refitting banisters - newel post and spindles etc.

[sm_jamieson]

Well, I was going to be sorting out the fireplace, but I have been reminded of priorities. We are expecting our first child in october, and the stairs have no banister. Apparently the health visitor / social worker will snatc h the baby if the stairs are not safe (only half joking), so I've got to do the stairs.

All pine, to be painted white. I will be truncating the existing square new els and fitting newel turnings, and fixing the spindles (standard turned ge orgian type) with a baserail and spacers method. The current stringer is 32 mm wide and the baseplate will be 63mm wide. I will be using some mouldings to make this look OK.

In order that the sofa could be removed from the front room one day (!), a section of spindles is to be vaguely removable - obviously with some paint damage. This will be done by only glueing spindles at the top of the remova ble section, and at the bottom of the rest, so the handrail will lift off c ompletely taking a section of spindles with it. Well, that is the theory.

A couple of questions:

1. 32mm or 41mm spindles ? Is 32mm pine likely to be a bit too bendy ?

1. What is the best way to cut the existing newels perfectly horizontal, an d drill the 50mm socket perfectly vertical for fitting the newel turnings ? Some sort of jig clamped around the stub newel post ?

Cheers, Simon.

[John Rumm]

I did something like this when I did my loft conversion. I fixed the spindles to the hand rail, and to the base rail, but made it such that the base rail could be freed from the strings by undoing a few screws. Then turned newel I pinned in place with a long screw through the sides of the socket in the square base section, so again this could be taken out to allow it to pull out of its socket.

either should be ok.

Draw a line on two sides, and cut carefully with a jack saw...

Having done that, I found the square corners did not look right next to the turned newel, and so shaped the corners of the square post to match those on the top of the square section of the turned newel.

(I also needed to extend the newel post I built into the stairs slightly, so added an extension with a M&T joint)

Bottom three photos:

I used an expansive bit in a cordless drill. Fitted the depth stop bar to it, an the used a small level against the bar to make sure it was square in both planes. Stopping to check every so often.

[harry]

ed of priorities. We are expecting our first child in october, and the stai rs have no banister. Apparently the health visitor / social worker will sna tch the baby if the stairs are not safe (only half joking), so I've got to do the stairs.

ewels and fitting newel turnings, and fixing the spindles (standard turned georgian type) with a baserail and spacers method. The current stringer is

32mm wide and the baseplate will be 63mm wide. I will be using some mouldin gs to make this look OK.

a section of spindles is to be vaguely removable - obviously with some pain t damage. This will be done by only glueing spindles at the top of the remo vable section, and at the bottom of the rest, so the handrail will lift off completely taking a section of spindles with it. Well, that is the theory.

and drill the 50mm socket perfectly vertical for fitting the newel turnings ? Some sort of jig clamped around the stub newel post ?

You can buy kits to make the job quicker.

[robgraham]

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I went through the same design challenge 25 years ago when our extension was built with one upstairs bedroom and walk-in access to the loft. The stair is boxed in from the hall but if you know where to look there are screws to take the wall down.

I think I know where they all are but have never had to find them. I suspect that clearing the 60 ft long loft for a clearance sale might be a tad easier if the wall was removed, but that in my current state of decrepitude won't be my problem ! Rob