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Whether you're starting a renovation project or building your dream home from the ground up, your staircase serves more than just a functional purpose—it’s a fundamental design feature that sets the tone for your entire interior space.  As the UK’s leading manufacturer of stairparts, we’re here to demystify the process of choosing a staircase and explain what you should consider when selecting your parts.  Materials  Oak and pine are the most popular material choices for stairparts, and both have unique advantages. Oak is renowned for its durability and timeless appeal. It has a natural texture and warm undertones, from subtle reddish hues to deeper yellow tones. As a hardwood, its strength and longevity make it an ideal choice for high-traffic areas, ensuring resilience against daily wear and tear.  Pine is known for its light colour, distinctive grain patterns, and rustic allure. As a softwood, pine isn’t as hardy as oak, but it's lightweight and versatile, making it a cost-effective and highly customisable choice. Pine takes finishes and waxes well, so you can paint or stain it any colour of your choosing to match your furnishings.  Richard Burbidge’s PaintReady collection offers a range of timber stairparts ready finished in an ultra-smooth, eco-friendly, water-based primer. This means No sanding, no filling, no priming, for less time on the job. Customers also have the flexibility to mix and match different timber options or combine timber with a painted finish. Your Property The staircase plays an integral role in the overall look and feel of your space. When selecting stairparts, it's essential to consider the character and style of your property to achieve cohesive and harmonious interiors.  If you live in a heritage or period property with original architectural features, opt for stair parts crafted from rich, enduring hardwood materials like oak. Oak has a timeless elegance and sophistication, perfectly complementing the historic charm of your property while adding a touch of grandeur to your staircase.  Alternatively, if your home has a more contemporary or eclectic aesthetic, consider stair parts made from a combination of pine, glass or metal to achieve a modern, airy ambience.  Selecting Stair Parts A staircase is only as impressive as the sum of its parts. At Richard Burbidge, we have a collection of stairparts to suit every home, with a choice of glass, metal and timber that can elevate the ordinary into the inspirational.  Choosing your stairparts involves understanding each component's purpose and design to create a functional and visually striking staircase.  Let’s break down some of the core elements:  Spindles and Balusters: Stair spindles, also known as balusters, are the vertical rods connecting the handrail to the stairs. These components can be made from wood, metal, or glass to suit your interior preferences. Think of each spindle as individual design elements that work together to form a complete, visually striking staircase.  Baserail: A baserail is the horizontal component of a handrail system that runs along the bottom of the staircase, providing support and safety. It typically sits at the base of the balusters or spindles and serves as a structural element to which the spindles are attached. The baserail may feature a groove for spindles to slot into or remain solid, with metal spindles or glass brackets directly affixed to it. Our baserails are available in various timbers to match any interior style, including oak, pine, hemlock, and a white finish.  Newel posts: The newel post is the pillar that supports the handrail on a staircase. Though newel posts offer safety and are a structural stairpart, they also function as decorative elements in your interior design. Easily transform your staircase with our ReNewel Cladding System, the ideal solution for refreshing or modernising old newels that are tough to replace. Customisable kits are available in Oak and Pine finishes, offering a convenient way to update your staircase. Our unique and innovative designs enable you to transform most staircases in a matter of days. Check out our complete selection of stairparts here.  Safety  When renovating your staircase, safety should always come first. Richard Burbidge stair systems undergo thorough testing and evaluations by FIRA, the recognised authority in timber product testing. Not only does this ensure that our products last the test of time, but it also verifies that they comply with all necessary building regulations. You’ll have the peace of mind that your staircase prioritises safety without compromising style or quality.  No matter the design, the most integral part of any staircase is the quality of the materials and the parts. With over 150 years of experience manufacturing timber products, you can be confident that your Richard Burbidge staircase will be an excellent investment. To book a design consultation, click here; our expert team will contact you soon.  

We have been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development 2024. Archwood Group is one of 252 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. As announced on Monday 6 May, Archwood Group has been recognised for its excellence in Sustainable Development 2024. Josh Burbidge, Managing Director of Archwood Group, comments: “Being honoured with the King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development 2024 is an incredible achievement involving the entire business. We want to continue to do our part in having a positive impact on the planet and society. Each and every one of us plays an important role in our sustainability journey, and we’re encouraging colleagues and customers to get involved in any way they can.” The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years. The award is proof of Archwood Group’s dedication to sustainable practices, following a remarkable 66% reduction in emissions. Installation of over 2,600 solar panels underscores their proactive stance on reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to 100% renewable energy. In 2021, Archwood Group partnered with the sustainability accreditation, Planet Mark, and also joined the United Nations Race to Zero campaign, whereby the business has committed to achieve Net Zero by no later than 2050. This follows Archwood Group’s appointment of its internal Environmental Action Group to drive sustainable action throughout the business. You can see all the winners of The King’s Awards for Enterprise 2024 in a special supplement of The Gazette: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/64386/supplement/S1