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Home / Stair Guides

Scissor Stairs

Two interlocking independent stairways in one shaft for fire safety

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

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Quick answer

Can I move furniture up scissor stairs?

Most furniture can navigate without special techniques. Scissor Stairs have a minimum clearance of 44 inches. The 180° turn allows furniture reorientation.

Moving Difficulty: Easy

Standard Dimensions

Standard scissor stairs dimensions (in)
DimensionMeasurement
Width44"
Minimum Clearance (critical)44"
Headroom80"
Total Rise105"
Tread Depth11"
Riser Height7.5"
Number of Risers14
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 turn — allows furniture reorientation at the turn point.

Building Code Compliance

  • IRC Residential: Not compliant
  • IBC Commercial: Compliant
  • ADA Accessible: Compliant

Moving Tips for Scissor 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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  • Floating StairsGuide
  • Cantilevered StairsGuide
  • Butterfly StairsGuide
  • Imperial StairsGuide
  • Geometric StairsGuide
  • Alternating Tread StairsGuide
  • Ship Ladder StairsGuide
  • Split Level StairsGuide
  • Folding StairsGuide
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Frequently asked

Questions we keep getting.

  • What are the standard dimensions of Scissor Stairs?

    Standard scissor stairs have a width of 44 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 scissor stairs?

    Yes, most standard sofas (up to 84" wide) can fit up scissor stairs with 44" clearance. The key is to tilt the sofa and navigate it diagonally.

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

    The minimum clearance on scissor stairs is 44 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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