Custom Stairs

Custom timber stairs manufactured in the Far North and designed to suit your home, layout, and project requirements.

Custom stairs made to suit your home

Designed Around Real Homes

Stairs are one of the most important elements in a home — structurally, visually, and functionally.

They’re also one of the hardest components to adjust once installed.

At Kiwi Carpentry, we design and manufacture custom stairs locally in the Far North, supplying projects across Northland. Our focus is on getting the fundamentals right early, so stairs are safe, compliant, and fit the home properly.

Designed and built to meet D1 requirements

All of our stairs are designed and manufactured to meet the D1 Access Routes requirements of the New Zealand Building Code.

D1 governs things like rise, going, pitch, headroom, and consistency — all of which directly affect how a stair feels to use and whether it complies.

By working within these standards from the outset, we help ensure:

  • stairs are comfortable and safe to use
  • compliance is considered early, not retrofitted
  • costly redesign or adjustment is avoided later

This is particularly important in renovation projects, where existing dimensions often create constraints.

Why stairs require careful planning

Unlike many building elements, stairs involve tight tolerances and little room for error.

Small inaccuracies in measurement or layout can quickly compound into bigger problems — affecting comfort, safety, and the overall look of the space.

Stair design needs to account for:

  • floor-to-floor heights
  • available opening size
  • headroom and clearances
  • compliance requirements
  • how the stair integrates with surrounding spaces

That’s why stair projects benefit from early thinking and experienced input.

Materials selected for strength and durability

Material choice plays a major role in how stairs perform over time.

For external stairs, we build with durability and stiffness front of mind. Our typical external stair construction includes:

  • H5 timber stringers, sized at 240 × 42, for strength and longevity
  • Double 135 × 42 timber treads for rigidity and reduced deflection
  • 15mm solid plywood risers for stability and consistency
  • Blocking and squeaker blocks installed to stiffen the structure and reduce movement

This approach creates a solid, well-supported stair that holds up to exposure and regular use.

Internal stair materials are selected to suit the project, finish requirements, and overall design intent.

Stair options to suit different finishes and budgets

Every stair has a different purpose — some are purely functional, while others are a key design feature within the home.

We offer a few different stair options depending on the look and finish you’re aiming for.

Standard stair construction

Our standard stair build is designed to be strong, durable, and practical, with materials selected for long-term performance.

This option is ideal for most projects where reliability, compliance, and strength are the priority.

Premium finish stairs

For clients wanting a cleaner and more refined look — particularly when the underside of the stair will be visible — we can supply a premium stair option.

This option is similar in structure and strength to our standard stairs, but is finished with greater attention to underside appearance. Instead of using a solid ply riser, we use a batten-style finish to create a cleaner look underneath.

Premium stairs are a popular choice for open-plan homes, feature staircases, and areas where the stair is a prominent visual element.

Kainga Ora stair systems (GripTread)

We also offer Kainga Ora stair solutions using GripTread, providing a reliable and efficient option for projects where speed, consistency, and straightforward installation are a priority.

Experience you can rely on

Because we work across renovation, restoration, and manufacturing, we understand how stairs behave in real homes — not just on drawings.

Many of the stair projects we’re involved in include:

  • existing homes with uneven floors
  • renovations where dimensions aren’t perfectly consistent
  • limited openings or tight access
  • the need to balance compliance with proportion and appearance

Our role is to help ensure the stair works practically, fits the space, and meets requirements — without unnecessary rework later.

Made-to-measure, not one-size-fits-all

Every stair we manufacture is made specifically for the project it’s going into.

We don’t rely on standard sizes or generic solutions. Instead, we focus on accurate information, clear communication, and preparation that allows the stair to install cleanly on site.

This approach helps:

  • reduce installation time
  • avoid last-minute adjustments
  • improve finish and consistency
  • reduce risk during final fit-out