What Are Witches’ Stairs? The Bizarre Home Design Choice Explained

Witches’ stairs are a distinctive, if not odd, design element that first appeared on TikTok in March of a few years ago. The stairs have a peculiar past, but not for the reason that their name would suggest. They are a ballfing design that was allegedly not founded on superstition. Furthermore, they can be both aesthetically beautiful and practical when fitted and planned correctly.

The stairs of witches are not what they seem.

 

Witches' stairs

Witches’ staircases are surprisingly useful, especially in small homes, although they are considerably less intriguing than the belief that underlies them. They could be found in tiny homes, lofts, and attics. Witches’ stairs were basically made to be as space-efficient as possible without sacrificing the ability to move between floors. They are frequently referred to as “alternate tread stairs” by architects.

The Function of Witches’ Stairs

Staircase with wavy steps with a trash bag and floor mat in the background.

There were two ways in which this design was meant to conserve space. The steps are staggered after being only half as broad as conventional steps. Because they work together to ensure that a staircase isn’t as large as one seen in a regular home, let alone a grand staircase, both contribute to space savings. These tiny staircases could also be used to showcase treasures or provide extra book storage. “Theoretically, an alternating-tread stair has more free tread area and is therefore safer because the distance between treads on a given side is actually twice the unit rise,” according to Scott Schuttner, author of “Basic Stairbuilding.”

Witches’ stairs are not just operational. They meet all U.S. building laws and safety standards, despite what many people think. The typical width of a staircase is three feet. A residential witches’ staircase, on the other hand, is normally 27 to 30 inches broad.

Actual Beginnings

Staircase appearing like boxes.

A metal version of witches’ stairs was patented in 1985 by a businessman by the name of J.M. Lapeyre. He had an idea for a breakthrough stair alternative that would replace dangerous ladders in confined places in both commercial and warehouse situations. Intriguingly, the design—also known as ship steps or ship ladders, in addition to witches’ stairs and alternate tread stairs—is also utilized on oil rigs and commercial ships.

Zig Zag staircase

An urban legend was created alongside the recordings of witches’ staircases when they initially went viral on TikTok in 2021. According to folklore, the staircases were built in the 17th century. Because “witches can’t climb up them,” they were allegedly incorporated into Massachusetts homes to deter witches during the Salem witch trials.Although this theory has subsequently been refuted, another one still exists. The design for witches’ stairs is frequently referred to as the Jeffersonian or Jefferson stair because it is rumored that Thomas Jefferson came up with the idea. However, “Monckton’s One Plane Method Of Hand Railing and Stair Building,” which was published in 1888, also included documentation of an original design.

Dispelling the Myth

Unusually shaped staircase

One thing is evident despite the somewhat hazy beginnings of design. The claim that witches’ stairs were built with the intention of keeping witches away is unsupported by any historical evidence. Robin Briggs claims that there isn’t “any mention of stairs that could disable witches” in “the massive historical literature, nor the many manuscript sources” that he has reviewed. Interestingly, a lot of folks who had this special stairway also had “buried witch bottles under the threshold.” Briggs clarified that it “is indeed pure disinformation” to have “incorporated dead cats in the fabric, as protection against bewitchment.””The closest belief was that a witch entering the room would be unable to leave if a broom was placed over the door lintel.”

While conjecturing about myths and stories is entertaining, discovering the real history of witches’ steps is as fascinating. In any event, they’re a fun and eccentric way to decorate, if not a distinctive and ornamental substitute for full-size staircases.

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