Northern Stainless Director and Operations Manager Darren Colbert said a stairway to heaven for a Fannie Bay home in Northern Territory meant minimal upkeep in a potentially corrosive environment.
“We wanted low maintenance because he (the home owner) is only 1km from the ocean,” Darren said. “He is well shielded from the sea but we still electropolished - to avoid tea staining.”
The staircase used 560 kilograms of grade 316 stainless steel supplied by Atlas Specialty Metals in Berrimah. Standing 4.5metres high and stretching out 3.5metres, the structure was built to complement the handrails around the pool area as well as the balustrades around the upper level of the dwelling.
A great deal of individual attention was given to the stair treads, using 3 millimetres of stainless steel which was laser cut and punched. Further laser cutting was used to provide aesthetic features under each step. The two main stringers used 6-inch stainless steel pipes, which were electropolished to achieve their final look.
The end result was a spiraling stairwell from the pool area to the upper level of the home, which requires only minimal maintenance and looks simply gold!
This article featured in Australian Stainless magazine - Issue 39, Autumn 2007.