The retracting stairs

Horizontally retracting stairs will disappear into the void behind your staircase. For no more than six steps, we require a minimum of 1200 mm space. This area tends to be underneath the front door of the property so we need to check that the space is available. For more than five steps please see our equation below:

Length of stair pit = ((Total tread depth from top step riser to bottom step riser – 1555)/2)+1200 minimum total = 1200 mm.

It is also possible to consider vertically retracting stairs. For this option please talk to our team for help in deciding.

The vertically retracting stair lifts do not require a void behind the staircase as they retract down rather than sideways.

The minimum width of a staircase needs to be 900 mm wide to accommodate a Sesame lift. This is to ensure that the usable space on the platform is sufficient. The standard size for one of our platform lifts is 1000 mm wide by 1400 mm deep which is much preferable to the minimum size.

The Sesame stairs can not accommodate bull nosing as when the stairs retract and the lift rises the bull nosing becomes a crush hazard. The treads must be square to the risers.

Any nosing fitted must not protrude above or in front of the tread or riser respectively by more than 1.5 mm

The stairs can be clad in any material. The thickness of the material depends on the riser heights (typically 40 mm build on the risers and treads is a maximum).

The steps are driven hydraulically and are supported and contained within a mild steel framework. The steps are manufactured from stainless steel and are designed to accept the specified cladding type and thickness. Each riser height is adjustable independently from 120 mm to 170 mm. Each moving step is rated at 125kg of cladding. Each stationary step is rated at 240kg SWL.

The width of the staircase can be specified by the client however Crush hazards surrounding the disabled lift usually define the exact width of the staircase.