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Home / Stair Guides

Butterfly Stairs

Split staircase with two flights diverging from central landing

Trusted across thousands of fit checks · updated daily
400 questions answered

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Quick answer

Can I move furniture up butterfly stairs?

Most furniture can navigate without special techniques. Butterfly Stairs have a minimum clearance of 36 inches. The 180° turn allows furniture reorientation.

Moving Difficulty: Easy

Standard Dimensions

Standard butterfly stairs dimensions (in)
DimensionMeasurement
Width72"
Minimum Clearance (critical)36"
Headroom84"
Total Rise105"
Tread Depth11"
Riser Height7.5"
Number of Risers14
Landing size: 60" × 60" provides space for furniture reorientation.
Standard stair dimensions aren't the whole story — check whether your exact item clears this staircase, including the turn and headroom.Check stair fit →

Turn Configuration

180° landing split turn — allows furniture reorientation at the turn point.

Building Code Compliance

  • IRC Residential: Compliant
  • IBC Commercial: Compliant
  • ADA Accessible: Compliant

Moving Tips for Butterfly Stairs

  • Measure your furniture and the stair clearance before moving
  • Remove doors at top and bottom of stairs for extra clearance
  • Use furniture sliders or moving blankets to protect walls
  • Have at least 2 people for heavy items

Measure smart

What to measure.

Four numbers decide nearly every fit check. Get these right and the rest follows.

  1. 01Minimum clearance — the narrowest point along the entire flight
  2. 02Stair width between walls or railings
  3. 03Headroom and the diagonal at any turn or landing
  4. 04Your furniture's smallest dimension in every orientation

Don't make these

Common mistakes.

Most “it didn't fit” stories trace back to one of these oversights.

  1. ⚠Measuring the step width but missing a tighter pinch at a turn or overhang
  2. ⚠Forgetting headroom — a low ceiling or soffit can stop a tall item
  3. ⚠Assuming a landing lets you reorient when a winder turn does not
  4. ⚠Underestimating how much a handrail narrows the usable width

Go deeper

Related guides & calculators

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Frequently asked

Questions we keep getting.

  • What are the standard dimensions of Butterfly Stairs?

    Standard butterfly stairs have a width of 72 inches, tread depth of 11 inches, and riser height of 7.5 inches. The total rise is 105 inches with 14 risers.

    01
  • Can a sofa fit up butterfly stairs?

    Yes, most standard sofas (up to 84" wide) can fit up butterfly stairs with 36" clearance. The key is to tilt the sofa and navigate it diagonally.

    02
  • What is the minimum clearance for moving furniture up butterfly stairs?

    The minimum clearance on butterfly stairs is 36 inches. This is the narrowest point furniture must pass through. For safe passage, furniture's smallest dimension should be at least 2-3 inches less than this clearance.

    03

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