Step By Step
Steps Terminology
Treads and risers
Treads are the horizontal pieces of stone that you stand on, while risers are the vertical pieces that support the treads and cover the face of the base.
A larger stone at the top (and sometimes bottom) of a flight is referred to as a landing stone, and the step into a house is the threshold stone.
Steps Terminology Explained
Length
The left to right measurement of a tread. Somewhat confusingly, you may also refer to it as the width of the staircase! Either way, it is the long dimension.
Going
The front-to-back measurement of a tread, the footfall, which includes the thickness of the riser and the overhang.
Rise
The measurement from the top of one tread to the top of the next tread. The total fall is the distance from the surface of the top tread to the ground.
Bull-nose
The rounded edge of a tread which prevents chipping and provides aesthetic value.
Measuring Your Own Steps
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The going of the tread should usually be 100mm longer than the going of the base that the tread will sit on. This allows for the thickness of a 50mm riser and gives scope for a 50mm overhang.
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It may not be possible to have even rises for each step if you lay new stone over an existing base. You often end up with a large bottom step and a small top step.
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If the steps are exposed on the left and/or right hand side then the edge should be bull-nosed along with the front edge.
