---
title: Stairs, Ladders and Floor Levels
category: Floor Plans
tags: floor plans, stairs, ladders, levels, vertical movement
contextKey: floorPlans.stairsLaddersAndLevels
micro: Use Levels, stairs and ladders to make vertical movement believable.
quickTitle: Stairs, ladders and levels
quickSummary: Floor Levels control ordering, stairs link adjacent floors, and ladders can connect upward to higher locations.
screenshot:
---

# Overview

Levels tell PlotDirector which floor is above or below another. Ground Floor is usually `0`, First Floor is `1`, and Basement is `-1`.

This matters for vertical movement. Stairs and ladders are how the plan says that characters can move from one level to another.

# Stairs Up And Stairs Down

Stairs Up connect the current floor to the floor one level above. Stairs Down connect the current floor to the floor one level below.

When possible, PlotDirector treats stairs as one staircase. Adding stairs up creates the matching stairs down on the other floor, and adding stairs down can create the matching stairs up.

Stair markers sit inside the From Location rather than on a wall. This is because a staircase usually belongs to a room, hall or landing rather than being a wall opening.

# Position Within Location

Use Position Within Location to place stairs or ladders inside the room:

- Centre
- North
- South
- East
- West
- Corners

This is especially helpful when a room has more than one vertical route or when you are aligning stairs with the floor above.

# Ladders

Ladders are vertical movement too, but they are less formal than stairs. Use them for loft hatches, shafts, roof spaces, hidden access, maintenance routes or attic entries.

A ladder can connect to a location on any higher level. It does not need same-floor adjacency like a normal door.

# Reference Floor Overlay

Before adding stairs, turn on the reference floor overlay. Showing the floor above or below as a faint guide helps align landings, corridors and stair positions.

# Related Guides

- [Reference Floors, Backgrounds and Grid Guides](/Help/Article/floorPlans.referenceFloorsBackgroundsAndGrid)
- [Transitions, Doors and Entrances](/Help/Article/floorPlans.transitionsAndEntrances)