The difference between a straight stair chair and a curved stair chair comes down to one thing: the shape of your staircase. Everything else — how you ride it, how it's installed, what it does for the home — follows from that.
Start by Looking at Your Stairs
Stand at the bottom of your staircase and look up. If you can see the entire flight in front of you and it runs in one straight line to the floor above, you have a straight staircase. If the stairs disappear around a corner, stop at a landing, or change direction partway up, you have a curved staircase.
That single observation determines which system fits your home.
Straight Stair Chairs
A straight system uses a rail that runs in one continuous line along the staircase. Because the path is simple, this is generally the more straightforward installation of the two.
Common in older homes
Many homes with a single flight between the first and second floor, or a basement staircase running along one wall, fall into this category.
If the stairs turn, the rail needs to turn with them. That's the whole idea behind a curved system.
Curved Stair Chairs
A curved system uses a rail shaped around the path your staircase actually takes — through the landing, around the corner, and up the next section. One ride carries you the whole way.
Because the rail is planned for a specific staircase, curved installations involve more planning than straight ones.
Which One Does Your Home Need?
In most cases the answer is clear once you describe the staircase. If you're unsure, a phone call is usually enough. Read more about straight stair chairs and curved stair chairs, or call us and we'll talk it through.