Crown Heritage of North Wilkesboro, N.C., manufacturer of wood and wrought iron stair systems, has received a patent for its industry-first Crown System™, a stair system that aligns standard balusters with the rake of the rail and the tread. This is something no other traditional stair system has been able to achieve with today's building codes, according to the company.

The Crown System provides the geometrical solution to the stair system industry's problem of uneven alignment, which emerged from a change in building codes. In recent years, all stair balusters were designed to work on 30-inch rake rail heights. When building codes changed the rake rail height to 34-inch, most stair parts manufacturers continued to offer the same balusters they had offered in the past without making the needed adjustments to allow the balusters to properly align. Building codes mandated a change, but the problem of alignment remained.

In addition to the industry-leading technology of perfect alignment, the Crown System also offers easier installation and reduced labor costs to further benefit builders.