Closed / housed stringers
the tread and riser ends fit into recesses in the stringer, leaving a continuous outer face along the flight.
Stair glossary
Parts of a staircase: a labeled guide to every stair part
A staircase combines structural parts that carry the steps with finish and safety parts you see and touch. The labeled diagram and glossary explain each term in plain language.
Labeled staircase diagram
The accessible diagram labels the tread, riser, nosing, stringer, landing, return nosing, skirt board, handrail, baluster, newel post, rise and run. Tinted parts are the parts that show the flooring.
Names of stair parts at a glance
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Tread | The horizontal surface you step on. |
| Riser | The vertical face between adjacent treads. |
| Nosing | The front edge of a tread where it meets or projects beyond the riser. |
| Stringer | A sloping structural member that supports the steps. |
| Landing | A level platform at the top, bottom or turn of a stair. |
| Return nosing | The finished nosing profile carried around an exposed tread end. |
| Skirt board | Trim along the wall side of the stair that covers the tread-and-riser joint. |
| Handrail | The rail you hold while going up or down the stairs. |
| Baluster | A post that fills the space below the railing on an open side. |
| Newel post | The larger post anchoring a railing at an end or turn. |
| Rise | The vertical height from one step to the next. |
| Run | The horizontal step depth measured from nosing to nosing. |
| Winder | A tapered tread that helps a stair change direction without a full landing. |
| Bullnose (starter) step | A starting step with a rounded end, distinct from a rounded nosing profile. |
| Headroom | The clear vertical space above the stair walking line, set by your local building code. |
| Kick plate / riser board | A name for the board or finish covering the vertical face between treads. |
| Spindle | Another name for a baluster in a stair railing. |
| Volute | A curled handrail end commonly found at the bottom of a stair. |
| Gooseneck | A shaped handrail fitting that changes the rail's height or direction. |
| Rosette | A decorative wall plate used where a handrail meets the wall. |
| Stair skirt | Another name for the skirt board running along the wall side of a stair. |
| Carriage | Another name for a stair stringer supporting the steps. |
Anatomy of a staircase: how the parts fit together
A staircase works as a connected system rather than a collection of separate finishes. Stringers carry the steps and transfer their load to the supporting structure. Landings provide level areas between flights or where the stair changes direction. The supports beneath those surfaces matter even when they are hidden by flooring or trim.
Treads are the surfaces you walk on, while risers close the vertical spaces between them on a closed stair. Open-riser stairs leave those spaces open. Rise and run describe the relationship between successive steps; dimensions and headroom are set by your local building code, not by the flooring selected for the project.
Nosing finishes the front edge of a tread. Return nosing continues that edge around an exposed end, and skirt boards cover the joint along a wall. The railing system brings together a handrail, supporting newel posts and balusters, also called spindles. These names describe different roles: structure supports, steps provide footing, trim finishes edges and the railing provides a handhold and guards the open side. Follow the diagram labels to connect each name with its position.
Types of stringers
Open / cut stringers
the top edge is cut to follow the tread-and-riser shape, with steps resting on the cut supports.
Mono / center stringers
a central structural member supports the treads rather than a stringer at each side; tread connections and support are part of the structural design.
Stringer type describes the supporting structure, not the flooring finish. Changes to that structure require qualified design and review; dimensions are set by your local building code.
Stair shapes and the parts they add
Straight stairs
a flight follows a single direction between levels, with treads, risers where enclosed, stringers and any required railing.
L-shaped stairs with a landing
a landing connects flights that turn a corner, adding landing edges and railing transitions.
U-shaped stairs
flights reverse direction, commonly around a landing, so the turn can add landing edges, newel posts and handrail fittings.
Winder stairs
tapered treads turn the walking path without a full landing; tread layout and usable walking space are set by your local building code.
Curved stairs / bullnose start
a curved flight changes direction along its length, while a bullnose starter step adds a rounded end at the base; a traditional railing may include a volute, gooseneck or rosette.
These are general staircase terms, not a list of Tread Space product capabilities. Existing stair shapes and exposed edges should be identified before finish parts are reviewed.
The steps: tread, riser and nosing
Tread
the horizontal surface you step on.
Riser
the vertical board between one tread and the next; open-riser stairs leave this space empty.
Nosing
the finished front edge of the tread where it meets or projects beyond the riser.
Rise and run
rise is the vertical step-to-step height; run is the horizontal depth measured nosing to nosing. Check local building code before changing a stair.
The structure: stringers and landings
Stringer
a sloped structural member supporting the steps. It may be cut/open or closed/housed.
Landing
a flat platform at the top, bottom or turn of a stair. The landing edge may also need nosing.
The edges: open sides, returns and skirt boards
Open side
a stair end not against a wall.
Return nosing
the finished piece carrying the front-edge profile around an exposed tread end.
Skirt board
trim running along the wall side of a stair and covering the tread-and-riser joint at the wall.
The railing system
Handrail
the rail held while climbing.
Baluster
a vertical post filling the space below a handrail on an open side.
Newel post
the larger post anchoring the handrail at the ends or turns. Check local code for safety dimensions and spacing.
Special steps and terms
Bullnose can mean a rounded nosing profile or a wider starter step with a rounded end; Tread Space does not claim to make starter steps.
Floating stair
an open-riser stair where the treads appear to float on a wall, central stringer or other structure.
Which stair parts show your flooring?
Treads, risers, nosings, landing edges and return nosings are the finish parts that can carry the flooring. Tread Space makes approved finish parts from flooring identified for each project; it does not make stringers, balusters, newels, handrails or skirt boards.
Handmade in Columbia Falls, Montana. Every nosing, tread and riser is made by hand and custom-fit to your flooring and your stairs. LVP and wood flooring are wrapped in-shop into stair parts made by hand, so the stairs read as part of the floor rather than an added trim. Send your box-label details and stair measurements for a written quote.
Common questions
What are the main parts of a staircase?
The main parts are treads, risers, nosings, stringers, landings and the railing system: handrail, balusters and newel posts.
What is the difference between a tread and a riser?
The tread is the horizontal part you step on. The riser is the vertical part between one tread and the next.
What is the nosing on a stair?
The nosing is the finished front edge of the tread. On a stair covered with plank flooring, it is often a separate part finishing that edge.
What is the difference between rise and run?
Rise is the vertical step-to-step height. Run is the horizontal depth measured from one nosing to the next. Check local building code for required dimensions.
What is a return on a staircase?
A return nosing finishes the exposed end of a tread on an open side, carrying the front-edge profile around the corner.
What are the parts of stairs called?
The main stair parts are treads, risers, nosings, stringers and landings, plus the railing's handrail, balusters and newel posts. Other names describe trim, fittings and particular step shapes, such as skirt boards, returns and winders.
What is the vertical part of a stair called?
The vertical face between adjacent treads is called the riser. A riser board or kick plate covers that face on a closed stair; an open-riser stair leaves the space open.
What is the difference between a baluster and a spindle?
In stair railing terminology, baluster and spindle generally name the same part: a post filling the space beneath the railing on an open side. Spindle is another name for baluster, not a separate stair part.
Related guides
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