Best stair object/builder?

[Arcadia]

Stairs always give me grief. I have tried the standard Archicad stairs, the Australian library stairs, the cadimage stairs and the 4D Edge stairs and all have problems and don't do exactly what I want all the time. The only other stair object that I know of is Cigraph. What is this like and are there any others that are worth looking at.

So the question is what is the best stair object?

[Steve Jepson]

Forget the stair tools. I think they are all a waste of time.

Model your own stair.

[Erika Epstein]

I know archicad's stair tool is dismal. But i can't help thinking if you are having so much trouble with all the stair addons you mention, perhaps we can help you. Can tell us more about the kinds of problems you are having?

[Steve Jepson]

Arcadia wrote:
Stairs always give me grief....

Perhaps your frustration with the stair tools has more to do with your expectation of what they can do, rather than than how well they do it.

Stair tools are great for generating a conceptual representation of the stair.
I think they work pretty well for that. However, if you are trying to use the stair tools to generate working drawings (sections, details, material lists, etc...) I don't think they are very useful. You’re better off to model your own stairs.

[Arcadia]

I wouldn't know where to start eriak. They are just buggy, non-intuitive, don't match every situation that I have (ie I can't use on object for all jobs). The cadimage stairs seems to have diminished since V12 and I get 3D errors and the flights and landings don't link. The 2D display options don't match what I want often. The 4D stairs are probably the best but even that has problems with certain stair situations. Bottom line is I don't like having to change my design to suit the 3D object and that's what I am tempted to do sometimes. They are just a pain in the ass to use. Modelling my own I think would be way too time consuming also.

[Erika Epstein]

I use the stair tool to initially help me size stairs. Depending on what they are, I sometimes can use them throughout a project, emergency exiting stairs being an example of the latter.

Often though I have to make my own or combine stair tool stairs with custom sections. You can keep a module with your own stair parts to reuse from project to project creating risers with walls and or slabs and the tread with slabs. These can also be maintained as favorites in your template. Once you know the riser height and tread size (if nothing else you can use the stair tool to quickly calculate these for you 🙂) you create one in plan and then multiply cmd/ctrl+U including a vertical distance change.

odd shaped stairs as in Wendy Neverlands thread are often custom made treads risers and landings in all or part. Depending on the stair, if I have used the stair tool I often end up turning off the handrails and placing those as separate objects.

I haven't used cigraph's or cadimage's stair addons recently enough that I could comment on how they work.

You might also look at
Smart Parts. Neil has a various libraries for sale.
D3 Trim+Stair contains stair elements which I have often found very helpful and time-saving. Rick Thomson here on the forum has also used his libraries to great success for many years.

All that said, when you get stuck, post, post, post

[Arcadia]

Thanks Erika for the tips. I have modelled my own stairs on occasion and it was reasonable straight forward straight run of treads with timber stringers but the stairs I have most trouble with are u-shaped stairs and these are a bit harder to model with all the winders and also I work with concrete stairs mostly and these don't have seperate slab treads and wall risers (although this would look okay in 3D but not sections and details).