Staircase | Definition of Staircase

Stair may be defined as an arrangement of treads, risers, stringers, newal posts, hand rails and balusters so designed and constructed as to provide an easy and quick access to the different floor rendering comfort and safety to the users. 

Stairs may be made from various material like timber, stones, bricks, Steel, plain concrete or  reinforced concrete. The selection of the type of material to be used depend upon the aesthetically importance, fund available, durability desired and fire resistance qualities expected etc.

location of stairs

In public building it should be located near the main entrance and in residential building it should be placed centrally so as to provide easy access from all the rooms and maintain privacy at the same time.

Step :-  A portion of a stairway comprising of the tread and riser which permit Ascent and Descent from one floor to another.

Tread:-The horizontal upper part of a step on which foot is placed in ascending or descending a stairway.

Riser:-  The vertical portion of a step providing a support to the tread.

Flight:-  A series of steps without any platform break or landing in their direction.

Landing:- A platform for resting place provide between two flight.

Nosing:- The outer projecting edge of a tread is termed as nosing. Nosing is usually rounded to give architectural effect to the tread and makes the staircase to negotiate.

Scotia:- It is the moulding provided under nosing to beauty the elevation of step.

Soffit:- It is the under surface of a stair.

Hand rail:-They are provided to render assistance in negotiating a stair-way. They are supported on balustrades and usually run parallel to the slope of the stair.

Baluster:- It is a wooden, metal or masonry vertical member supporting a handrail.

Balustrade:- It usually consists of a row of blusters surrounded by a rail and is provided to perform the function of fence or guard for the user of the stay-way.

Newel post:-It is a wooden or metallic post supporting  the handrail and is usually provided at the head foot or at point where the balustrade changes the direction.

Headroom or headway:_It is the clear vertical distance between the tread of a step and the soffit of the flight or the ceiling of landing immediately above it.

Spandrel:- It is the triangular framing under the outside string of an open string stair.

Width of the stair:-  The length of a step is called width of stair.