installstairrailings Here's a great step-by-step from a homeowner who replaced his dated wrought-iron stair railings with new oak railings.
Stairway Remodel: Installing the Handrail and Spindles (Balusters)
From "Weekend Remodeling"
episode WKR-207
In this episode of Weekend Remodeling, host Fuad Reveiz converts this stairway from average ...
to eye catching!
In this segment, host Fuad Reveiz finishes the project by installing the handrail and spindles (balusters).
On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult, this project rates a 4.
Materials:
Utility knife
Flat pry bar
Circular saw
Jig saw
Miter saw
Air nailer
Sander
Drill and bits
Tape measure
Level
Framing square
Miter saw
Chalk line
Air nailer
Handrail
Treads
Risers
Skirt boards
Balusters
Newel posts
Hardwood flooring
Landing tread
Felt paper
Screws
Stain
Paint
Polyurethane
Finishing nails
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Figure A
Figure B
Figure C
Figure D
Reveiz showed you how to convert your plain stairway into a masterpiece in just one weekend!
Begin by installing the half-newel post on the landing. After pre-drilling holes in the post, slip the screws through the holes and attach some toggle bolts.
Insert the toggle bolts into the wall, and notch the nosing out to accept the new post (figure A).
With the second newel post notched to fit the step, place and secure it with lag bolts.
The last newel post goes in the same way.
Take the measurements between the top posts and cut the railing to length. To mark the stair railing, hold it in place, resting along the stairs (figure B), and mark it for the angled cut.
Pre-drill the landing and treads for the balusters, using a special stair bit (figure C) that drills the hole and then creates a thread to accept the baluster bolts.
To prepare the balusters, drill out the center and insert the baluster bolts in the bottom. Screw the balusters into the floor.
Attach the rail fasteners into the newel posts.
Loosen the newel post and set the railing in place first by guiding it onto the rail fastener, and then by inserting the balusters into the holes in the railing.
Secrue the lag bolts on the newel post, and then tighten the bolt on the rail fastener.
Note: The stair railing is a little more difficult to line up, but it goes on the same way.
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Bob and Ryley begin to reassemble the stair rail and balusters. Ryley demonstrates the various fastening and plugging techniques.
Pat and Judy wanted to match their existing banister with one exception. Because the stairs were so narrow, they wanted the new rail to sit flush against the wall so as not to take up any more space. Ron was just the person to help them with this custom project.
1. Measure existing banister:
Start by measuring the height of the existing banister. The Nerbonne's chose to match this height for the new rail to help add to the continuity of the design.
Use a level to draw a vertical line on the wall from the front edge of the steps up to the height of the new rail. Do this at the top and the bottom of the staircase.
2. Make a chalk line:
The best way to draw a straight line over a long distance is to use a chalk line, which is a piece of string coated with powdered chalk. Hold the string tight at each end at the exact location you want the line to go, pull it back away from the wall in the center and then release the string. When it snaps back against the wall, it will leave behind a long, straight, line of chalk.
In this case, Judy wanted to extend the rail from the bottom of the stairs to the corner of the wall, so Ron used a level to continue a line parallel to the floor at the bottom of the staircase.
3. Locate wall studs :
A handrail has to be extra sturdy so it must be attached directly to the wall studs. Use an electronic stud finder to locate the studs and then mark them with a pencil.
Instead of attaching the rail directly to the wall, Ron recommends adding a mounting strip underneath. This offers two benefits. First, it will give you more room for your fingers when you are holding the rail and second, it will allow you to put the screws closer together and symmetrically spaced rather than worrying about where the wall stud locations are.
4. Cut and attach mounting strip:
Use a table saw to cut the mounting strip down so it will fit in the channel on the underside of the railing piece. Use a power miter box to cut the mounting strip to length.
First drill pilot holes at the locations of the wall studs, then use a countersink bit to make indentations in the wood so that the screw heads will be recessed and not interfere with the attachment of the rail. Attach the mounting strip to the wall studs using 2 " x #10 flat head phillips screws. The phillips screws are easier to drive with a screw gun.
Before staining the mounting strip, mask off the wall with low tack painter's tape. It is helpful to pre-stain the mounting strip and rail, but you will still need to do some touch-ups once they are attached.
Ron recommends adding wood stain to polyurethane if you need to match the color of an existing banister.
5. Cut rail piece:
When working with expensive wood, it is especially important to double-check your measurements before heading outside to the miter saw.
MITER SAW TIP: Push down firmly on the piece that you're cutting so it's both on the saw bed and up against the fence. Hold the saw handle, squeeze the saw switch on and allow the blade to come up to speed. Then cut all the way through the wood before releasing the switch to turn the blade off. Raise the handle back up holding the wood in place until the saw has stopped.
Once the railing is cut and brought back inside, mark the locations for the screw holes. Make sure that these holes do not line up with the screws that attach the mounting strip to the studs. Attach a strip of masking tape along the top of the rail. This will protect the wood and give you a surface to make your marks on.
Use a combination pilot hole drill and counter sink bit to drill into the new rail. Attach the railing again using the flat head phillips screws. These will be covered with plugs.
To finish off the end of the handrail, cut a short section of the rail piece and put a miter on it. Apply wood glue to the miter cut surface and then drill two additional pilot holes and secure the end with two six-penny or eight-penny (2" or 2 ") finish nails. Drive the nails slightly below the surface with a nail set and then covered the hole with matching wood filler.
After the banister is secured in place, remove the tape.
Use precut wooden pegs to cover the heads of the screws. It is important that the grain of these plugs is in the same direction as the grain of the rail. It may be helpful to take a pencil and make a mark along the grain line so you can line it up a little more easily.
Apply wood glue to the tip of the plugs, push them into place and then tap them in firmly with a hammer.
DEAR TIM: I'm in the midst of renovating my first old house and need help with the stair railing. The staircase leading to the second floor has an oak handrail with spindles and a curlicue thing on top of the post at the bottom of the stairs. The handrail and large, decorative posts are loose. Do I just renail all the spindles to tighten it back up? Is there something else I should / can do? or, is it best just to start over with a new handrail system? M.I.
DEAR M. I.: Did you slip on some sawdust and bump your head? Do the words volute (your curlicue thing), newel, goose neck, or turnout sound familiar? I didn't think so. You are about to enter a dimension of finish carpentry that only a select few can navigate successfully.
Staircase handrail systems are, in my opinion, the most difficult aspect of finish carpentry. A typical installation may take an experienced carpenter, with a helper, 4 - 5 days to install! Probably less than 1 percent of the finish carpenters in the trade can correctly install handrails and balusters. Your handrail was installed by a carpenter who is in the 99 percent group. Handrails and balusters installed correctly simply don't come loose.
Handrail systems derive their strength and stability from the larger, often decorative, newel posts that are found at the bottoms, tops, and landings of staircase. If the newel posts are not securely fastened, the entire handrail system will shake. The thin balusters that extend from the handrail down to each stair tread offer little strength. Their purpose is to form the barrier so you and your children do not fall off the stairs. Toenailing your spindles will do little to help the loose handrail or posts.
Newel posts at the top, bottom, and balconies of a staircase often have long, thick dowel pins at the bottom of each post. These dowels fit into precisely drilled holes of the same size. Drill the hole too big, even by 1/16th inch and your newel post may wiggle. Newel posts installed at landings incorporate long, heavy lag bolts which are attached to hidden rough framing members. Often these posts are notched into the stair tread nosings for additional stability.
To fix your loose handrail system, you must attack the problem from below. It will not be easy. Newel posts at the bottom and top of the stairs will be the hardest to tighten. Simply put, you now face the task of inserting a 16 inch long one half inch diameter lag bolt up into each post from below! This lag bolt must pass through solid blocking attached to your floor joists directly into the center of the dowel pin. The lag bolt should penetrate up into the newel post at least 8 inches.
Thinking of starting over? If so, there are several companies that, build, precut, assemble then