Current for 2026•As of: July 2026

Staircase Calculator Steps & Stair Dimensions.

Enter floor-to-floor height – get the number of steps, rise and going instantly per DIN 18065 and the German step formula

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Staircase Calculator

Calculate the number of steps, rise and going according to DIN 18065 and the German step formula.

200 cm350 cm
0 cm600 cm

Step formula per DIN 18065: 2 × rise + going = 63 cm. Target rise: 17.5 cm.

Number of steps

16 steps

Pace measurement: 61.67 cm · DIN 18065 OK

Rise (s)

17.50 cm

DIN-compliant (14–20 cm)

Going (a)

26.67 cm

DIN-compliant (23–37 cm)

Pace measurement

61.67 cm

DIN-compliant (59–65 cm)

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Calculating stairs correctly: DIN 18065 and the German step formula

Why 2×rise + going = 63 cm works

The German step formula, 2s + a = 63 cm (Schrittmaßformel), is the central tool of stair design. The value 63 cm corresponds to the average pace length of a person walking on level ground. When climbing stairs, the horizontal part of the step shortens as the foot is lifted – so two rises plus one going must together correspond to a normal pace. At a rise of 17.5 cm, this results in a going of 28 cm, and the pace measurement comes out to exactly 63 cm – the most comfortable configuration for residential buildings.

DIN 18065 in practice: this German building standard for stairs requires a rise between 14 and 20 cm for residential buildings. Too shallow (under 14 cm) makes a staircase feel unnatural and uses too much floor space. Too steep (over 20 cm) is tiring and hazardous, especially for older people. A rise of 17–18 cm is a good compromise between space requirements and comfort. Basement stairs may be built with a rise of up to 21 cm.

First and last steps: the number of steps always equals the number of rises, not the number of goings. The top step ends at the upper floor level (landing) – this level is included in the count. So: number of steps = number of rises, and the total run of the staircase in the floor plan is calculated as (number of steps − 1) × going depth.

Accessibility per DIN 18040: barrier-free stairs under DIN 18040-2 require a rise of no more than 18 cm and a going of at least 26 cm. In addition, high-contrast step nosings, handrails on both sides and a minimum landing of 120 cm × 120 cm are mandatory.

Stair types and typical dimensions

Stair dimensions by application

Residential stairs (standard)
Rise 17–18 cm, going 27–29 cm; comfortable for daily use
Basement stairs
Rise 18–21 cm, going 23–27 cm; steeper due to limited space
Barrier-free stairs
Rise ≤ 18 cm, going ≥ 26 cm; DIN 18040-2 handrails on both sides
Outdoor stairs
Rise 14–17 cm, going 29–33 cm; shallower for safety in wet conditions
Stairs with landing
Turns via a landing; more space-efficient than a straight flight; DIN 18065
Spiral staircase
Going at the inner radius ≥ 10 cm; suitable only for secondary use

Calculation examples

Standard house: floor-to-floor height 280 cm

Standard house: floor-to-floor height 280 cm
ItemAmount
Floor-to-floor height280 cm
÷ target rise 17.5 cm= 16.0 → 16 steps
Rise (280÷16)17.5 cm
Going (63–2×17.5)28.0 cm

Period building: floor-to-floor height 310 cm

Period building: floor-to-floor height 310 cm
ItemAmount
Floor-to-floor height310 cm
÷ target rise 17.5 cm= 17.7 → 18 steps
Rise (310÷18)17.22 cm
Going (63–2×17.22)28.56 cm

Frequently asked questions about the staircase calculator

Everything about number of steps, rise and DIN 18065

The step formula (Schrittmaßformel) is: 2 × rise + going = 63 cm. It is based on the average pace length of a person and ensures ergonomic stair climbing. At a rise of 17.5 cm, this gives: going = 63 – 2 × 17.5 = 28 cm. DIN 18065 defines the permitted range: rise 14–20 cm, going 23–37 cm.

Number of steps = floor-to-floor height ÷ target rise, rounded to a whole number. The optimal rise per DIN 18065 is 17.5 cm. At a floor-to-floor height of 280 cm: 280 ÷ 17.5 = 16 steps. Then the actual rise is calculated: 280 ÷ 16 = 17.5 cm. The number of steps equals the number of risers – i.e. every step, including the one ending at the upper landing level.

The floor-to-floor height is the height from the top of the finished floor (OKFF in German plans) of one storey to the top of the finished floor of the next storey. During the shell-construction phase, calculations are often based on structural (rough) dimensions, with the floor build-up added later. Typical floor-to-floor heights in residential buildings: ground floor 2.50–2.75 m, upper floor 2.40–2.60 m, period buildings up to 3.20 m.

DIN 18065 (the German standard for building stairs) specifies for residential buildings: rise 14–20 cm (17–19 cm preferred), going 23–37 cm (26–30 cm preferred), minimum clear headroom of 200 cm, and a minimum stair width of 80 cm (100 cm recommended). The pace measurement should be between 59 and 65 cm.

Typical single-family homes with a floor-to-floor height of 2.50–2.75 m have 14–16 steps. The most common configuration is 16 steps at a floor-to-floor height of 280 cm (17.5 cm rise, 28 cm going). Basement stairs are often steeper, with an 18–20 cm rise. Outdoor stairs frequently have a shallower rise of only 14–17.5 cm (shallower = safer in rain and snow).

Sources & calculation basis

Our calculations are based on the following official sources (as of: July 2026):

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