The Smart Builder’s Guide to Perfect Curved Staircases
What every builder and homeowner should understand before starting a curved staircase project

Curved stairs bring unmatched beauty, elegance, and architectural impact to any home. But unlike straight or L-shaped staircases, a custom curved stair requires careful planning, precise design, and expert fabrication to ensure it meets code, fits the space, and delivers the smooth, sweeping look people expect from a luxury staircase.

Here’s what every builder and homeowner should understand before starting a curved staircase project.

1. The Planning: Beautiful Curves Require Real-World Precision

On an architect’s plan, curved stairs look effortless. In the real, 3-D world? They can get complicated fast. Common issues include:
• Plans that don’t meet code requirements for riser height, tread depth, or headroom
• Insufficient planning for the stair/stringer layout and curved railing
• Not enough physical space to achieve a smooth, attractive radius
• Architectural drawings that don’t match field conditions, especially in new construction

A curved staircase is not the place for guesswork. Early coordination is everything.

2. DSI Solutions: Bring Us in Early (Seriously—Before Framing Is Complete)

The single biggest cost-saver in the world of curved stair design is early involvement. When Designed Stairs steps in early, we can:
• Design a code-compliant curved staircase that balances efficiency, comfort, and aesthetics
• Engineer the most attractive, cost-effective curve that fits your footprint
• Define/direct your framing of curved walls to assure a geometry balanced stair
• Prevent costly mistakes that often appear after framing, when changes are far more expensive

Bringing in a specialist early avoids delays, rework, and budget creep—especially on luxury homes in Chicagoland, Naperville, Hinsdale, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Glenview, and the North Shore, where curved stairs are highly sought after.
And if your project isn’t local? No problem. We’ve completed curved staircases as far away as Alaska, Hawaii, England, and even Japan, providing remote guidance, templates, and engineering support to ensure the final result is flawless.

3. The Process: Why Curved Stairs Require More Time

A custom curved staircase is a handcrafted architectural element, not a mass-produced component. That’s why timelines look different.
Expect:
• Extra time during framing to place and build the curved template
• Longer fabrication in our shop—a straight stair may take hours; a curved stair often requires a full week or more of precision work
• Longer lead times to get on the schedule, since curved staircases require specialized craftsmen and equipment

The result is worth it: a grand, sweeping focal point that elevates the entire home. But it’s important to plan far ahead—especially during busy building seasons.

4. The Cost: What to Expect with a Luxury Curved Staircase

The grace and elegance of a curved staircase generally come at a premium—often three times the cost of a similar L-shaped option. This is due to:
• Custom kerfing and lamination
• Hand-crafted curved railing systems
• Precision layout and engineering
• Longer shop and installation time

If you’re building a luxury home, a curved stair isn't just a feature—it’s a statement piece that adds real value and architectural impact.

DSI Cost-Saving Tip: Choose Pin-Top Balusters

For curved railing systems, Pin-Top balusters are both elegant and budget-friendly:
• They match the formal aesthetic that curved stairs naturally carry
• They are significantly easier (and faster) to fit into a curved rake rail
• Square-top and panel-style balusters cost more, as they require precise hand-fitting and complex joinery on a curved rail

A smart baluster choice can reduce labor costs without compromising style.

Additional Benefits of a DSI Curved Staircase

• Installation time is comparable to a similar non-curved staircase once fabrication is complete
• Our production volume and experience means predictable quality and reliable timelines
• We’ve built thosands of curved stairs, and we continually expand capacity to meet growing demand for luxury curved staircases around the world and in our home.
Your project gets seasoned expertise—not trial and error.

Ready to Plan Your Next Curved Staircase?

If you’re a homeowner, builder, or architect planning a curved stair or custom staircase project, bring Designed Stairs in early. You’ll save time, avoid costly framing issues, and get a staircase that becomes the centerpiece of your home.