Bowed Riser A riser that is curved in plan to provide balanced winders
Box Newel A newel , usually square in section, often made as a box with a hollow center, from boards joined at the corners.
Box Stair- 1. Stairs with closed stringers on each side that box in the treads and risers. 2. A prefabricated straight flight of stairs with closed stringers .
Bracket 1. A triangular structural support element used to transfer loads from one element to another by changing the direction of the applied load. 2. A support used to attach a Handrail to a wall. 3. An element connecting the tread and riser usually applied to the face stringer as a decoration. 4. An element attached to a stringer to support a tread.
Bullnose 1. A descriptive term for a radius moulding profile applied to the edge of a moulding . 2. A type of starting step with half circular end(s) in plan projecting beyond the width of the stairs above. 3. A moulding with a rounded edge such as a landing tread or landing nosing .
Buttress A closed stringer built up in thickness with a cap to receive the balusters and a fascia applied on the exposed face.
Cap, Tandem A h orizontal rail fitting used to connect two rails at an angle of 180-degrees at the top of a newel .
Cap, Opening 1. A horizontal rail fitting at the start of a level balustrade system at the top of a newel. (See cap) 2. A horizontal rail fitting used as a component of a starting easement at the top of a starting newel .
Cap, Quarter Turn A horizontal rail fitting used to connect two rails at an angle of 90-degrees at the top of a newel .
Carriage A system of rough stringers attached to the building structure providing for the support and or attachment of the treads , risers and face stringers of a stair and the ceiling or soffit below.
Circular stair A curved stairway that is circular in plan
Closed string A stringer that encloses the ends of the treads and risers typically with the top edge following the angle of the stair.
Cove A supporting moulding profile with a concave quarter round radius or arc on the face
Curb Stringer A buttress stringer
Curtail Step See Volute step
Curved stair A stair with some portion having an arc in plan that is a radius, elliptical or a combination of radii.
Cut String (see also Open String) A stringer cut or notched on the upper edge to fit the profile of the stairs .
Dogleg stair - A stair with two flights separated by a half landing , and having no stairwell , (in elevation the angles of the flights form a dogleg shape).
Drop An ornamental element used at the bottom end of a newel .
Easement A component that provides a vertically curved easing between two intersecting rails or a rail and cap as in a starting easement .
False End Tread or Riser Decorative elements resembling the end of a tread or riser applied to the surface at the end of a structural sub-tread or riser with the remaining exposed sub-tread/riser to have a floor covering applied such as carpet.
Face 1. The side of a board that is exposed or visible in the finished product. 2. Describes an element that is visible i.e. face string.
Fascia A trim board applied to a vertical surface, often with a moulding applied above and/or below.
Finial An ornamental element used at the top end of a newel post .
Fitting, Rail A component or combination of components that are profiled to match rail patterns and used to provide a continuous rail , horizontal changes in direction, vertical transitions, or ornamentation.
Flier or Flyer A Rectangular tread
Flight An uninterrupted series of steps from one landing to the next.
Fluting A series of parallel round bottom grooves used as decorative details in vertical surfaces of such elements as balusters or newels.
Freestanding Stair A stair that is unsupported by walls and attached only to the floor systems at the top and bottom of the flight .
Geometrical Stair A stair of complex geometry in which the strings and rails are continuous from start to end with curved and straight segments of the stairway connected by wreaths , typically without newels, except the starting newel
Glue blocks Blocks of wood attached to the underside of a stair at the concealed junction of the risers, treads, and or stringers to minimize movement that causes squeaks.
Going The horizontal distance between two successive nosings . (See run , tread depth )
Gooseneck A combination of easing( s ), rail segments and/or caps that provide for the continuous transition of a rake rail to level at the top of a flight or from rake rail through a level turn to a rake rail at a turn in the stairway .
Gradient of a stair The ratio between the rise and run of a stair used to relate the steepness in use, typically considered to be between 20 and 42-degrees when expressed as angle. Differing from ladders, which are steeper, and ramps, which are less steep.
Guard A component or system of components such as rails , newels , balusters, panels or other ornamentals used to minimize falls from elevated walking surfaces and the sides of stairs .
Hand 1. The direction a stair or handrail turns in ascent. (left or right) 2. The side of the stair as viewed in ascent. 3.The end of a component as referenced by the side of the stair in ascent i.e. left hand starting step, right hand returned tread
Handrail A sloped or horizontal rail intended for grasping by the hand as an assist for; guidance, support, pulling, or arresting a fall.
Handrailing The art form of designing and constructing wreathed handrails for geometrical stairs.
Header
1. A floor-framing member at the edge of a floor opening that heads off the floor joists running up to a
well opening
. 2. The joist(s) at the edge of a floor opening. 3. The joists at the edge of a
landing
supporting the end of a
flight
.
Headroom
1. The clear vertical space allowed for passengers on a
stairway
to prevent striking the head. 2. The vertical distance from the plane of the
nosings
of a
flight
, extended to the floor beyond the first
riser
, to any obstruction above the walking surface of the
stair
generally a minimum of 80 inches throughout the
stairway
including the
landings
.
Helical stair A stair that ascends with identical winders within the space that can be defined between two cylinders of concentric circular plans.
Horse 1. The triangular area of a cut string carriage to which the tread and riser are attached. 2. A rough string .
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Landing, Half Space An intermediate landing turning the stair 180 degrees
Landing, Quarter Space An intermediate landing turning the stair 90 degrees
Landing Newel A newel located at a landing or balcony .
Landing Newel, Intermediate A newel located at a landing or platform between flights in a stairway or at a turn of winders .
Landing Nosing A moulding used to finish the floor or landing edge at a level balustrade .
Landing Tread 1 . The top tread in a flight supported by the top riser that is attached in alignment with the floor-surface with the same nosing projection as the treads in the flight below. 2. The moulding used as landing tread and landing nosing .
Level Quarter Turn A rail fitting that turns 90 degrees in the level or horizontal plane.
Nosing 1. The leading edge of the tread 2. The moulding profile on the leading edge of the tread .
Nosing Line see gait line
Nosing Projection or Overhang The horizontal distance measured from the leading edge of the tread to the trailing edge of the tread below.
Nosing, Return A moulding matching the nosing moulding profile and projection of the tread nosing that is mitered to the tread nosing and used to project the end of a returned tread over the cut string face with identical detail to the projection of the tread nosing past the riser face .
Open Stair a stair that has an open stringer on one or both sides
Open Stringer A face stringer that is cut out for the treads and risers such that the profile of the steps can be seen from the side
Open Well Stair a stair having a stairwell
Over Easing Typically used to describe an easing in a rail with the center of its arc below the top of the rail.
Over-the-Post A balustrade system that uses fittings to provide a continuous handrail over the top of the newel posts .
Picket A vertical element of a fence not used in stairs or balustrades .
Pin Top Baluster A baluster with a round top that is fitted into holes in the bottom of the rail .
Pin Top Newel An Over-the-Post newel that has a dowel pin turned on the top to fit into a hole in the cap of a rail fitting .
Pitch (see also Rake) The slope or angle of a stair in reference to the horizontal plane
Pitch Block A block of wood cut to a right triangle with the rise and run dimensions of a stair and used as an angle gauge in stairbuilding and handrailing
Plinth The base of a baluster or newel
Plow A groove with flat bottom in the length of a board or moulding
Plowed rail A rail , which has had the bottom, grooved or plowed to accommodate insertion of a square baluster and fillet .
Plumb Vertical, perpendicular to level.
Posts see newel .
Rail Fitting A rail component or part used to join rails in a continuous fashion through horizontal turns or vertical transitions or to provide for a change in direction for the purpose of attachment to a wall or newel.
Rail Profile or Moulding Profile The shape as described by a section of a rail or moulding
Rake 1. Used to describe the particular angle of an object. 2. Used to describe an object as being inclined i.e. rake rail
Rake Rail - A rail at an angle or pitch ; typically a rail on a stair .
Ramp see up-easing
Reeding A series of parallel beads used as decorative detail in vertical surfaces of such elements as balusters or newels.
Returned End 1. The end of a moulding profile that has been mitered to extend the profile across the end and conceal the end grain 2. A handrail fitting that with the moulding profile shaped on the end grain and used as a termination for the end of a rail.
Returned Tread A tread used on open stringer stairs with the nosing returned to project over the cut face string at the end of the tread by mitering a matching return nosing to the end of the tread .
Return Nosing see Nosing, Return
Rise The vertical distance between the leading edges of adjacent treads . Referred to in building codes as riser height.
Riser The vertical component of a step filling the space between the treads .
Rosette A decorative and anchoring wall plate used to terminate a rail into a wall.
Rough Stringer A cut stringer to which the treads and risers are attached that is concealed and attached to the structure.
Routed Stringer See Housed stringer
Run the horizontal distance between two adjacent tread nosings on a stair .
Scroll The terminal end of a volute that is in the horizontal plane.
Scroll Step See volute step
Shoe Moulding A convex shaped quarter round moulding, used at the joint between base and floor and where the starting riser meets the floor.
Shoe Rail 1. A plowed rail that is used to receive the square bottom end of balusters when they are not connected directly to the treads (see also bottom rail ). 2. A cap on the top of a closed stringer, buttress or wall that is plowed to receive the bottom square end of balusters
Sinistral Stair A stair that turns to the left in ascent
Skirt Board A non-structural fascia used to trim the sides of stairs to which the treads and risers are fitted.
Soffit The visible ceiling attached to the bottom of a stair between the opposite stringers and/or opposing wall(s).
Sphere Rule refers to the building code that restricts openings in guards to the size of a certain sphere that shall not pass through the guard .
Spindles Turnings such as those used in chairs. Spindles are not used in stair balustrades.
Spiral Stair A stairway that is circular in plan with uniform winders attached to and radiating from a minimum-diameter support column. (Spirals diminish to a point. The term is used here to describe the common visual perception not the geometric form of the stairway)
Stair 1. A step or change in elevation of one riser height. 2. A change of elevation consisting of one or more risers . (International Code Council)**
Stairbuilder A person with skills specific to the arts of designing and constructing stairways, and balustrades.
Staircase That part of the building set apart for the stairs and balustrade generally including the well opening and adjacent walls.
Stairway One or more flights of stairs , with the necessary landings and platforms connecting them, to form a continuous and uninterrupted passage from one level to another. (International Code Council)
Stairwell The inner clear opening formed by turning flights within a well opening or a flight and the well opening.
Starting Easing A rail fitting comprised of an up easing and opening cap used at the bottom of a stairway attached to a starting newel .
Starting Fitting A rail fitting comprised of an up easing with a cap , turnout , or volute/scroll used at the bottom or beginning of a stair attached to a starting newel
Starting Newel The first newe l used at the bottom or beginning of a stairway .
Starting Step 1. A tread with curved end that is used at the start of the stairway at the bottom. 2. The first tread and riser at the bottom of the stair.
Step - 1. A change in elevation of one riser height to a floor or landing without a tread. 2. A unit segment of a stair , consisting of a riser and a tread .
Steps A series of treads, typically a single flight with or without a landing at the top.
Stringer or String The inclined boards to which the treads and risers are attached that serve to transfer both live and dead loads of the stair to the structure.
Stringer Margin or Reveal 1.The distance from the gait line to the top edge of a closed stringer . 2. The width from the bottom of a cut string to the depth of the cut notch.
Sub-Tread A concealed rough tread used to support the visible finish tread.
Total Run The total horizontal distance of a flight of stairs .
Tread The horizontal part of a stair upon which the foot is placed.
Tread depth The term used in building codes for run or going.
Volute, Vertical A starting rail fitting that is a spiral designed in elevation by connecting a series of 90-degree arcs diminishing in radius by a constant value or proportion.
Wall Rail A handrail mounted to a wall.
Wash The slight horizontal sloping of treads such that the leading edge is lowest to allow water to run off and minimize wear at the nosing edge.
Well hole or Well Opening The opening in a floor through which a stairway ascends.
Winder A tread with nonparallel edges.
Winding stair A stair that turns with winders.
Wreath 1. A handrail that has a curve in plan and elevation referred to as double curvature or a compound curve. 2. A handrail or string transition that twists between a rake and level or two rakes at a curve in the plan of the stair (s) or handrail . 3. To twist
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