Standard geometry
L-shape stairs
90° turn with a landing. Common in homes with constrained footprints.
- 90° turn at landing
- Landing built into stringer system
- Best for tight floor plans
- Code-compliant rise/run
- Est. 198739 yrs
- Family-Owned
- Veteran-Owned
- 4.8★ Verified
- Lehigh Valley
Definition
What is a l-shape stair?
An L-shape stair makes a 90-degree turn at a flat landing built into the stringer system, splitting the rise into two shorter flights. The landing makes the turn safer and easier than winder treads, making it the standard choice for constrained townhome and colonial footprints.
Built & reviewed by Snyder Stairs · Whitehall, PA · Est. 1987 · Updated June 2026
How it compares
How does a turn-style stair save space?
The trade-off across the turning configurations is footprint versus comfort. A landing is easiest to walk; a winder is the most compact. Here is where each one sits.
| Configuration | Turns on | Footprint | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| L-shape | Flat square landing | Largest of the turns | Comfort, code rest point |
| Winder | Pie-shaped treads | Most compact | Tight footprints, basements |
| Switch-back | Mid-landing, 180° | Stacked / vertical | Apartments, stair towers |
| Curved | Custom-radius arc | Open sweep | Formal foyers, statement |
L-shape stairs FAQs
Common questions about l-shape stairs.
Q: What's the difference between an L-shape stair and a winder?
An L-shape stair turns at a flat square landing; a winder turns on pie-shaped (tapered) treads with no landing. The landing makes the L-shape safer and more comfortable to walk, while a winder saves the floor space the landing would occupy.
Q: How much floor space does an L-shape stair need?
The landing adds roughly one tread-depth of footprint in each direction at the turn. We confirm exact dimensions at the site measure against your rough opening and the code rise/run for your jurisdiction.
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