Stairs Key Terms

Escalate your knowledge with stairs key terms

By Marjorie Gilbert

Stairs are marvels of engineering that allow you to access multiple floors or even scale hills and mountains. They are more comfortable to access than a ladder, even the steeper ones found in old homes. Whether they are hewn from rocks, metal or wood, each share the same key terms.

As might be expected with stairs, especially those found in public buildings, there are certain regulations regarding their construction. This is done with safety in mind.

Stringer

The stringer is the portion of the stair which extends from the bottom of the staircase to the top. The steps rest on the stringer, as well as the other parts of the staircase. The stringers can either be one piece, or formed with triangular pieces on which the treads rest.
Try: Blocklayer.com provides information about building a stringer for stairs.

Tread

The tread is the portion on which you step as you climb the stairs. It is actually comprised of two parts: the nosing, which overhangs the tread beneath, and the tread itself. The depth of the tread is important. It cannot be too narrow for that could present a slip hazard. In fact, each state regulates the depth of the treads. You can find this information at your local town office or city hall.
Try: InspectAPedia has excellent information about stair treads and their possible hazards. The Town of Falmouth lists the minimum measurement of the tread's depth as 10 inches. This measurement can vary according to the community in which you live.

Riser

The riser refers to the height of each step. This is also regulated in each community for safety. In older homes and business, which were built before the existence of building codes, the steepness of the stairs, and therefore the height of the risers, varied. Enter a cape built in the 1700s, you will be confronted with a staircase that is almost vertical with very tall risers.
Try: BobVila.com has some helpful information about risers.

Balustrade

The balustrade is an upright post which supports the handrails on the stairs. The spacing of balustrades is also dictated by building code regulations. In brief, the balustrades should be close enough together to prevent a child from getting his or her head stuck between them--the so-called "4 inch ball" rule (where a ball of that size cannot squeeze between them).
Try: Balustrade Systems provides information and a helpful chart for determining the correct spacing between balustrades.

Handrail

The handrail is a part of the stair on which your hand rests as you ascend or descend the stair. The handrail also is regulated by building codes, especially in commercial buildings where the potential for high traffic is present.
Try: OSHA Stairway and Handrail Regulations states that the handrail should be able to withstand 250 pounds, be 3 inches from the walls, and 37 inches from the floor.

IRC or International Residential Code

The IRC helps develop codes that builders and contractors follow when constructing residential and commercial buildings. One of its main goals is to create safe buildings. The IRC codes relating to stairs are worth reading, as most of the building codes in communities are based on the IRC codes.
Try: Arcways provides a link to the IRC or International Residential Codes as they pertain to stairs.