Staircases
Straight stairs, stairs with landings, quarter turns, switchbacks, imperial palace staircases, horseshoe staircases, floating stairs, garden steps, terraces, ladders and tower stairs. Pick the height and the steps, and the tool works out the number of steps, the landings and the headroom for you. For a spiral stair around a pole, use the spiral staircase planner.
Side elevation
The dotted line is the walking line. Red = not enough headroom. Click a layer to view it below.
Build breakdown
Flights and landings, from bottom to top
| Part | Steps | From | To | Length |
|---|
Blocks per part
| Part | Count | Stacks |
|---|
Build tips
3D and layer-by-layer build plan
To Minecraft
Download the design as a schematic file and paste it into your world with WorldEdit, or rebuild it with a hologram in Litematica.
Shopping list
Put the counts of this design on your list. There you see everything together, converted to stacks and shulker boxes.
How it is calculated
History and fun facts
Stairs in ancient times
Thousands of years ago people already cut steps into rocks and hills. The ziggurats of Mesopotamia had long staircases leading to the temple on top.
In Greek theaters and Roman arenas the rows of seats were a kind of giant staircase themselves. Narrow stairs between them took the audience up.
Stairs in castles
In medieval castles stairs were often narrow and turned around a central post. That way they fit inside a tower. Straight stairs along the wall existed too, sometimes built on arches.
You can build on arches in Minecraft as well. The tool has an example for it: the castle stair on arches.
Blondel's rule
In the 17th century the French architect François Blondel wrote a rule for comfortable stairs. Two times the height of a step plus its depth should be about one stride, around 63 centimeters.
In Minecraft the sizes are fixed: a stair block is half a block high and one block deep. That is why a stair of stair blocks always climbs at 45 degrees. With slabs or deeper treads it becomes gentler.
Palace and horseshoe staircases
In the Baroque period staircases became a showpiece. In an imperial staircase one wide flight goes up and then splits in two at the landing. You see it in palaces such as the Würzburg Residence.
At the Palace of Fontainebleau in France there is a famous horseshoe staircase in the courtyard. Two curved flights meet at the entrance.
Garden steps and terraces
The Spanish Steps in Rome, built between 1723 and 1725, connect a square with a church on the hill. They have wide landings to rest on.
On steep slopes farmers make terraces with steps between them. The vineyards of Lavaux in Switzerland and the rice terraces of Banaue in the Philippines are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Headroom and safety
On a real staircase you need enough space above your head so you do not bump it. A railing is important too.
In Minecraft a player is 1.8 blocks tall, so you need at least 2 blocks of space. With 3 blocks it feels roomier. The tool colors spots red where there is not enough headroom.
Did you know?
- The Spanish Steps in Rome have about 135 steps and were built between 1723 and 1725.
- A player in Minecraft is 1.8 blocks tall.
- A stair in Minecraft is half a block high, so you walk up it without jumping.
- Scaffolding arrived in Minecraft with the Village & Pillage update, version 1.14 from 2019.
- The Lavaux vineyard terraces have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007.
- The Château de Chambord in France has a famous double spiral staircase, on which two people do not meet.
About this tool
The Staircase planner is a free Minecraft staircase generator. You choose from thirteen types: a straight stair, one with a landing, an L-stair, a U-stair or switchback, three flights around a stairwell, an imperial stair, a double horseshoe staircase, a curved stair, a floating stair, garden steps with planters, terraces, a ladder or scaffolding, and a stair along the walls of a tower.
Fourteen examples give you a quick start, from a cellar stair to a castle stair on arches. You set the total height, the width, the depth per step and the landings. You make the steps from stairs, slabs or blocks. You also choose a railing, balusters, newel posts and the underside.
The tool works out the number of steps, the run length and the headroom for you. In the side elevation you see in red where you would bump your head. The plan per layer shows where every block goes. With Upper floor set to Show with opening you also see the opening in the floor.
The 3D view and the layer-by-layer build plan show the result from every side. With the block palette you give the steps, railing and landing each their own block. The materials calculator converts everything to stacks and shulker boxes.
Download the staircase as a .schem file for WorldEdit or Litematica. For a spiral stair around a pole there is the spiral staircase planner.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a nice staircase in Minecraft?
Choose a staircase type that suits your building and set the total height. Build the bottom and top step first, so you know for sure it fits. A railing and a smooth underside of upside-down stairs finish it off.
How much headroom do I need?
A player is 1.8 blocks tall, so at least 2 blocks. With 3 blocks it feels roomier and you can jump without bumping your head. In the side elevation you see red where it is too tight.
Stairs, slabs or blocks: what is the difference?
With stair blocks you walk up at 45 degrees without jumping. With slabs every step is half a block, so you need twice as many steps and the climb is gentler. With full blocks you have to jump at every step.
How do I build a staircase in a small space?
Choose a U-stair or switchback. It goes back and forth with a landing in the middle and takes little space. An L-stair fits well in a corner. For very little space a ladder or a spiral staircase is handy.
How do I make a grand palace staircase?
Choose the Imperial palace staircase or Horseshoe staircase of the château example. Make the stair wide and give the landing enough depth. Low stone walls or glass panes as a railing and newel posts with lamps give it a grand look.
Can I build this in Bedrock?
Yes, the side elevation and the plan per layer work in every edition. The .schem file is for Java Edition with WorldEdit or Litematica.