20% OFF COUPON CODE = SAVE2026
Parts of a Staircase
A staircase is made of three groups of parts: the steps (treads, risers and stringers), the railing (handrail, balusters and newel posts), and the trim and fittings that finish it off. Treads are what you step on, risers fill the space between steps, balusters fill the railing, newel posts anchor it, and the handrail is what you hold. Below, every part is explained in plain English, with diagrams.
Staircase Parts Diagram
Jump to a section:
Staircase Parts at a Glance
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Tread | The flat part of each step you walk on |
| Riser | The vertical board between treads |
| Stringer | The angled boards that hold up the treads and risers |
| Baluster | The vertical posts in the railing, also called spindles or pickets |
| Newel post | The big posts that anchor the railing at the ends and turns |
| Handrail | The rail you hold, running on top of the balusters |
| Fittings | Curved handrail pieces that turn corners or change height |
| Skirtboard | Trim along the wall side of the stairs |
Steps & Treads
What is a stair tread?
The tread is the horizontal part of each step, the part you walk on. Our standard wood treads are 1″ thick, glued up from several hardwood boards rather than cut from a single plank, which helps keep them flat and stable. They come ready to stain or paint, in a range of wood species.
What is a riser?
The riser is the vertical board between two treads. It closes the gap between steps and gives each step its face. Ours are 1×8 boards, which means 3/4″ thick and 7-1/4″ tall, in different lengths. Stain them to match the treads or paint them for contrast.
What is a kickboard?
Kickboard is another name for a riser, the vertical board between each step.
What is a stair nosing?
The nosing is the rounded front edge of a tread that sticks out past the riser below it. It gives your foot a little more room and gives the step a finished edge.
What is a stair stringer?
Stringers are the angled boards that run along each side (and sometimes the middle) of a staircase and hold up the treads and risers. They’re the structure of the stairs. Don’t confuse them with the skirtboard, which is trim.
What is a skirtboard?
A skirtboard is a trim board that runs along the wall side of the stairs. It covers the joint where the treads and risers meet the wall and gives the staircase a clean, finished edge. It’s trim, not structure.
What is a landing tread?
A landing tread is a tread-style board with a finished nosing, used at the top of the stairs or along the edge of a landing or balcony. It makes a clean transition from the stairs to the upper floor.
What is a mitered return tread?
A mitered return tread has a finished end on the open side of the stairs. A short return piece is mitered to the tread and wraps around the side, so the end grain doesn’t show. Use them anywhere the side of your stairs is exposed.
What is a starting step?
A starting step is a wider, decorative first step at the bottom of the stairs, usually with a curved or flared end. It sets the look for the whole staircase and gives you a place to mount the starting newel. Our starting step kits replace a basic bottom step.
What is a RetroFit tread kit?
RetroFit tread kits are made for switching carpeted stairs to hardwood. Each kit has a Red Oak or White Oak tread with the moulding already attached, plus a riser that’s stain grade on one side and paint grade on the other.
You remove the old treads and carpet first, then install the kit. Because it replaces the old tread instead of sitting on top of it, your step heights stay the same.
Balusters
What is an iron baluster?
An iron baluster is a vertical metal post in the stair railing, also called an iron spindle or iron picket. Balusters fill the space under the handrail, keep people from falling through, and do a lot of the styling. Iron comes in straight, twist, scroll, basket, hammered and modern designs.
Code generally requires that a 4″ sphere can’t pass between balusters. Check your local code.
Shop iron balusters → · How to install iron balusters → · Baluster spacing guide →
What is a wood baluster?
A wood baluster does the same job as an iron one, in wood. They’re also called wood spindles or pickets. They come in square, turned and modern styles, ready to stain or paint. Many styles ship from stock, and our custom wood balusters are made to order by Amish craftsmen.
What is a baluster shoe?
A shoe is a small collar that slides onto an iron baluster to cover the hole where it goes into the tread or handrail. Any shoe can be used at the top or the bottom. Slide it on before you install the baluster, then set it with a dab of epoxy or its set screw.
Newel Posts
Newel posts are the big posts that anchor the railing at the bottom, top, landings and corners. For a side-by-side comparison, see the different types of newel posts.
What is a starting newel post?
The starting newel is the post at the very bottom of the stairs. It’s the first thing people see, so it usually sets the style for the whole staircase. In a post-to-post railing it’s typically a square post with a block top.
What is a box newel post?
A box newel is a hollow newel built from flat boards joined into a box, instead of being turned from solid wood. That makes it bigger and bolder, and its flat sides can be plain or trimmed with panels and moulding.
What is a pin top newel?
A pin top newel has a small pin on top instead of a block. It’s used in over-the-post railings, where the pin fits into a handrail fitting like an opening cap, volute or turnout so the handrail can run over the top of the post.
What is a stabilizer newel post?
A stabilizer newel adds support partway along a long over-the-post handrail run, where a fitting won’t work. It sits under the handrail and is usually thicker and sturdier than a standard newel.
What is an iron newel post?
An iron newel post does the same job as a wood newel, in metal. It anchors the railing at the ends and turns. It’s usually paired with iron balusters for a matching look.
Shop square iron newels → · Shop round iron newels →
What is a wood newel installation kit?
A wood newel kit lag-bolts the newel straight into the floor framing so it won’t wobble. It includes the lag bolt, a curved washer, a nut and a plug to hide the access hole.
Shop the S-9403 kit → · How to install a wood newel →
What is an iron newel install kit?
An iron newel kit mounts an iron newel to the floor. It includes a bracket, bolts that hold the newel to the bracket, 4 mounting screws for the floor, and a base collar that covers it all. We recommend adding a can of EPC-7 epoxy per newel for maximum stability.
Handrail & Fittings
What is a handrail?
The handrail is the rail you hold while using the stairs. It sits on top of the balusters and runs between or over the newel posts. Profiles range from traditional to slim modern shapes, in several wood species.
Fittings are the curved pieces that let a handrail turn a corner, change height or end cleanly. Most are used in over-the-post railings.
What is a gooseneck?
A gooseneck connects the sloped handrail on the stairs to a higher, level handrail on a landing or balcony. It rises up and over so the rail stays continuous.
What is an opening cap?
An opening cap sits on a pin top newel and connects the newel to the handrail in an over-the-post railing. It has a rounded cap end and attaches to our handrail profiles.
What is a tandem cap?
A tandem cap sits on top of a newel in an over-the-post railing and joins two handrail sections there, so the rail can continue over the post.
What is a level quarter turn?
A level quarter turn turns the handrail 90 degrees, left or right, without changing height. It’s used at corners on landings and balconies. Ours come with two sets of mounting hardware.
What is an up easing?
An up easing curves the handrail upward, so the rail can rise smoothly from the stair slope to meet a higher fitting. Ours come with two hardware kits and instructions, for every species and profile we carry.
What is an over easing?
An over easing curves the handrail downward, so the rail can roll smoothly from a level section down onto the stair slope. Ours come with two hardware kits and instructions, for every species and profile we carry.
What is a turnout?
A turnout is a fitting at the bottom of the stairs that curves the handrail out away from the stairs for a graceful finish. It sits on a pin top newel in an over-the-post railing.
What is a returned end?
A returned end caps the end of a handrail so there’s no raw, cut end showing. It gives the rail a clean, finished stop.
What is a rosette?
A rosette is a round, oval or square wood plate that mounts on the wall where the handrail ends. The rail attaches to it, so the end looks finished and is held solidly to the wall.
Shop rosettes → · How to install a rosette →
What is a handrail bracket?
A handrail bracket holds a handrail to the wall. A plate screws into a stud, and an arm holds the rail out from the wall. They come in different finishes and sizes for different rail profiles.
Trim, Glue & Hardware
What are the types of staircase trim and moulding?
Trim and moulding finish off the edges and joints of a staircase. The common types are:
- Skirtboard: runs along the wall side of the stairs
- Baseboard: runs along the bottom of the walls next to the stairs
- Shoe moulding: small trim that covers the gap where baseboard meets the floor
- Tread brackets: decorative pieces on the open side of each step, under the nosing
- Return and cove moulding: trims the edges of treads and landing treads
- Panel moulding: builds decorative panels on the stair wall or risers
What is the right glue or epoxy for stairs?
Use epoxy for iron. Our non-drip, clear-drying epoxy tubes set iron balusters, and one tube does up to 20 balusters with a dime-size drop top and bottom. For iron newels, use one can of EPC-7 epoxy per newel.
Use Titebond wood glue for wood parts like treads, risers and wood balusters.
Ready to Start Your Stairs?
Send us your stair measurements and photos, and we’ll put together a free quote with every part you need.