What are floating stairs? Of course, floating staircases don’t actually float. Despite our best efforts, we can’t defy gravity. But we have mastered the design and fabrication of stairs with a light and minimalist appearance. We define floating stairs as any staircase with open risers. This means that the stair treads are not connected to one another. Rather, they are connected by one or more stair stringers that run beneath the treads or along the side/sides.