Winder Stairs in Designer Pro

Question

How to create a set of winder stairs in Designer Pro?

Answer

Begin by drawing the stairs away from any walls to get unrestricted editing.

Notes

Winders must be in a room with proper room definition. 

You cannot create winders in an area composed of only 2 corner walls. If this configuration is needed, enclose the area in with invisible walls so that a room area is defined. 

  1. First, make sure that the correct editing behaviors and snap settings are used:  
    • Select Edit> Edit Behaviors from the menu and confirm that Edit Object Parts  is not turned on. If you see a checkmark next to this menu item and is highlighted blue, it is enabled and you should select it to turn it off.  
    • Select Edit> Snap Settings from the menu and confirm that Object Snaps  is enabled. If you there is not a checkmark next to this option and it’s not highlighted blue, select it once to enable it.  
  2. Select Build> Stairs> Straight Stairs , then click and drag to create a section of stairs with the number of treads leading up to the winder section, in this example 7 treads are used.
  3. Next, create a second set of stairs with the bottom of the first tread snapping to the top of the last tread of the section created in step 2. Draw the number of treads to be the Winder section. 



    In this example, 4 treads are used. 
  4. Press the Space Bar to return to the Select Objects  tool. Click once on the winder section of stairs to select them.  
  5. Press and hold the Alt key while clicking and dragging the edit handle at the top of the Winder stair section in the direction you want.  

    This allows you to change the second straight segment into a curved one.  
  6. Next, using the Straight Stair tool, attach a section of stairs to the end of the Winder where the stairs stop to finish the staircase.  

    You staircase should now look similar to the image above.  

  7. Move the staircase into the corner you want it placed, and use the Open Object  tool to open the Staircase Specification dialog box, then check the box for Winders.  
  8. Click OK to apply the change, and the winders will now snap into the corner.