Period · Federal
The Georgia Wood Stair Style
Georgia is the heavier sibling to Bunker Hill — same federal-era vocabulary but with broader coves, deeper shoulders, and a more pronounced overall mass. Reserved for grand-foyer applications where the stair needs to anchor a large entry. Most-requested species: walnut, with cherry as the warmer alternative.
- Est. 198739 yrs
- Family-Owned
- Veteran-Owned
- 4.8★ Verified
- Lehigh Valley
Definition
What is a Georgia wood stair?
A Georgia wood stair is a heavier Federal-era staircase — the same vocabulary as Bunker Hill but with broader coves, deeper shoulders, and more visual mass. Built in walnut or cherry, it is reserved for grand foyers and federal-era estates with the ceiling height and width to balance its scale.
Built & reviewed by Snyder Stairs · Whitehall, PA · Est. 1987 · Updated June 2026
Visual character
What makes the Georgia profile distinct.
- Broader cove than Bunker Hill — more visual mass
- Deeper shoulders, more dramatic stepping
- Walnut primary (cherry on warmer schemes)
- Pairs with a substantial handrail — not the thin federal profile
When it works
Best fit for the Georgia style.
- Grand foyers in larger center-hall colonials and federal-era estates
- Saucon Valley CC homes and Bedminster NJ estate properties
- Renovations that want federal vocabulary but at scale
- Pair with curved or flared bottom step for full statement
Pairings that work
Configurations + iron patterns that pair with Georgia.
The Georgia profile works best with specific stair geometries and (when iron is in the mix) specific iron baluster patterns. Below: the catalog cross-references for this style.
Recommended configurations
How it compares
Wood balusters or iron — which suits the Georgia look?
Most Georgia runs use turned wood spindles, but iron pickets are an option on transitional and mixed runs. The trade-offs:
Turned wood spindles
- Stays true to the period vocabulary of the style
- Profile + species can match the home's existing trim
- Repaint or re-stain to refresh over time
- Single repeating profile reads warmer and traditional
Iron pickets
- Lower maintenance — satin-black finish, no re-staining
- Slimmer profile opens up the visual line of the run
- Modernizes the read on transitional remodels
- Can alternate with wood spindles in mixed runs
Georgia FAQs
Common questions about the Georgia wood stair style.
Q: Will Georgia work in a smaller foyer?
It will read overscaled. Georgia is built for grand foyers — the broad cove and deep shoulders need ceiling height and width to balance. For smaller foyers in the federal vocabulary, Bunker Hill is the more proportionate choice.
Browse every profile we carry.
Two full product catalogs — wood and iron. Flip through the whole line, mark what you like, and bring it to your first call.
Ready when you are
Custom stairs and railings, built in Whitehall.
Custom stairs and railings, built by a family of Pennsylvania craftsmen for nearly forty years. We'll give you a realistic budget on the first call — not a teaser, not a pressure-close. Get in touch, or send a few photos.
Budget on the first call · (610) 443-2240 · Whitehall, PA
