Stairwell vs. Staircase – What’s the Difference?

Have you ever had to describe the stairs in a building and couldn’t find the proper words to do so? For example, how can we decide between using “Stairwell” and “Staircase”?

We want to know what’s the difference between those two words and how to properly use each.

Stairwell vs. Staircase – What’s the Difference?

The difference between a “Stairwell” and a “Staircase” is related to the proportion of each. “Stairwell” usually refers to the shaft we see in high buildings, where the stairs are located. “Staircase”, on the other hand, commonly refers to a flight of stairs that is properly structured.

Take a look at the examples below:

• The stairwell of the apartment building led to the 27th floor.
• The staircase in the house led to the 2nd floor.

Although this is one of those instances in which you wouldn’t be publicly embarrassed if you mistook one word for the other, we have to be mindful that there’s a difference.

It’d sound off to say that a “Staircase” led to the 27th floor of a building, as well as it’d sound off to say a “Staircase” leads to the second floor of a house.

With that in mind, we recommend you use the word “Stairwell” for big buildings with many floors and a shaft connecting all of them, and “Staircase” when talking about a flight of stairs in a house or small building (where the stairs aren’t on a shaft).

Stairwell

A “Stairwell” is a vertical shaft where stairs are located. Usually, big buildings have a “Stairwell”, that connected every floor of the building. There’s an idea of grandeur when you use the word “Stairwell”. For example, you wouldn’t use it to describe a small “Staircase” in a house.  

We know “Stairwell” is a word, and we looked up the definition for it in The Cambridge Dictionary. This is what we found: “a long, vertical passage through a building around which a set of stairs is built”.

Take a look at the examples below:

1. Most people use the elevator, instead of the stairwell.
2. The kid was found hiding in the stairwell.
3. The lights on the 4th level of the stairwell are faulty.
4. The stairwell was so large that every word I spoke echoed.
5. We took the stairwell up to the 6th floor.

Staircase

A “Staircase” is a structure that contains a stairway. More specifically, a “Staircase” is a flight of stairs with the proper structure, such as a supporting framework and balusters, for example. “Staircase” isn’t as grandeur as a “Stairwell”.

According to The Cambridge Dictionary, this is how a “Staircase” should be defined: “a set of stairs inside a building, usually with a bar fixed on the wall or onto vertical poles at the side for you to hold on to”.

Let’s take a look at some helpful examples:

1. The large spiral staircase led to the second level of the house.
2. The house’s staircase was old and worn.
3. We’re redoing the staircase.
4. The staircase is intricately carved.
5. I quickly ascended the dimly lit staircase.

Which Is Used the Most?

In this case, both words are correct and acceptable to be used. It makes us curious as to which one of those forms is used more often, “Stairwell” or “Staircase”? Take a look at the graph from Google Ngram Viewer below.

“Stairway” is the word used more frequently, but not by a large difference. Looking at the graph, we find out that “Stairway” has always been the prevalent form, but “Stairwell” and been increasing in usage.

“Stairwell”, since around 1950, has been consistently increasing in usage. The number of big buildings with stairs built in shafts that connect all floors has also increased greatly since 1950 and we think those things are connected.

It’s not random that “Stairwell” has become more common, as a word. With that in mind, time will tell which one of the words will be more common in the future.

Final Thoughts

“Stairwell” is used to describe the shaft found in high buildings, where the stairs are located and connect all floors of the building. “Staircase” usually refers to a single flight of stairs that is properly structured, in a house or building. Both words are correct but differ in size.