Basic design
- Stair design video introduction
- Free vs full version of the software
- Create a new stair
- Basic view options
- Display modes
- Display individual components
- Positioning your design in the edit window
- 3D view
- Basic selection and editing
- Adding and deleting components
- Undo and redo
- Measure tool
- Grid vs coordinate system
Stair design video introduction
The following video provides a great overview of many of the key features in StairDesigner, and highlights how fast and accurate the design to manufacturing process is.
We set up a new stair, edit and add components and construction methods, then output the cutting list, plans and CNC files.
All the features are further detailed in the Help Centre, but following through this video is highly recommended to get you used to the interface and the way the software works.
Free vs full version of the software
The free version of StairDesigner includes all design features; the only thing you won’t be able to do is view the manufacturing output or export the associated files for this.
We cover the available output in detail in the Help Centre, and you can also download sample output from the StairDesigner download page.
Please also note, any design you create with the free version can be opened and used in the full version.
Create a new stair
We will do this by selecting one of StairDesigner’s pre-configured models.
Before we proceed, please note that the stair in the video above was created with the Multi-flight feature, here we’re going to start our design from a model.
More information:
Essentials: multi-flight stairs
Go to File menu > New stair multi-flight winding:
Alternatively, click on the icon in the toolbar:
You will also notice that this option appears in a window on opening StairDesigner:
Once selected, the New stair window will appear. By default, the Models tab will be open. Here we can select our preferred model:
Available models:
- Straight (#1)
- Quarter turn (#2)
- Half turn (#3)
- Single flight with quarter turn exit (#4)
- Single flight with quarter turn entrance and straight exit (#5)
- Single flight with quarter turn on entrance and exit (#6)
In addition, the following parameters can be adjusted:
- Method – more on Manufacturing methods later, this applies a range of pre-set construction preferences and materials
- Floor height – height from one floor to the next / height of the stair
- Rotation – whether the turn is to the left or right
- Length of all flights in your design
- Width of all flights
- Landing step length
- Presence and location of core components – stringboards, handrails, lateral cut strings, newel posts
Notes on dimensions:
- Flight length in this example (model #2) = distance from nosing of the first step to the back of the stringboard of the second flight (where the string touches the wall)
- Width = distance from the outside of each stringboard
- Landing steps are added within the overall flight length, so the effective flight length is reduced by the landing step length
Click OK to create your new stair, shown below in the 2D editing window.
Basic view options
The View menu includes a range of show/hide options, all of which are enabled in the image above.
- Display handrails – shown in green
- Display risers – shown by the dashed double line parallel to the step nosing
- Step numbering – sequential from the lowest step
- Step dimensions – shown in green
Please note, step dimensions are not visible in the free version as they form part of the manufacturing output.
Display modes
The stair shown above includes stringboards coloured blue, handrails in green and newel posts in pink.
Notice that the right hand stringboard is not visible as it is located below the handrail.
To enable easier selection of parts, the Display mode feature is available to show either the entire stair or highlight specific parts. In the image below, just the stringboards are selected; we can now see the right hand side stringer:
Display individual components
Another option is to display individual components entirely in isolation, this is activated via the View menu:
Alternatively, use the toolbar icons. Here step number 6 is displayed:
★ Tip ★
Using the step overview is a good way to check if all penetrations are as required e.g. a step around a newel might need some correction regarding aesthetics and technical build.
Positioning your design in the edit window
A range of zoom and positioning options are available from the View > Zoom menu and via the toolbar icons shown here:
The options available are:
- Zoom forward: zoom in
- Zoom backward: zoom out
- Center: brings the design back to the center of the window
- Selection zoom: check this then left click and drag with the mouse to create a selection; release the left mouse button to zoom in on this selection
- Move: check then click anywhere in the window and drag the design in any direction
★ Tip ★
If your mouse has a scroll wheel, rotating this wheel will zoom in and out. Pressing the wheel down and moving the mouse will move the design in the window.
These commands are available in the 3D view too, more on that now.
3D view
StairDesigner includes an excellent 3D rendering engine, which updates dynamically as you design.
To view your design in 3D, go to 3D menu > 3D view, the toolbar icon is also highlighted below:
To edit the background colour in the 3D view, go to 3D menu > Options and select your preferred background.
We recommend grey or white for simplicity and so as not to distract from the design itself.
As well as printer settings, the 3D options window allows you to show/hide shadows, this check box is also highlighted in the above image.
When the 3D window is active additional icons are available, also found in the 3D menu.
From left to right we have:
- Incremental rotation commands: click and hold to rotate in the x or y axis
- Auto rotate: click and the design will revolve on screen until you click again
- Render options: we recommend Solid-perspective (currently selected), Hidden faces perspective (shown below) and Wireframe-perspective
- Lights: customise the lighting in the 3D view
- Predefined view angles: click to adjust view angle
★ Tip ★
Always check the 3D window in solid and wireframe to evaluate your design. Solid for the visual aesthetics and the wireframe for individual component connections, penetrations and applications.
Lighting effects can be added and customised by clicking on the Lights icon. This opens a new lighting effects menu in the Properties menu:
Here it’s possible to adjust and add extra lights:
- Ambient lighting
- Directional light
- Point light
- Spot light
Note that this menu also allows you to show/hide the floor.
Please feel free to modify the lighting parameters to test the impact. However, we recommend keeping the defaults which result in clean simple renders without colour casts and too many directional lights and shadows.
To add/remove lights, select the green + and red – icons.
★ Tip ★
An effective way to work on your design is to view the 2D and 3D windows side by side. To do this, right click on the 3D tab and select New vertical tab group.
Here’s the result:
If only a single window is visible, you can click between each tab to view each window, or use the 2D/3D Switch icon (shortcut space bar).
Basic selection and editing
Whole stair
To access parameters relating to the whole stair, click inside the 2D window but not on the stair.
The Properties menu will now display whole stair parameters (upper red box) for editing such as the floor height, number of risers/steps and the winding coefficient.
Note that a whole range of part parameters are also available. These adjust all instances of that part type in the stair.
The Stringboard parameters are highlighted in the lower red box above. If they are edited all stringboards will be modified.
Note also to access flight parameters, hover over the corresponding flight (the very edge of the stair) until it turns darker. Then click to access the parameters:
Note that some parameters you might associate with the whole stair selection are in fact related to each flight, such as the flight length, width and turn angle.
Individual parts
Select an individual part, the Properties menu will then display parameters specific to that part only. In the example below, we are viewing and editing parameters for a single step and associated riser:
Remember that the Display mode feature helps selection in some cases, as does the ability to view isolated parts using the Display icons, Newel posts are selected below for example:
Newel post #1 is shown. Note the highlighted drop down menu, another way to switch between each newel post.
You can also select individual parts for editing directly from the 3D window, a stringboard is selected below:
The 3D view and selection workflow allows you to easily assess the construction setup and aesthetics simultaneously, and edit very quickly as required.
Here we’ve zoomed in to view a single step and riser in wireframe, ready for editing.
Adding and deleting components
We will cover editing the stair and its components in detail elsewhere in the Help Centre. For now, let’s just consider making some significant changes to the design.
These commands are accessible via the Modify menu, and via a range of quick access toolbar icons.
The right click menu shows a similar grouping of commands:
Let’s add a flight to this stair project.
First remove the landing step by selecting Delete a landing.
Then select the Add a flight option, which opens the Add flights window.
The usual set of flight parameters is available to extend the stair by another flight.
Select the green + icon or red x icon to add and remove additional flights.
Note that it’s possible to add straight and circular/curved flights.
Select OK to see the results.
Let’s add a newel post at the end of the 3rd flight via the right click menu.
In the Add newel posts window, select the empty location for the newel and click OK, or use Apply to add multiple newel posts before selecting OK.
To delete the resulting newel, right click on the part and select the Delete option.
Alternatively, with the part selected, select delete on the keyboard or via the Edit menu.
Undo and redo
If you make an unwanted change to your design, click on the Undo icon to remove the change.
Redo will add the change back in.
The Undo and Redo commands are also available from the Edit menu.
Measure tool
This is a simple but powerful tool offering a range of measuring options within the 2D editing window.
To activate, select the Measure tool icon (also available in the Tools menu).
Some measuring options are highlighted below, click to enlarge:
In summary:
- Click on any two points or lines or one of each to view the measurement
- Measurements can be horizontal, vertical and diagonal
- Angle measurements are also possible, the images show step 8 selected then a mouse hover over the stringboard (image 3) and step 7 (image 4)
Click on the icon again to exit measuring mode.
Grid vs coordinate system
Dimensions can be edited by selecting the whole stair or a part and editing the parameter in the Properties menu.
However, it’s also possible to select a point and drag it across the 2D editing window, or to precisely place it with the coordinate system.
This is more likely to be used when using some of StairDesigner’s more advanced features, for manually changing the stairwell, stringboard and step shape.
More information:
For now, note the grid management options in the View menu, also accessible via a toolbar icon.
Most options are self explanatory, Align to grid ensures that when manually dragging points they snap to the grid. This is useful to quickly move a point only in the vertical or horizontal direction.
At the bottom right of the screen is a grid indicator showing what distance each grid square represents. This will change as when zooming in and out.
Knowing this, dragging points across the grid can be very accurate, but generally coordinates would be input to ensure this.
We look at moving point elsewhere, but for clarity here is a corner stairwell point selected, and the coordinate inputs highlighted.
Once selected, simply edit the coordinates and select the green tick icon to apply.
Click on other points as required to determine their coordinates for additional information if required.