A glossary of useful staircase terms

Terminology of a stair

Balusters or Uprights: vertical posts comprising the barrier in guards and railings

Balustrade: a railing or wall on a balcony or staircase

Going: the horizontal distance between one step and the next measured from nosing to nosing

Handrail: ‘the bit you hold’ to give stability and support whilst using a staircase

Nosing: the edge of the tread that protrudes over the riser beneath it

Riser: the near vertical spaces between one step and the next on the staircase

Stringer: is the housing on either side of a flight of stairs, into which the treads and risers are fixed

Tread: the horizontal part of a stair upon which people walk

The main types of staircases

Spiral Staircases: A spiral staircase is a staircase that as it rises, turns constantly around a central axis. This central pole means they don’t need to be attached to a wall and can be installed virtually anywhere within a property.

Curved Staircases: Unlike spiral staircases the treads on a curved staircase do not revolve around a central column instead they follow a gently flowing arc. They are often referred to as helical staircases.

Straight Staircases: Often used for an understated interior style straight staircase designs can vary depending on the intricacy required.

Dog-leg stairs are straight stairs that have a landing to change direction.

Spine beam staircases have a central single beam underneath supporting the treads underneath.

Cantilevered Staircases or Floating Stairs: This is a design where each tread is fixed only at one end, and the supporting structure for the treads is hidden often behind a wall. As a result, this gives the illusion that the stairs are ‘floating’, with no visible means of support – which can create a very dramatic effect.