Stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs or simply stairs are all names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps. Stairways may be straight, round, or may consist of two or more straight pieces connected at angles.Special stairways include escalators and ladders. Alternatives to stairways are elevators, stairlifts and inclined moving sidewalks.\n\nThe step is composed of the tread and riser.\n\n * tread - The part of the stairway that is stepped on. It is constructed to the same specifications (thickness) asany other flooring. The tread \"width\" is measured from the outer edge of the step to the vertical \"riser\" between steps.\n * riser - The vertical portion between each tread on the stair. This may be missing for an \"open\" stair effect.\n * nosing - An edge part of the tread that protrudes over the riser beneath. If it is present, this means that horizontally, the total \"run\" length of the stairs is not simply the sum of the tread lengths, the treads actually overlap each other slightly\n * starting step or bullnose - Where stairs are open on one or both sides, the first step above the lower floor may be wider than the other steps and rounded. The balusters typically form a semi-circle around the circumference of the rounded portion and the handrail has a horizontal spiral called a \"volute\" that supports the top of the balusters. Besides the cosmetic appeal, starting steps allow thebalusters to form a wider, more stable base for the end of the handrail. Handrails that simply end at a post at the foot of the stairs can be less sturdy, even with a thick post. A double bullnose can be used when both sides of the stairs are open.\n * winders - Winders are steps that are narrower on one side than the other. They are used to change the direction of the stairs without landings. A series of winders form a circular or spiral stairway. When three steps are used to turn a 90° corner, the middle step is called a kite winder due to its similarity to a diamond-shaped kite.\n * stringer, stringer board or sometimes just string - The structural member that supports the treads and risers. There are typically two stringers, one on either side of the stairs; though the treads may be supported many other ways. The stringers are sometimes notched so that the risers and treads fit into them. Stringers on open-sided stairs are often open themselves so that the treads are visible from the side. Such stringers are called \"cut\" stringers. Stringers on a closed side of the stairs are closed, with the support for the treads routed into the stringer.* trim - Trim (e.g. quarter-round or baseboard trim) is normally applied where walls meet floors and often underneath treads to hide the reveal where the tread and riser meet. Shoe moulding may be used between where the lower floor and the first riser meet. Trimming a starting step is a special challenge as the last riser above the lower floor is rounded. Today, special flexible, plastic trim is available for this purpose, however wooden mouldings are still used and are either cut from a single piece of rounded wood, or bent with laminations Scotia is concave moulding that is underneath the nosing between the riser and the tread above it. adventure, cityscape, destination, log, nature, travel