Notes:
- Stair parts can be made from many materials and can be styled as desired.
- Many stair parts have many names such as baluster, spindle and picket.
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| Term | Definition |
| 4" ball rule | - a common building code requirement mandating that a 4" sphere cannot pass through the balustrade's components; a staircase safety feature preventing childrens and pets from getting stuck or falling through |
| 6" ball rule | - for metal or similar railing system with a bottom rail or cable, a common building code requirement mandating that a 6" sphere cannot pass through the trianguar-shaped area bouned by the tread, the riser and the bottom rail; a staircase safety feature preventing childrens and pets from getting stuck or falling through |
| articulated stair | - a stair type or configuration as may be installed on floating roof tanks or on dock facilities; a stair type where the angle of the stair changes with the rise and fall of the base support |
| balcony height | - the vertical height between the lower floor and the top of the balcony handrail |
|
baluster |
- a vertical staircase part between the top rail and the bottom rail or tread; often made from turned wood or fabricated out of metal; also known as spindles or pickets (especially on the exterior) |
| banister | - another name for balustrade, sometimes referred to as the balustrade of the staircase; the handrail and it's supporting system (i.e. balusters and newels) |
| balustrade | - a complete rail system; mostly, the parts above the treads and risers |
| bending rail | - specially cut wood rail allowing (flexible) bending or turning to match the bend of the staircase |
| bending mold | - a bending tool (product) that helps in forming (curving) bending rail and protects the underlying rail from clamp damage; its profile must match the profile of the bending rail and its outside surface is flat allowing clamping; used on both sides of the bending rail |
| bifurcated stair | - a common staircase design often used in large, high traffic buildings where a wide, common flight is bifurcated or separated into two smaller flights at the next level |
| bottom rail | - the lower rail component running parallel with the floor or with the stair on the rise; the balustrade part that terminates spindles at the bottom and, on the sides connects to newel posts |
| bowed starting step | - a decorative first stair style which is wider than the other stairs; these extended side (single) or sides (double) are often designed larger staircase spaces |
| box newel | - a newel in the (vertical) shape of a box or square as opposed to round or tubular; box newels tend to be larger in width and maybe hollow |
|
bracket |
- a decorative or ornamental staircase component mounted on the skirt board or stringer and often made from wood and about 3/8" thick; often with a scroll shape design; also see handrail bracket |
|
bull nose |
- the rounded front or outside edge of a tread or board |
| cap | - the over-the-post handrail fitting installed over a newel post for continuous or smooth handrail; cap is shorten version of tandem cap; also see tandem cap |
| cap rail | - the part of the rail where the hand is placed; also call handrail |
|
carriage |
- the supporting framing underneath stairs; the carriage is part of the stringer; the angled part of a stringer supporting the stair system; the resting place for treads |
| circular stairs | - a staircase with no center post but has two outside handrails; also see 'helical stairs'; a type of staircase characterized by its number of turns |
|
closed stringer |
- a style staircase where the treads are not visible from the side; also known as box or boxed stairs; as opposed to 'open stringer' |
| cove mould | - an inside corner finish trim piece which has a concave profile (as opposed to a shoe mold); decorative, finish moulding mounted under the treads; typical cove mould sizes: 5/8" x 13/16" or 3/4" x 5/8" |
| curtain entry | - the bottom, staircase entry step that has an extended side (or sides) often styled with a volute(s) |
|
curved stairs |
- a staircase that curves as it ascends usually to turn a corner or just to make a turn |
| cut string | - a modified string (or stringer) with its upper edge cut-away allowing the profile view of the treads and risers to show |
| degree of ascent | - the rake or incline of a staircase; the slope measured in degrees |
| dowel | - tube-shaped (pencil like) wood fastener used to connect (often with glue) two like materials such as a wood baluster to a stringer; also called a dowel pin |
|
easing |
- a class of handrail components; often a curved, connecting handrail component often used to change the handrail angle such a when the handrail leads to a landing or makes a turn |
| false riser | - a special type of riser primarily for staircases with continuous, center-of-staircase carpeting; these risers are shorter in length, are about 1/2" in depth (matching carpet height) and are attached at the sides with carpeting later laid in the middle; also see false tread |
| false tread | - a special type of tread primarily for staircases with continuous, center-of-staircase carpeting; these treads are shorter in length, are about 1/2" in depth (matching carpet height) and are attached to the step at the sides with carpeting later laid in the middle; also see false riser |
| false tread kit | - a collection of false tread components that often includes the false tread, front and side mouldings and the false riser |
| field | - the design area between the handrail at the top and bottom rail or the treads |
|
fillet |
- a finishing (underside) board used to fill-in the plow (area) between balusters on a plowed handrail and shoe rail |
|
finial |
- a decorative, finish part placed atop a newel (post); usually made from a wood-turned part and has a dowel-like bottom |
| fitting |
- the general term for shaped wood (or iron) that extends and changes the direction of handrail; has several varieties such as volutes, turnouts, tandem caps, easings and goosenecks - any minor, matching staircase part |
| flight | - a series of steps reaching from one landing to the next; an uninterrupted set of stairs, straight or curved |
| floor to floor | - the vertical measurement taken from the top of the lower finished floor to the top of the next finished floor; the total rise of a stair; the height of a spiral stair |
| flute | - a decorative vertical groove(s) in a baluster or a newel or vertical groves of similar design |
| glue block | - a small, properly cut board glued to other staircase pieces to provide additional support or strength to the area |
| going | - the distance from the nosing edge to the edge of next nosing in plan view; the distance a person would traverse forward with each step taken |
| gooseneck | - a handrail component that allows a vertical change of direction or to lower the handrail from a floor or landing down to the height of the handrail on the stair below; often for use at a balcony or landing; some gooseneck designs also turn left or right |
| gradient of a stair | - the angle of inclination or the ratio (expressed in degrees) between the stair run (horizontal distance) and the rise of the stair (vertical distance) |
| guard | - staircase railing or protective railing; see 'guardrail' below |
| guardrail | - the protective railing to prevent people, pets or objects from falling through a staircase or open balcony; composed of newels, balusters and, at a minimum, a top rail |
| half newel | - a newel post that's usually cut vertically in half and then mounted against a wall for asethetic purposes; a special purpose, wall-mounted, (and usually a) post-to-post newel post |
| handing | - for some special stair parts, the installed direction is left or right handed; the handing direction (left or right sided) is determined by standing at the staircase base or starter step and looking up or ascending the staircase |
| handrail | - the top part of the balustrade and often made from metal or wood; the underside often has holes to receive the balusters |
| handrail bracket | - a wall-mounted part, often made from metal, which fastens the rail to a wall |
| handrail clearance | - the distance between a handrail and another nearby object or surface such as a wall; a stair building code compliance measurement to ensure adequate handrail gripping |
| headroom |
- the vertical distance from the top of the finished floor surface at the bottom of the staircase to the finished floor surface at the top of the staircase; most codes require 6' 6" - 6' 8" headroom |
| helical stairs | - a spiral staircase which does not have a center pole and has a handrail on both sides; somewhat visually similar to a DNA strand |
| knee wall | - the small, top capped, side wall of a staircase hiding the treads and risers; also the very small wall on a closed stringer or the board above the tread and riser |
| landing | - the large, horizontal standing surface at the top of a flight of stairs or in the middle of a staircase |
| landing newel | - the longest newel (post) used at landings or balconies |
| landing tread | - a stair part used at the top of a stairway or at the beginning of a balcony and transitions into the landing |
| lateral | - the curved top rail component that connects to a newel post; another name for a specialized handrail fitting |
| left hand stair | - a stair with a left-side balustrade while ascending |
| level quarter turn | - a handrail fitting that allows a 90 (to 135 degree) turn, on the same plane and where no newel is used; often used to return to a wall or handrail around the corner |
| level rail | - handrail on a balcony or landing; non-rake handrail |
| line of travel | - a staircase's line of walk or traverse; a factor used to determine widing or spiral tread depth |
| lineal nosing | - a finish trim piece, often with a rounded front edge, which attaches to the leading (front) side of a tread |
| mold or molding | - a decorative finish piece often applied and running vertically or laterally near a staircase; also known as trim; can be a simple as a quarter turn or as have a fancy, intricate profile |
| newel | - the large vertical, structural component extending vertically from the thread (or near the thread) ending at the handrail; often placed at regular intervals, turns or transitions of the railing; also called a newel post |
| newel mounting plate | - a steel plate used to connect a newel to the staircase or floor; has numerous pre-drilled holes to allow screwing up into the newel and down into the staircase or floor. |
| nosing | - the rounded tread front or outside edge (material); often made from a hard, hard-to-scratch material and often rounded |
| open flight | - a staircase that is exposed or without a wall on one or both sides of the threads; also called an open stair |
| open stair |
- a staircase style where the treads are exposed (viewable) from the side and the balusters are attached to the treads; the staircase may or may not have risers. |
| open stringer - | - a staircase design style where the sides of the treads are exposed or can be seen; conversely, see closed stringer |
| opening cap - | - a horizontal handrail termination piece, one side connects to the handrail and the other side is typically rounded for use with a pin top newel |
| open well stair - | - a staircase design where the treads visible at the ends |
| over easing | - a handrail fitting used to transition from a sloped (or rake) rail to level rail; a non-gooseneck handrail easing for transitions |
| over the post | - a balustrade or rail style where the balustrade rail is over the top of the newel; the newel connect to the rail from the underside; an over the post staircase makes for a great slide; also see 'post-to-post' |
| parapet | - a small or low wall (or railing) at the horizontal edge of a platform or roof; a small wall or barrier constructed for safety purposes |
| picket | - another name for a baluster; also see spindle; the vertical railing component between the top rail and the bottom rail |
| pin top baluster | - a baluster configured to have a round, dowel (or rounded like a dowel) top designed to fit into the drilled underside of a handrail made ready to receive the baluster's top |
| pitch | - the angle of the staircase as determined by the staircase's rise (vertical distance) and run (horizontal distance); often express in degrees |
| pitchblock | - a carpenter or fabricator's tool set (or adjusted or marked) to the staircase's pitch (rise and run) which facilitates marking (where to cut) and, by extension, where to subsequently precision-cut curved pieces (such as easings) |
| plowed rail | - a specially configured (larger) handrail designed to be mounted over a smaller square-top baluster rail; the underside of the handrail has been cut away as if it's been plowed |
| plug | - a circular, finishing part, often used in wooden railing, that covers a drilled hole which accesses fastening hardware |
| post | - the vertical staircase component which supports the handrail; see newel |
| post-to-post | - a balustrade or rail style where the balustrade rail connects into the side of newels; often considered a classic rail style; also see 'over post' |
| profile | - the shape of a part when viewed from its side (as opposed to the most common or typical view, the a front view); also know as profile view; wood railing is often shown in profile view to see its style |
| quarter turn fitting | - a handrail transition component that allows a 90 degree or 1/4 turn of the handrail |
| rail | - the hand support system in a stair system; also see rail system |
| rail plug | - a hole-filing, round wood plug; a finish plug used to fill the hole drilled into newel posts and rails for component fastening |
| rail system | - the upper part of a staircase system (including the handrail, newels, balusters and related fittings) and does not include the lower components such as risers, threads and related parts. |
| rake | - the slope or angle of the staircase; also known as pitch |
| rake rail | - a hand rail that matches the pitch or rake of the staircase (as opposed to level rail) |
| return nosing | - molding material applied to the exposed edge of a tread for protection and asethetics; also see nosing |
| right hand stair | - a stair with a right-side balustrade while ascending |
| rise | - the vertical distance between the two consecutive treads often measured between the top of a lower tread to the top of the next higher tread |
| riser | - the vertical plane or face of a step usually around 7" in height. |
| riser-tread formula | - a math formula used to determine rise distance, for example, riser (7") + tread (10.6") = 17 to 18" |
| rosette | - a decorative finish piece, often circular or round, which mounts to a wall and receives the handrail |
| run | - the horizontal distance between to consecutive risers; the distance between the face of one riser to the face of the next riser |
| S fitting | - a handrail fitting that snakes left or right for turns around walls (thereby eliminating mitre cuts in the handrail) |
| scraper | - a wood-removing hand tool to help finish or plane the surface of two, now-connected rail pieces; most often scrapers are made to match the handrail's profile to speed the surface matching work |
| shoe rail or shoerail |
- a specially cut base or bottom rail which often receives the bottom end of balusters and is often installed over a knee wall |
| shoe mold | - an inside corner finish trim piece which has a convex profile (as opposed to a cove mold); usually installed where the first riser abuts the finished floor |
| shoe rail | - a plowed or cutout mold designed to receive a baluster's square end; a mold often used at bases such as at the base of the starter step |
| skirtboard or skirt board | - the decorative finish board running up the open sides of the staircase; usually a 1'x10"; the board or material protecting the wall along the side of a closed stair |
| soffit | - the visible sloping under-surface of a flight; the bottom or underside of a staircase |
| spindle | - a special type of baluster; a vertical, turned (or carved) baluster, often round, between the handrail and the tread or stringer. |
| splay | - to form with an oblique angle; make slanting; bevel; to spread out, expand, or extend |
| spiral stairs | - a type of stair case that spirals or bends or is circular; also called helical stairs especially when without side walls. |
| square top baluster | - a square top baluster style usually matches its lower squared end; a baluster style that fits into plowed handrail (at the top) or shoe rail (at the bottom) and is often used with fillet material. |
| stair | - a series of treads and risers, the two making a (single) step; a series or flight of steps; a stairway or a winding stair |
| stairwell | - a framed opening in a floor for staircase |
| start easing or starting easing | - an over-the-post type of handrail part that starts the handrail and often used when there is not enough space for a turn out or volute |
| starter step | - the first step (including the first riser) of a stair; a decorative, flat or bowed front, often with round ends, wider-than-other-steps first step |
| steel insert | - a small hardware wood-to-wood fastening sub-part with internal and external threads; a part inserted into a drilled newel hole or similar and when a bolt is inserted into this part and tightened the joint is stronger than a bolt-only method |
| step | - one single unit of a stair comprised of a tread and riser |
| square top baluster | - a baluster (top) which has a square top for mounting into a plowed rail or fillet (as opposed to dowel top) |
| stair cap | - a cover for existing steps or treads; a partial or complete step cover that is anti-slip or has other benefits. |
| stair tread | - the horizontal step surface |
| start easing | - a decorative starting handrail component that's straight (as opposed to a volute) |
| starting tread or step | - the first tread and riser or stair often rounded for ascetic purposes. |
| stairwell | - the large opening in a floor to accommodate a staircase |
| stringer | - the inclined board(s) or structural material spanning the length of a flight that supports or holds up the treads and risers; often constructed on the sides; skirtboards trim this part |
| T-shaped stair | - a stair style with an intermediate landing that splits the stair into a left and right (usually ascending) stairs |
| tandem cap | - a decorative, profile-matching, horizontal handrail component attached atop a newel post; a handrail union |
| tapered step | - a step on a winding (winder) or curved staircase |
| top lid | - a finish sub-part that covers a fastening hole (port) and trim finishes its parent part; most easings have special internal fasteners and access to the fastening port is covered by this part |
| total going | - see 'total run' |
| total run | - the horizontal distance form the first riser to the last riser |
| tread | - the horizontal, left-to-right board (or surface) that one steps |
| tread depth | - the measurement from the nosing edge to the vertical riser (or from the nosing edge to the backside of the tread) |
| tread bracket | - see 'bracket' above |
| turnout or turn out | - a decorative, beginning or first rail piece that attaches to the rail and typically flares left or right. |
| U-shaped stair | - a stair style (with at least two flights) that changes direction 180 degrees |
| up easing | - an over-the-post curved handrail fitting permitting the rail to change the slope; usually used that the top or bottom of an over-the-post run |
| volute |
- a rounded decorative top handrail piece beginning the railing; often called a lateral - a rounded, decorative way to start the bottom of a staircase; comprised of multiple balusters and may have a centered newel; |
| walk line or walkline | - an imaginary line (usually for a curved staircase) away from the inner edge on which people are expected to walk or ascend the staircase; a building code minimum tread depth dimension (at the walkline) |
| wall rail | - a wall-attached handrail or one fastened directly to a wall with a mounting bracket |
| wall rail bracket | - a usually metal bracket that fastens wall rail to a wall |
| winder | - a special type of tread for a turning staircase; a tread style variation used on a turning staircase at a mid-staircase landing; the inside run of the tread is narrow and much wider on the outside run of the tread; a type of staircase that curves |
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