What’s in a Staircase and Balustrade?

There are quite a few terms used in the design, manufacture and installation of custom designed staircases and balustrade that you may be unfamiliar with.

For some items several different terms are used and some terms are used inappropriately.

To help, CANAL has created this short glossary of the more commonly used terms and their meaning as we understand and use them; this doesn’t make them right!

Still confused? Contact Lee Hunt now on 0115 9866 321.

Staircase and Balustrade Glossary of Terms

Balustrade
A term to collectively describe newels, balusters, bottom rails and handrails.

Banister
A hand height rail, usually fixed to a wall running alongside a staircase.

Base rail
An optional part of the balustrade running parallel to the handrail, supporting the bottom of the balusters, supported by newel posts. Also called a bottom rail.

Bottom rail
An optional part of the balustrade running parallel to the handrail, supporting the bottom of the balusters, supported by newel posts. Also called a base rail.

Finials
Traditionally decorative spikes along roof tops to ward off witches, now refers to the decorative feature, often balls that sit on top of newel posts. Sometimes called newel caps.

Flight
A single string of a staircase connecting two floors or a floor and a landing.

Going
The staircase going is a measure of the horizontal distance travelled by a staircase from the first to the last riser. The going of each individual step is the horizontal measurement between two risers.

Swan neck
A handrail joint allowing the continuation of the handrail at different heights and angles.

Hand rail
The part of the balustrade at hand height. Usually sits on top of balusters and supported by newel posts. Also called a top rail.

In fill panels
An alternative part of the balustrade, usually a solid panel filling the space between the hand rail and bottom rail, often used instead of balusters.

Landing
The portion of an upper floor alongside the staircase with a balustrade. Also used as the term for a flat turning area of a staircase between floors.

Mid rail
An alternative part of the balustrade running parallel to the hand rail and bottom rail, often used instead of balusters

Newel caps
The decorative feature, often balls, which sit on top of newel posts. Sometimes called finials.

Newel posts
Vertical posts positioned at the beginning and end of the balustrade. Also used at junctions between the staircase and landing.

Nosing
The shape of the edge of a tread projecting beyond the riser.

Pitch
The angle between the pitch line and the horizontal of a staircase. Also called the rake.

Pitch line
The imaginary line that would join the nosings of the treads of a staircase.

Rake
The angle between the pitch line and the horizontal of a staircase. Also called the pitch.

RAL Colour
RAL is used for information defining standard colours for paint and coatings and is the most popular Central European Colour Standard used today.

View the RAL Colour chart.

Rise
The staircase rise is a measure of the vertical distance between floors or between a floor and a landing connected by a flight of stairs.

Risers
The vertical face of a step.

Spindle
Vertical posts that support the handrails. Also called balusters.

Staircase
A term to collectively describe strings, risers and treads. Sometimes used to describe the staircase and balustrade together.

Stairwell
The space taken up by a staircase.

Step
One riser and one tread make a step.

Strings
The support structure for the treads and risers of a staircase.

Top rail
The part of the balustrade at hand height. Usually sits on top of balusters and supported by newel posts. Also called a hand rail.

Treads
The horizontal face of a step.