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Stair Terms/Glossary
Here's
a Glossary of Stair Terms for your information.
Select a Letter:
B
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C
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F
- G
- H
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L -
K -
L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
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W
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Balcony Rail
-
protective railing, as along the
upstairs sections of the stairway.
-
Baluster
-
A narrow vertical member which helps
support the handrail.
-
Balustrade System
-
A Collective term which refers to the newels,
balusters and handrail on a particular stairway, also commonly know as a
Banister.
-
Banister
- The banister
refers to the system of parts that combine to make the stairway. A banister is
usually the combination of handrail, newels, stair treads, balusters and
assorted trim pieces.
-
Box Newel
- A large, square hollow newel used in a post-to-post
balustrade system, this type of post is used in Craftsman and Mission systems.
-
Box Stair
- A stairway which is fully enclosed by walls and
routed stringers on both sides.
-
Bullnose
- Edge details usually used on tread and landings.
-
up
- Cap
-
Used in an over-the-post balustrade system. The part
of the fitting which widens in order to sit on a newel.
- Closed Stairs
-
A
staircase in
which the ends of the treads are not visible to the outside. The opposite is an
open stairs. Same as a box stair.
-
Circular Stairway
-
A curved stairway which is mounted on stringers
rather than a central pole.
- Cove Molding
-
A trim piece that is usually installed under treads,
landing tread, and wall cap.
-
- up
- Fillet
-
Strips, generally flat, which fill the plow between
square top balusters on plowed handrail and shoe rail.
-
Full Tread
- A solid oak step for a wood step instead of
carpet or having tread ends with carpet.
-
(FYI: solid treads add a significant
cost to a stairway)
- up
- Gooseneck
-
A handrail fitting consisting of an up-easing, a
vertical rail drop and a level cap. It is used at a landing or balcony to raise
the rake handrail to the height of the balcony handrail.
- Guard Rail
-
A protective
railing designed to prevent people or objects from falling into open well,
stairwell or other open spaces.
- top
-
Hand Rail
-
A molded detail
rail following the pitch or rake of the staircase, and forming the top or
connecting piece of the balustrade which protects the outside of the stair.
- top
- Knee
Wall
-
A low wall in
the area of the stair case where the banisters in mounted
on the wall.
- top
-
-
Landing
-
Landings
are often used to change the direction of a stair.
A resting
place, or wide step at the middle or top of a flight of stairs.
-
Landing Tread
-
Narrow tread nosing situated above the top riser or
along the upper edge of a balcony or landing. This gives the appearance of a tread at the
top of the stairway.
 .
- Level Quarter Turn
-
A level handrail fitting which turns by 90 degrees.
-
Level Rail
-
Handrail which runs level along a landing or
balcony.
- up
- Mission
-
A style of American furniture of the
early 20th century, created in California and characterized by the use of dark,
stained wood, by heaviness, and by extreme plainness.
- Mitered Return
-
A piece of handrail mitered onto a longer section of
handrail to provide a return to a wall.
- up
- Newel Post
-
The major support for a balustrade system. Newels
are larger in diameter than balusters and are located at the bottom and top of a
stairway or at a turn in the handrail.
-
Nosing
-
The portion of a tread or landing tread which
protrudes beyond the face of the riser.
- up
- Opening Cap
-
A handrail fitting at the start of a level
balustrade system.
-
On Wall
-
When an banister is mounted on a
knee wall.
-
Open Stair
-
A stairway not boxed in by walls on one or both
sides.
- Open Stringer
Stair
- A stringer
that is cut out for the treads and risers.
Open Riser Stair
- A staircase
designed with only the horizontal surfaces of the treads fixed to the stair
stringers. Vertical surfaces between treads are open (we often call it a
"Brady Bunch" stairs).
- Overhand Easing
-
A handrail fitting which connects a rake handrail
with a level handrail without the use of a gooseneck.
-
Over-The-Post Railing
-
using straight lengths of handrail
connected to handrail fittings and ramps, the handrail flows over the tops of
newel turnings creating a continuous run of handrail.
up
-
-
Paint Grade
-
Material that is to be painted
instead of staining, this type of material is not suitable for staining.
- Picket
-
See BALUSTER.
- Plow
- The routed portion of a handrail or shoe rail used
for the inserting of square balusters. The gaps left between balusters are
covered with fillet.
-
Plumb
- Perfectly vertical, perpendicular with the floor.
-
Post
(same as Newel Post)
- The major support for a balustrade system. Newels
are larger in diameter than balusters and are located at the bottom and top of a
stairway or at a turn in the handrail.
- Post-To-Post
- Balustrade system in which the handrail is not
continuous. The handrail is lagged into the face of a square-top newel.
- up
- Rail
-
The Hand Rail of a stair system.
-
Rail Fittings
-
Fittings are used in an over-the-post system for a
continuous handrail appearance through turns and changes in elevation.
- Rake
-
The angle of ascent of a stairway. This is
determined by the rise and run.
- Return Nosing
-
Tread nosing applied to the outside of an open tread
to cover end grain.
- Rise
-
The vertical measurement from the top of one tread
to the top of the next tread.
- Riser
-
The vertical component of a step which, along with
the stringers, supports the treads.
-
Rough Stringer
-
The
structural inclined boards (usually a 4"X12" beam like lumber) in which the
treads are attached. Stringers provide the support for the steps,
these stairs usually having no risers between the treads.
-
Rough Tread
-
This is the original structural
flooring on the steps and on the upstairs flooring in is of utility grade
material and not suitable for staining or finishing.
-
Run
-
The horizontal distance covered by the entire
stairway.
- up
-
- Shoe Rail
- A piece running along the floor or atop a routed
stringer which is plowed for the insertion of balusters and fillet.
 -
- Skirt Board
- Aesthetic board that runs
parallel on wall side or open side of stair.
-
Spindle
- Same as Baluster
-
Solid Tread
(also know as full tread)
- A solid oak step for a wood step instead of
carpet or having tread ends with carpet.
-
(FYI: solid treads add a significant
cost to a stairway)
-
 -
- Spiral Stairway
- A curved stairway which is mounted on a central pole
rather than on stringers.
We don't build or install these.
- Starting Easing
- A handrail fitting which is used at the bottom of a
stairway with a starting newel.
-
Starting Newel
- The newel used at the bottom of a stairway.
-
Stringers
- The supporting members which run the length of the
stairway on which treads, risers and balustrade are mounted.
- up
- Tandem Cap
-
A straight level handrail fitting with a newel cap.
Tandem caps generally are used on newels in long stretches of balcony handrail.
-
Tread
- The horizontal component of a step upon which one
walks (The Step).
-
Tread End
- Used in place of full length
treads as an standard alternative. Installed on the edge of the step allowing
carpet to cover the balance of the stair. False end treads when covered with
carpet look like solid treads and are less expensive than a solid wood tread.
 -
-
Turnout
- A handrail fitting used on a starting newel which
curves away from the stairway.
- up
- Up Easing
-
A handrail fitting which joins two handrails or
fittings at different angles in a graceful, pleasing manor.
- up
-
- Volute
-
A handrail fitting used on a starting newel which
turns away from the stairway in a circular fashion.
-
Volute Box
-
A radius box install at the bottom of the first step
when using a volute
-
- up
- Wall Rail
-
A handrail which is mounted on a wall and supported
by wall rail brackets rather than newels or balusters.
- Wall Rail Brackets
-
Metal supports for wall rail.
- Wall Tread
-
Tread that goes on the opposite side of the
balustrade tread end.
- up
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