Going
The going is the horizontal depth of a stair tread measured nosing to nosing. NCC 2022 sets a going of 240 mm to 355 mm for standard residential stairs.
Ask Chalkline about this →The going is the horizontal measurement of a stair tread, taken from the front edge (nosing) of one tread to the front edge of the tread below. It is not the same as the physical tread depth if the tread has a nosing overhang.
Under the ABCB Housing Provisions Standard 2022 Table 11.2.2a, the going for standard residential stairs must be between 240 mm and 355 mm. The going works with the riser height through the slope formula: 2R + G must fall between 550 mm and 700 mm, where R is the riser height and G is the going. This formula keeps a stair at a comfortable walking pitch.
Getting the going wrong affects the whole flight. Because risers and goings must be consistent within a flight (adjacent variation no more than 5 mm), an error in the structural slab-to-slab height or stringer layout can force a non-compliant going on every tread. Locking geometry before framing is the cheapest fix.
Also known as: stair going, tread depth (though technically tread depth includes any nosing overhang beyond the going).
Category: Stair construction and compliance.
Related
- NCC stairs, balustrades and handrails: full Part H5 stair geometry requirements
See also
- Tolerance: workmanship tolerance for stair riser and going variation
Last updated: 2026-05-07. Verified: 2026-05-07. Quarterly review for currency.