your building. Consistency matters as much as the numbers: every riser in a flight must be the same, which is why we measure on site before fabricating.
Tread options
- Chequered plate: tough and slip-resistant for industrial use
- Grating: outdoor stairs, lets sand and water through
- Folded plate: a clean, modern look, can be left exposed or finished
- Pan treads: steel trays filled with concrete, stone, or tiles
- Timber or stone on steel: warm finishes for villas and offices
Balustrades and handrails
Options range from simple tube handrails to vertical bars, rods, perforated or mesh panels, and frameless glass. For homes with children, avoid horizontal bars that can be climbed, and keep gaps tight.
Finishes for Dubai
Indoors, a primer and paint or powder coat gives a clean finish. Outdoors, hot-dip galvanizing is strongly recommended, with paint over it if colour matters. Read galvanizing vs painting in the UAE.
How a staircase is fabricated
- Site survey: measure floor-to-floor height, opening, and fixing points.
- Shop drawings: stringers, treads, landings, and balustrade set out and approved.
- Fabrication: cutting, folding, rolling (for curved stairs), and welding in the workshop.
- Trial fit: complex stairs are assembled in the workshop first.
- Finish: coating applied.
- Installation: fixed to the structure, levelled, and checked.
Our staircase work
Recent jobs include a multi-flight steel staircase at Dubai Hills, a curved staircase at a Dubai Mall site, and an external spiral stair in Sharjah.
DPSC is a staircase fabrication company in Dubai. Send a sketch or drawing and the floor-to-floor height, and we will advise and quote.
Need steel fabricated in Dubai? DPSC designs, fabricates, and erects structural steel from our Al Quoz workshop. Send your drawings for a quote or call +971 56 889 7671.
