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Industry Terms & Definitions
Tools and information to help with your project
Whether you're a homeowner planning your first renovation or a builder placing an order, knowing the right terminology makes the process easier. Browse our glossary to get familiar with common terms for stairs, doors, and trim.
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Balusters – The vertical parts of a railing.
Box Stair – A stair that will be "boxed in" by walls when installed.
Bullnose – The rounded edge on a stair tread.
Cove Moulding – A narrow trim used to cover the seams where the tread and riser meet.
Gooseneck – The piece of rail used to make a sharp rise to a landing newel or higher section of railing.
Newel – The vertical post, usually at the beginning and/or end of a railing.
Newel Attachment Kit – Metal plates and screws for attaching the newel post at the base.
Nosing – The part of a stair tread that extends past the riser.
Open Stair – The treads and risers run out past the stringers and will not be closed in by walls.
Rise – The vertical measurement from the top of one tread to the top of the next tread.
Riser – The vertical component of a stair which, along with stringers, supports each tread.
Rosette – A transitional element used in corners of door and window casing and also used to securely attach the railing to the wall.
Run – The horizontal measurement that tells how much distance is available for your stairs to use.
Stringer – The sides of a stair that holds the treads and risers in place.
Turnout – The piece of a railing that allows the rail to change direction.
Volute – The decorative curved piece of rail at the start.
Winder Treads – These treads resemble pieces of a pie that are stacked in a way that allows a stair to make a sharp turn when space is an issue.
Wood Plug – These are used to hide screws that are used in railing assemblies. Plugs can be flat to the surface or have a rounded top. The rounded are referred to as "Mushroom Plugs".
Bifold Door – A door that is hinged in the middle and slides on tracks.
Brick Moulding – The exterior trim that is applied on the exterior of the door unit to cover the connection point between the door frame and the wall stud where the door unit is installed.
Core – The innermost layer or center section of the door.
French Door – A door with glass panes throughout its length. A French door could be a pair or not.
Jambs – The surrounding wood frame to which a door is hinged to create a door unit. It also allows the door to be installed into a wall.
Lites – Refers to the glass of doors. Ex: A "9-lite" door would have a grid that creates 9 squares of glass.
Panels – The part of the door which is raised above or sunk below the level of the rest of the door to create depth.
Plinth Block – The decorative block at the base of door trim.
Rails – The horizontal components of the door.
Rough Opening – An opening in a wall for a door or window.
Sidelites – Narrow, vertical windows on one or both sides of an exterior door.
Sill/Threshold – The bottom piece of a door frame. Usually made from aluminum or wood.
Sticking – The profile (ovalo or square) of the edge of the stile or rail that gives it definition and allows it to hold panels.
Stiles – The vertical components of a door. Together, the stiles and rails form the frame of the door slab.
Stop – Limits the door's opening swing. It is part of the frame and the door rests on it when closed.
Sweep – A form of weatherstripping attached to the bottom of a door that seals the opening.
T-Astragal – A profile of material and weatherstripping that covers the seam between doors in a two-door system.
Threshold/Sill – The bottom piece of a door frame. Usually made from aluminum or wood.
Transom – A mounted piece of glass or wood above the door unit.