Riser – A stair riser is the vertical space between one step and another. It may be closed or open, depending on the style of the stairs. Tread – A stair tread is the horizontal part of the step that a person will stand on, and along with the riser, is an integral part of a staircase.

You can inexpensively improve the appearance of your stairs and help them function as design elements by using covers, runners, paint, wallpaper, laminate, peel-and-stick panels and decals, or tile on the risers alone or both the risers and treads.

Stairs are a structure designed to bridge a large vertical distance between lower and higher levels by dividing it into smaller vertical distances. This is achieved as a diagonal series of horizontal platforms called steps which enable passage to the other level by stepping from one to another step in turn.