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Balusters : The vertical posts which support the railing of the staircase.
Balustrade : The assembly of the balusters, newel posts and handrail
Box Newel : A large, square hollow newel used in a post-to-post balustrade system.
Box Stair : A stairway which is fully enclosed by walls and routed stringers on both sides.
Brackets : Also referred to as stringers brackets. Decorative pieces fastened to the outside of a stringer.
Bullnose : Bullnose tread & riser assembly.
Bullnose Tread : A tread that has one or both sides finished in a radius. Often used as a starting step and often requires a curved riser beneath.
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Cap : Used in an over-the-post balustrade system. The part of the fitting which widens in order to sit on a newel.
Circular Stairway : A curved stairway which is mounted on stringers rather than a central pole.
Cove Moulding : A decorative strip which, when attached to the underside of the tread nosing, covers the point between the tread and riser.
Fillet : Strips which fill the plow between balusters on plowed handrail and shoerail.
Fittings : The stair parts used to form a smooth transition when the hand-rail changes height or direction. For example, staring a balustrade (volute, turnout, starting easing), at a landing (gooseneck), and at a balcony.
Flight : A continuous series of stairs from one landing or floor to another
Floor-To-Floor Height : The total rise of a stairway. Measured from the top of the finished lower floor to the top of the finished upper floor.
Freestanding : A stairway which is not supported by walls. Open underneath.
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Gooseneck : A handrail fitting consisting of an up-easing, a vertical rail drop and a level cap. It is used at a landing or balcony to raise the rake handrail to the height of the balcony handrail.
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Handrails : The horizontal or rake member of a balustrade system. It sits on top of the balusters and it supported by newel posts.
Lander : Narrow tread nosing situated above the top riser or along the upper edge of a balcony. This gives the appearance of a tread at the top of the stairway.
Landing : A level part of a staircase (as at the end of a flight of stairs).
Landing Newel : A newel situated at a landing or balcony.
Level Quarter Turn : A level handrail fitting which turns by 90 degrees.
Level Rail : Handrail which runs level along a landing or balcony.
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Miter Down : A piece of handrail mitered onto a longer section of handrail as an end cap to provide a top grain look to the end of the rail.
Miter In : A piece of handrail mitered onto a longer section of handrail to provide a return to a wall.
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Newels : The major support posts for the balustrade system. Larger and heavier than the baluster, newels are located at the bottom and top of a staircase and at turns and critical support areas of balcony rails.
Newel Bolt : A 10" hanger bolt used to attach a newel to the floor joist.
Newel Plate : A piece of metal attached to the bottom of a newel, usually used for mounting under a carpeted surface.
Nosing : The portion of a tread or landing tread which protrudes beyond the face of the riser.
Opening Cap : A handrail fitting at the start of a level balustrade system.
Open Stair : A stairway not boxed in by walls on one or both sides.
Overhand Easing : A handrail fitting which connects a rake handrail with a level handrail without the use of a gooseneck.
Over-The-Post : A balustrade system which utilizes fittings to go over newel posts for an unbroken continuous handrail.
Picket : See BALUSTER.
Pitch : See RAKE
Plate : The bottom, flat part of a rail assembly that sits on the floor or caps a knee wall.
Platform : The landing which is the top tread on a spiral stairway. Intermediate landings are also often referred to as platforms.
Plow : The routed portion of a handrail or shoerail used for the inserting of square balusters. The gaps left between balusters are covered with fillet.
Plumb : Perfectly vertical, perpendicular with the floor.
Post-To-Post : Balustrade system in which the handrail is not continuous. The handrail is lagged into the face of a square-top newel.
Rail Bolt : A hanger bolt used to attach two pieces of rail.
Rail Fittings : Fittings are used in an over-the-post system for a continuous handrail appearance through turns and changes in elevation.
Rake : The slope or angle of the staircase (also referred to as rake angle).
Return Nosing : Tread nosing applied to the outside of an open tread to cover end grain.
Returned End : A handrail fitting without a cap, which does not incorporate the use of a newel at the end of the balustrade.
Risers : The vertical component of a stair which supports the treads.
Riser Block : Starting newel supports hidden inside the bullnose section of a starting step.
Rosette : A small, decorative piece of wood used where a handrail dies into a wall.
Rough Cut : The horizontal measurement from the face of one riser to the face of the next riser. This is also the depth of the tread without the nosing.
Routed Stringer : A stringer which has been routed out for the insertion of treads, risers and wedges. Also known as "box" stringer.
Run : The horizontal dimension from the nose of one finished stair tread to the next
Shoe rail : A piece running along the floor which is plowed for the insertion of balusters and fillets.
Stairs : A series of steps or flights of steps for passing from one level to another.
Stair Direction : Either right-or-left-hand. Determined by the turn a stairway makes when facing it from the bottom.
Starting Steps : The first tread and riser at the bottom of a staircase.
Starting Easing : A handrail fitting which is used at the bottom of a stairway with a starting newel.
Starting Newel : The newel used at the bottom of a stairway.
Step : A rest for the foot in ascending or descending: as one of a series of structures consisting of a riser and a tread.
Stringer : A vertical support for the treads of stairs.
Tandem Cap : A straight level handrail fitting with a newel cap. Tandem caps generally are used on newels in long stretches of balcony handrail.
Total Rise : The vertical distance from the origin of the stairs to the top surface
Total Run : The horizontal distance that the stairs cover from the face of the first tread to the end of the last tread
Treads : The horizontal portion of the staircase that is walked upon.
Turnout : A handrail fitting used on a starting newel which curves away from the stairway.
Up Easing : A handrail fitting which joins two handrails or fittings at different angles in a graceful, pleasing manor.
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Volute : A handrail fitting used on a starting newel which turns away from the stairway in a circular fashion.
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Wall Rail : A handrail which is mounted on a wall and supported by wall rail brackets rather than newels or balusters.
Wall Rail Brackets : Metal supports for wall rail.
Wedge : Triangular blocks of wood, coated with glue and used to drive treads and risers tightly into a routed stringer.
Well Opening : The opening in the upper floor for placement of a stairway.
Winder Stair : A section of stairway used to make an "L" shaped turn, made with "pie" shaped or wedge cut treads.
Winder Tread : Tread with a greater run on one side than the other. Winder treads are used on Circular, Spiral and Winder stairways.
Wood Plug : A small circular piece of wood used for a finished appearance and covering drilled holes on newels, handrails and treads. | 
