Marble staircase and balustrade

A staircase in solid marble with a turned stone balustrade, fitted to an existing structure. Every tread and riser was templated on site, because a built staircase is never quite as square as its drawing and a standard-cut tread will show every millimetre of the difference.

The balusters and handrail were made to suit the rake of the stair, with the newel posts set first and the run divided evenly between them. Solid marble treads take decades of traffic without the hollow wear or loosening that tiled steps develop, and outdoors they can be given a textured finish so they stay safe underfoot in the wet.