Stair Treads and Risers

Stair Treads and Risers are part of the structural parts of the stairs. Let's back up a little bit.

Stair treads are the part of the stair you step on, the horizontal part. They can be made of many materials including wood, metal, and much more. The term stair treads is also used for non structural materials placed on top of the structural, meaning weight bearing, stair treads. These "non structural" treads can serve multiple purposes, including decor, protecting the stairs, sound deadening qualities and non slip qualities.

Decorative stair treads can be thin hardwood coverings, carpet runners or thin staircase-long rugs, individual rugs for each stair tread, etc. and these also have sound deadening qualities and help protect stairs from wear and tear. Rubber or vinyl treads are primarily used for non slip qualities and are easy to install often with tacks or glue.

When people use the term stair treads and risers they are usually referring to the structural treads, the weight bearing component.

The risers are the vertical part of the stairs between each tread. They may be the same as the treads, for example made of the same materials, or different. For example when using hardwood stair treads they are often of cheaper material and painted white.

Often risers are "open air" meaning there is no riser. This may be to give a nice open design and look or sometimes for cost reasons. For example when using heavy duty industrial style metal stair treads, there is no need structurally or otherwise for risers so they often do not exist.

The stair treads and risers are held in place by a stringer board, a structural member that supports the treads and risers. Normally there are two stringer boards, perhaps cut from a 2 by 12 inch piece or lumber, one on each side to support the treads and risers. Sometimes these are just called stringers or strings and often they are built with notches in them so the treads and risers fir right in.

Another term you'll encounter is nosing. If part of the tread overruns the riser, this is called the nosing.