Installation tips for bannisters & balusters?
weedyacres
12 years ago
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Comments (8)
sombreuil_mongrel
12 years agoRelated Discussions
Handrail and balusters
Comments (11)Hi everyone as this subject seems to be something that a lot of folks with stairs are wanting to do, change or up grade is a big decision in time, effort, & O-YA money! I would only buy your rail & stair parts from a stair company or someone that knows how to install these parts. They can usually straighten you out over the phone when you become stuck on a decision that could cost you all the money you would have saved by buying your parts at a box store or anywhere that does not make their living installing what they sell. I would also check out this web site of a 30 year old comany to see some great pictures of finished styles of stairs & rail work. I also know they ship all over the US & if you fax a list of styles/parts (catalog names & or numbers) & a drawing (looking down at your plans/stair) of your stairs, they will help you get the right parts "the first time" & I would also ask if they have any styles that they are discontinuing or over runs if you are not too picky on styles. When you talk to a stair company they will tell you that there are no 2" x 2" balusters, that they come as 1-1/4", 1-3/4", and some 2-1/4" are the standard size. Newels are 3" x 3", 3-1/4" and box newels can be just about any size your pocket book can stand! Once you have figured out your plan of attack, like do I want the balusters to dowel into the treads, or do I want an elavated shoe rail that runs just above the tread nose at the pitch of the stair so the balusters fit into it and this will tell you and the stair pro how long the balusters need to be and then all you parts will start to fill in as you need them. Are you covering your old stair with new Oak Treads & if so, what about the rise change, will they still meet code in your area. Why spend all this $$$ if it does not knock your socks off when your done! Most Stairs/Rails are usually near or at the entry where your guests enter your home, you want it to set the feel of your home that it is a quality built home, so shady workmanship here is a NO-NO! You need to remember that there is a reason that more then half of the carpenters work on stairs, but only 10% know how to work on the rails system and if it's curved it's like only 2% that can do it in a timely mannor and make money doing it! Old Stair guy...See MoreTips to save some bucks on new home construction
Comments (45)Some other advice... Do online shopping. There are so many options and great deals available, especially for fixtures I would advise using online pricing to negotiate better prices at local supply houses and shops. It is rarely worth the trouble to return and/or get warranty service on items purchased online. An installation of a defective item can destroy all your savings from online shopping. Many supply houses will match or give you some discount to make them a better choice. For items that are easily replaced such, such as lights, online shopping can be great as a defective light will have little collateral damage. Talk to local stores for bargain, discontinued stock, deals, clearing sale, etc This is great advice, but you must be ready to purchase when the items are available and have a means to store the item. I purchase closeout items for my rental properties that I don't currently need in anticipation of needing them. I have replacement faucets, toilets, etc waiting for breakage or lease end. Talk to the builder and get builder-discounts at some stores This should be nearly automatic. I get my painter's discount, my plumber's discount, and my electrician's discount for projects they are working on even when I buy the stuff (supply houses will usually just give me the discount even if they are not doing the stuff). Use basic standard stuff and upgrade later, especially appliances This is incredibly common bad advice. This is essentially the same thing as put your money in the toilet, but wait a few years to flush. There is only a marginal cost of upgrading today. Why in the world would you want to not only ignore the reduced cost, but increase cost by buying stuff you don't want? If you can live with cheaper stuff indefinitely, then buy cheaper stuff. Don't make your financial situation worse by buying cheaper stuff that you don't want to live with so that you can buy more expensive stuff later. Current mortgage rates are barely above inflation rates, you are not going to be better off by having a lower mortgage and deferring costs. A wild suggestion from a co-worker: Use no -interest-for-2-years credit card to buy some of the stuff instead of charging it to construction loan. Once you finish the project, then you get some time to make the credit card payment. This is not really saving anything for me. Just a suggestion to defer the initial burden. This is actually solid advice. In fact, for the last 10 years I have been carrying a zero percent credit card balance. I just balance transfer it to a different promotional card before the interest period kicks in. Interest free money is great. Even ignoring my investments over that time, every dollar I financed at zero percent interest back then is only 83 cents of purchasing power to pay off today. However, that debt should be factored into your loan app when you apply for credit. You can get in trouble increasing your debt while working out a mortgage loan....See MoreReplacing traditional wood balusters with iron balusters
Comments (9)I’m in the same dilemma with our current house (built 1985) and have decided that I’m going to paint the balusters and the base white and leave the bannister and posts stained. I looked through tons of online photos and that configuration to me seemed to make the biggest impact. We put iron balusters in a house we built 12 years ago because it was the norm for new builds and I wonder if at some point iron will start to look dated whereas wood balusters have always been around and could argue that they’re “timeless.”...See MoreStairs-- what kind of balusters?
Comments (14)I would lean toward iron but it’s really personal preference. I have similar balusters and I dislike them. Square 1-1/4” wood balusters are my favorite, especially placed close together, but if you keep that curve at the bottom of the handrail, they might not look right. You may need something thinner or more rounded. It looks like iron would go with your light fixture. There are so many choices with either material. Find inspiration photos of staircases you like to see the overall effect....See Moresombreuil_mongrel
12 years agoadvertguy2
12 years agoweedyacres
12 years agosombreuil_mongrel
12 years agoweedyacres
12 years agosombreuil_mongrel
12 years ago
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