terminology | The Stair Shoppe

Staircase terminology

Tread: The horizontal part of the step where you place your foot.
Riser: The vertical part between each tread that provides support.
Stringer: The structural support that runs along the side of the staircase, holding the treads and risers in place.
Rise: The height of an individual step from one tread to the next.
Run: The horizontal depth of a step, from the front edge (nosing) to the back.
Total Rise: The total vertical height from the bottom to the top of the staircase.
Total Run: The total horizontal distance the staircase covers.
Nosing: The edge of the tread that extends slightly beyond the riser, providing additional footing and often reducing wear on the stair.
Width: It is the distance between the two stringers (if they are on the sides) or the overall stair width if there are no side stringers.
Height of headroom: Vertical distance under any obstruction that you could hit your head when walking down the stairs.
Width of headroom: Horizontal distance from whether the stairs start to any obstruction that you could hit your head on when walking down the stairs.