What kind of lasting impression does your front entry leave?

It’s time to give stairs more attention. Stairs are often the feature of an entrance; the first place of welcome and greeting in a home. The entryway has the opportunity to set the feeling and tone for the rest of the home.

There are so many spaces in a home that require our attention – kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc. And while they are all important, we believe the rewards are great for time invested in designing stairs and railing, with style. A staircase can tie together all aspects of your home. Not only are stairs and railing the primary focus of an entry, but they are generally visible from many areas of the home, giving them huge stylistic reach and influence. Stairs set the tone and style from the beginning, letting everything else flow from that place of inspiration.

Parts of a staircase explained

A staircase is a core architectural design feature that sits at the heart of a property. While styles and trends have come and gone, the basic design of a staircase has stood the test of time and little has changed over the centuries.

As well as serving a functional purpose, a staircase can make a statement and cement the character of a building. Each decision over style will make a visual impact, from the choice of material, to whether it’s an open or closed string, the shape of the spindles and newel posts and the use of decorative Moulding.

Components of a staircase

Here at Murad Floors, we have been remodeling beautiful staircases for over 15 years, from the traditional to the contemporary, and from county residences to city dwellings.

We know that the terminology used to describe the different parts of a staircase can sometimes be confusing, so we’ve created this helpful guide. Below you’ll find a handy illustration of a typical staircase, with key components highlighted and explained.

• Riser – A stair riser is the vertical space between one step and another. It may be closed or open, depending on the style of the stairs. 
• Tread – A stair tread is the horizontal part of the step that a person will stand on, and along with the riser, is an integral part of a staircase. 
• Newel Posts – Newels are the large post found at the foot and at the top of any flight of stairs. They can also be found at key junctures of a staircase, for example where there is a change of direction. They come in a range of styles, including box newels (which are box shape) and turned newels (which are curved).
• Newel Cap – This is the name for the decorative top section of a newel post. They help provide an attractive finish and can be very simple, such as a square, acorn or ball, or hand carved and highly intricate.
• Spindles/balusters – This is the term used to describe the smaller posts which can be placed vertically at the side of a staircase to enclose it. They sit underneath the handrail and above the base rail. In contemporary stairs this is now likely to be glass.
• Handrail – The handrail sits on top of the balusters and will run the length of the staircase between the newel posts.
• Half newel post – These are often found on landings where the staircase meets a wall and are basically a newel post cut in half.
• Landing/Landing return – This is the area immediately at the top of the staircase (landing), or part way up where a change of direction in the staircase occurs (landing return) which may be either a quarter or a half landing return. Depending on the direction of travel, it may be a parallel landing return that continues back in the direction of the proceeding staircase, or a right angle return that goes off at 90 degrees.
• Base rail – This is the rail that sits underneath the balusters and on the string.
• Stair nosing – Stair nosing is used in most staircases and is legally required in certain circumstances, such as public buildings. It is normally part of the tread; however sometimes it’s thin strips of wood, which are placed on the edge of each step to help make the edge of each stair more visible and less slippery.
• Closed or cut string staircase – The strings on a staircase are the sides which the treads and risers are housed into. In a closed string staircase, the edges of the steps will be hidden. In an cut or open string staircase, the side profile of the steps will be visible or even overhang the string.
• Wall string – This is the side of the staircase which sits flush against the wall, which the treads and risers are housed into.
• String Capping – This is a Mould that is used to cover the top of the string nearest to the wall.

Staircase Designs

Staircases are often overlooked as mere mechanisms to help you travel from one level of your home to another.

A Brief Overview Of Different Types Of  Staircases:

• Straight
• L-Shaped/winder stairs
• U-Shaped
• Curved
• Spiral
• Circular
• Split
• Mono-stringer
• Floating
• Cantilever

A high-quality staircase begins with high-quality wood. Specialized Stairs works with the best wood suppliers and choosing premium products that showcase a wood’s natural beauty.

Whether you are looking for the gorgeous color and grain patterns of hardwood like cherry, walnut, oak, and maple – or the stunning style of rare woods such as sapele and tigerwood – we guarantee your new staircase is going to exude a “wow factor”!

Cantilever Stairs

A cantilever staircase is one where the solid stone steps (also known as treads) are embedded into a supporting wall on one end, with the other end ‘free’, visible and seemingly floating: the treads are said to be ‘cantilevered’ from the wall

Advantages:

• Cantilever stairs create more visual interest and are more unique than other types of stairs
• The stringer is typically located to one side or hidden in the wall which can allow for more headroom
• Cantilever stairs create a more open and spacious aesthetic to the room

Disadvantages:

• The design of the structure needs to be taken into consideration to support the cantilever stairs.
• Tread supports need to be designed to handle the weight and potential torque.
• Cantilever stairs are more costly than a typical mono-stringer stair due to additional structural requirements.

A spiral staircase is a structure that is built around a central post that acts as an axis for its steps. The origin of this type of staircase dates back to the Middle Ages. They were used both for aesthetic purposes and for defense (their structure makes it difficult for possible attackers to advance).

Advantages:

• It is perfect for lofts (one of those stair designs that fall under “corner stairs”) 
• It is fun to design and nice to photograph and look at as a design feature 
• The steps go around a central pole. Hence, this design does not require much in terms of support. 
• It is easier to construct 

Disadvantages:

• Only one person at a time can go up and down 
• Not for the accident-prone since the inner part of the steps are narrow (the solution is to make the steps wider or to increase the diameter) 
• Hard to move furniture up and down if it is the only way up and through 

Split Stairs

Split stairs allow one staircase to function as two, by leading up to different sections of the building making each end of the upper level easily accessible. They add an impressive architectural design statement to the building. Typically used in large homes or commercial buildings as a Grand Entry.

Advantages:

• Makes a grand statement for your home (it is not called the “grand dame of stairs” for nothing) 
• It can serve as a point of interest in your home, depending on its design 
• The lines add to the depth of your space and give the illusion of an even bigger space

Disadvantages:

• Large means expensive, with all the support its construction requires 
• May require a lot of space which not all can afford nowadays 

Straight Stairs

Straight stairs are stairs without any changes in direction. They are certainly one of the most common types of stairs found in both residential and commercial properties. Below are examples of straight floating stairs made with a variety of stringer styles, railing types, and wood species.

Advantages:

• Doesn’t need any support other than the attachments at the top and bottom 
• Railings and handrails are easier and faster to install 
• Easier to dress up because it is one straight line 
• For the user, it is easier to use when going up and down 
• Blends in easily with minimalist or simplistic interior design

Disadvantages:

• For the detail-oriented with design and space, they take up more linear space 
• They do not offer privacy 
• Dangerous in terms of falling down because one misstep could lead to a long fall 
• One flight can only accommodate 16 steps. More would require a central landing which will then take up more space.

Contact us if you have any questions or would like to learn more about hardwood flooring or balusters on stairs. We look forward to helping you find your perfect flooring fit.

There are always more tips for the home popping up on our Instagram and Pinterest. If you have the chance, be sure to take a look!