So, you’re looking to enhance style, safety or maybe both with a new or redesigned staircase, but you aren’t sure how to convey your vision to a contractor or explain what it is you are after to a parts retailer. You’re not alone – unless you are in the industry, many of the terms used to describe staircase components might be unfamiliar, but learning what they are can help you articulate what you want to do without a lot of hand-gesturing or having to reference “those vertical parts that hold up the railing.”
The stairs themselves have three primary components:
- Treads, which are the flat portion of the stairs that your feet actually step on
- Risers, which are the vertical pieces that run perpendicular to the treads
- Stringers, which some refer to as “stringer boards,” are the parts of the stair that appear on either side of the risers and treads, keeping them in place.
Now that you have the components of the step itself down, it’s time to learn what to call the other touches you can use to enhance the aesthetic appeal of your stairs. Customizable staircase components include:
Balusters
Typically made of wood or iron, the balusters are the those aforementioned “vertical parts that hold up the railing.” The balusters give you an opportunity to inject a little style or flair into your staircase, should you choose, or you can go with a basic, traditional design if you care more about functionality than fashion (though there are always options that ensure both!).
Newel Posts
The newel posts serve a similar purpose as the baluster in that they are there to provide support for the stairs themselves. They are also long, vertical pieces that appear between the steps and the handrail, but the newel posts often differ in appearance from the balusters and provide support at either end of the staircase, or along a landing. Often, the newel posts are thicker or more substantial than the balusters. Newel posts are generally grouped into one of two categories: traditional or box newel posts, with the latter typically referring to a post made of hollow wood.
Handrails
The term “handrail” is a bit less of a mystery, but this part nonetheless plays a key role in the style and design of your staircase. It is often visible from other areas of your home, and it presents a great opportunity for some fun customization. Handrails are available in a broad array of hardwoods, and they can be basic in design, or highly ornate and artistic.
Now that you can speak the language, it’s time to attack those stairs. Use these terms when speaking with your contractor or stair parts retailer, and rest assured your thoughts and wishes will be clearly conveyed. As always make sure to check with your local building inspector to be sure all your stair parts will pass code.
NOTE: We’ve updated a previous version of this article that was published in February 2017.