Storage ideas for redundant stairway

[R D S]

I'm about to make a stairway redundant at work, there's a WC beneath so can't open the whole area up.

I'm thinking we'll use the space above the stairs for storage but how to make the most of it?

Some sort of ferris wheel like contraption? I'd be interested in other's ideas.

[T i m]

Probably not to stand another 'Lidl plastic utility cabinet' on the lower stairs ... ;-(

Do you have access to the side of the stairs?

On a much smaller scale, when I build a bed across the end wall over a worktop in the box room for stepdaughter I also built a set of free standing stairs (better for bare feet than ladders / steps) from a seat height platform at the bottom (first step onto the bottom step / seat) then up the 4 steps to the side of the bottom of the bed).

So, not only did you have an 18" cube at the bottom of the stairs for storage, but I also opened up the side from under the top tread down to the bottom, put a shelf across and also provided access into the back of the first riser from in there. The top tread was also accessible from the side like a pigeon hole.

Basically the whole internal volume was accessible it was surprising how much stuff it would take.

So *if* side access was available to you on yours, block off the bottom with a vertical 'wall' and then shelve / partition out the steps to suit the sort of things you might need to store?

If it isn't then I've seen different depth draws built around the lower steps, maybe with some bulk storage space on top?

Cheers, T i m

[Theo]

What do you want to store? Parts? Boxes? Paperwork? Timber? Sheet materials?

Is this a single flight of stairs (like you'd get in a normal house), or is it the kind where the stairs double back at a half-landing where the doors to two floors are directly above each other? Roughly what are the dimensions of the stairwell?

Theo

[The Natural Philosopher]

And is it part of a redundant fire escape route that will negate your liability insurance if you remove it?

I would absolutely ask your local fire station fire prevention officer to cast a beady, and if he oks it ask your insurance companie(s) what they need for proof that you are all kosher in terms of fire safety,.

[Robin]

And the dimensions of the person(s) requiring access?

[Steve Walker]

Surely you design using the British Standard Man? There is one. Although many people are taller or fatter these days and many women are shorter, but you can't design for every individual case.

[Adrian Caspersz]

Reminds me of this (mad) situation, skip forwards 4 minutes... but that's a whole flat.

Making A Disused Store Safe - Thomas nagy

[R D S]

Perhaps should have mentioned but (when mindful of) I try not to waffle...

We now have access externally, the whole of the upstairs is being brought into use.

[R D S]

An acquaintance had a unit with a high ceiling. He had a sort of floor to ceiling cabinet that had shelves in it that he could call up to present themselves at an opening at the front.

There were plainly 2 columns of shelves which could travel around and up and over.

I'm struggling to Google and find such.

[Theo]

You can get movable bookstacks for use in libraries:

Perhaps somebody does a vertical version?

Theo