Staircase terminology explained
Staircase terminology can be confusing if you don’t deal with staircases regularly.
This guide explains the most common staircase terms in plain English, helping you understand drawings, layouts, and discussions about your staircase.
Knowing these terms also makes it easier to compare options and communicate clearly when planning or ordering a staircase.
How to use this guide
The terms below are grouped by function and location on the staircase.
Where possible, we recommend referring to images or drawings alongside these definitions, as many staircase components are easier to understand visually.
Main staircase structure
Staircase
The complete structure that provides access between floors, including treads, strings, handrails, and balustrades.
Flight
A continuous run of stairs between floors or between landings.
String / Stringer
The structural member that supports the treads and risers.
Staircases typically have:
Wall string (against a wall)
Open string (visible edge)
Cut String
A type of open string where the tread and riser profiles are cut into the string, exposing their shape.
Closed String
A string where the treads and risers are housed within the string and not visible from the side.
Treads, risers and step geometry
Tread
The horizontal part of the stair that you stand on.
Riser
The vertical face between two treads.
Rise
The vertical height of an individual step.
Going
The horizontal depth of the tread measured from nosing to nosing.
Pitch
The angle of the staircase relative to the horizontal.
Pitch Line
An imaginary line connecting the nosings of the treads, used for measuring pitch and headroom.
Nosing and detailing
Nosing
The front edge of a tread, which may project beyond the riser below.
Return Nosing
A nosing that wraps around the end of a tread, often used on open string staircases.
Scotia
A small moulding used beneath the tread to cover the joint between tread and riser or string.
Downstand
A vertical projection beneath a stair tread, commonly used on open riser staircases to reduce the open gap between treads and meet safety requirements.
Balustrade components
Balustrade
A balustrade is the complete guarding system fitted to a staircase, landing, or gallery edge to prevent falls.
A balustrade typically consists of:
Newel posts
Handrails
Balusters (spindles)
Base rails (where used)
Balustrades are required wherever there is a drop of more than 600mm.
Newel post
A newel post is the main vertical structural post within a balustrade system.
Newel posts provide:
Structural support for handrails
Fixing points for balusters
Strength at changes in direction
Newels are typically located:
At the bottom of a staircase
At the top of a staircase
At stair turns and landings
At corners of landing balustrades
Corner newel (positional term)
A corner newel is a newel post positioned at a change in direction, either:
On a staircase (quarter landing, half landing, or winder turn), or
On a landing balustrade where guarding changes direction.
The term describes position only, not size or style.
Double newel (configuration term)
A double newel refers to two newel posts positioned directly next to each other, forming a wider structural support.
Double newels are commonly used on:
Half-landing staircases
Double winder staircases
Double quarter-landing staircases
The two newels may be:
The same height, or
Stepped, depending on handrail geometry
Where two newels sit together, this is classed as a double newel, not a single corner newel.
Double stock newel
A double stock newel is a single newel post designed with two separate handrail fixing zones at different heights.
This allows:
A lower handrail to exit the newel
An upper handrail to enter the newel
Double stock newels are commonly used on quarter-landing and half-landing staircases.
Important clarification:
Double stock refers to handrail connection geometry, not the number of newel posts.
Baluster / Spindle
A baluster (also known as a spindle) is a vertical member positioned between the handrail and the stair or base rail.
Balusters:
Provide guarding
Support the handrail
Control spacing to meet safety regulations
Baluster spacing must prevent a 100mm sphere from passing through.
Base rail
A base rail is the horizontal rail at the bottom of a balustrade into which balusters are fixed.
Base rails are commonly used on:
Open string staircases
Landing balustrades
On some staircases, balusters may be fixed directly into the stair tread or string instead of a base rail.
Handrail
A handrail is the sloping or horizontal rail fitted to a staircase or landing to provide support when ascending or descending.
Continuous handrail
A continuous handrail runs uninterrupted from the bottom to the top of the staircase, passing through or over intermediate newels.
Volute
A volute is a curved handrail end, typically used at the bottom of a staircase.
Volutes are often supported by a specially designed volute newel.
Landing balustrade
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A landing balustrade is the guarding fitted around the edge of a landing or gallery.
It uses the same core components as a stair balustrade:
Newel posts
Handrails
Balusters
Base rails
Corner newels are commonly used where the balustrade changes direction.
Why balustrade terminology matters
Understanding balustrade terminology helps:
Avoid confusion when discussing designs
Ensure correct components are specified
Improve communication between designer, manufacturer, and installer
Ensure compliance with Building Regulations