I'm more interested in your tile, it's beautiful! It looks like the Crosville tile I used. Is it?

I know this is a terrible virtual, but I couldn't get to sleep last night so took half a dose of Tylenol PM and now I'm drained. Can't wait until grandson takes his nap so I can sleep too!
Anyway, is this the general idea?
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I love your inspiration photo. I think that would look nice on your stairs. I hope you find someone to help you.

Well, if we want a cap or any shoe at the bottom or anything, the most we can fit is a 3" box with applied molding. I found *one* (contemporary) newel that fits the bill - my cousin doesn't know of any place that sells oak 4x4's so we'd have to go with this (sorry no pic of the real one, just drawing on website, but it looks similar to this, without the fluting).

{{!gwi}}

It comes with a chamfered top, he could apply molding (probably oak show like I have at back of my kitchen counters) to make a "collar" to turn the top into something that looks like a Mission flat-top newel (like this 4 3/4" newel that's too big - will overlap the corner to DR) instead of the pyramid shape in the inspiration.

{{!gwi}}

Would that look too weird with the Victorian scroll brackets I have?

JGBme - I would *love* if you could PS something like the mission newel on the DR side of the stairs, with some rail wrapping into it like you did above (now that you have an image to work with). Thanks!

BTW, Oakley - that's Marazzi tile made for Home Depot, discontinued in 2007 and it all may have to come up since I have 15-30 sf coming loose every year. Installer is coming on the 28th to pull it up and replace it (hopefully not breaking any decos b/c I don't even have enough spares to do one diamond).

Here is a link that might be useful: plain contemporary newel

If you are living there, do you have to pass another inspection? You only have three full treads exposed. Can't you just leave it as is?

Maybe I missed something about why you need to meet code in a previous discussion.

DH says we don't need to meet code since we got CO without it (inspector was being nice so we could get DR floor finished, move furniture in since there's only 36" to wall. And no way could we do that b4 DS started school - we were moving from out of state). But I feel guilty and would like to conform to the intent of code if not letter.

I also have a gap I need to hide b/t tread and wall - but my cousin the carpenter says just to caulk and paint it (my painter didn't want to, saying it would look like he painted the tread). Really, the tread should be replaced but builder wouldn't do it so I'm stuck.

The stringer has a gap too

And I haven't taken picks of the stringer where it (doesn't) meet the walls going up the stairs - but I think we have that part figured out.

If I could find a way to hide the gap, and ignore code, and don't care about "dressing up" the staircase, I *could* just put a railing down the left (looking up) side and wrap it 180 degrees to butt into that narrow wall on the DR side, call it done. I had planned on balustrade on both sides, but stairs are too narrow and foyer is too small so I'm going to leave that side open and put a bench there. For all my planning, this house was *not* built as I would have liked it to be, so we're working around a lot of things.

This shows that narrow wall - where I would butt the railing into or put a 3" post to end the rail.

{{!gwi}}

Has that staircase been inspected? The bottom step looks much shorter than the ones above it, that wouldn't pass code here. It is actually dangerous.

Sue, I'm sure it's just the trim (quarter round) that makes it look that way.
ajsmama, your little girl is darling. And I was way off on what you were thinking.

Sue - good eye. I never noticed, but just measured, and since we put in the 3/4" HW floor, the first riser is 1/2" shorter than the rest. We had the inspection before the DR floor was finished (had the back half of the room but had to finish near windows and stairs by hand - too tight to get power stapler in) but after the tile was installed. There's really nothing we can do about it now - other than rebuilding the stairs (which is tempting) or tearing out the wood floor (for the 2nd time) and putting in sheet vinyl. I don't know of any finished flooring material that's only 1/4" thick.

JGBme - actually, you were right on with what I was thinking, just opposite side. AJ is just holding the rosette there in a pic from last year when we were thinking we could put a newel post at the bottom and run a balustrade. Do you think you could PS one of the box newels I posted above?

What do you all think about a box newel and these rail brackets?

DH and I just picked up a oval cross-section wall rail (flat bottom) to have *something* to put up hopefully b4 my sister and 3-yo niece get here next Tuesday. But I'd like to get opinions ASAP on the box newel/stair bracket design issue so I know if I can order and get the newels soon we can put those up - otherwise the cheap wall rail we picked up tonight might be the only thing we have up for the next 5 yrs at this rate!

Thanks

Wow, I don't know where you people live but one of my clients put a chimney and fireplace in then the inspector pulled up in a car and pointed at the roof and said "That it?" signed off on it and drove off.

An entire house rehab from the joists out got a walk through at warp speed and he Looked at a few things and Asked a few questions, but certainly didnt Measure anything? Not pass a house because a step was short due to flooring? Wouldnt happen around here :) --I am not condoning the inspection process around her--just noting the apparent difference.

One thing that you may notice in practice, is that you Hit the floor a bit hard on the way down since your foot is "programmed" for 3/4" more of step down.

Well, it's a modular and came with stamped plans that the local BI got a copy of, so maybe he thought he didn't need to get a tape measure out. As far as not having the railing up, I think he was cutting us some slack so we could have DS start school a few days later. That's why I'd like to do something like the hefty half newel to anchor the wall rail which is supposed to wrap continuously around the corner. I've given up on having a balustrade since I can't find a carpenter who will anchor a newel post to he first tread (even if we rip out sheetrock underneath and add blocking - don't know why builder finished the basement stair ceiling). I didn't know we were supposed to have a newel post anchored to floor joist (figured if we had a starting step and volute it wouldn't be anyway), and no room to front of steps, now that finished floor is in I'm not about to rip that out (and make 36" from edge of tread to wall narrower by 5-6").

It may be within code - I said 1/2" but it's hard to measure with the shoe mold on the floor. Code says 3/8" variance OK. Frankly, we've been going up and down these stairs for over 2 years (starting during construction) and never noticed any difference even when we finally got the finished flooring in (had it finished in Sept 07, ripped it out in Nov 07, and replaced it in Sept 08 so had 3 months of construction, subfloor there and 1st riser *taller* than others by 1/8-1/4", floor installed for 3 months b4 we ripped it out to to checking, and then 9 months back to subfloor again, now past 10 months we've had a floor again).

But we really need a handrail, and we're putting one up within the week since 3-yo is coming to visit, DH and Ds have each slipped at the top of the stairs (have to measure risers there) once in the past 6 months, and 5 yo DD slipped climbing up (hands on treads) last week. I haven't slipped, but I am *extremely* careful going up and down in the dark in the middle of the night (I also have to add an outlet so we can put a nightlight at the top of the stairs, I don't like to turn on the stair lights since top and bottom are on same switch, DD's room is at top of stairs to left and she sleeps with her door open).

We all tend to step (or jump) from the bottom tread onto the tile (which is slightly lower than the wood) anyway, another reason I want to keep that side open - if I put a newel there, we'd be swinging on it going up and down. The wall is right in your face as you step off the last tread if you go straight, 36" is tight when you consider you're stepping *forward* and not straight down as you come off the tread.

Please palimpset, can you tell me what kind of newel you think we could use with those rail brackets? Or should I give up on the 3" newel entirely (since the bottom tread isn't any wider than the top open tread, I wouldn't be able to put anything bigger than 3" or maybe 3.5" at the bottom anyway)?

If I understand, I like your inspiration picture and I would use the same sized newels at each end. I would go with the simple one, and like you said, trim could be added.

I do agree that as long as you have something on one side it will be safer, and that both sides may create something you have to "go around" and will end up swinging on.

Thanks, but I don't think I'm going to be able to get any carpenter to put a newel at the bottom like the inspiration (I just posted that to show the half newels, not the balustrade). So no balusters, no banister.

What I was envisioning was something like justgottabeme PS'd for me, but only a 3" square "contemporary" oak newel (with perhaps applied molding to make it look more A&C like the 4.75" box newel that won't fit) on each side. The wall rail supported by Victorian repro brass brackets would wrap into the newel on the DR side (where AJ is holding the rosette) to fulfill code requirement for continuous rail.

I wish I owned PS so I could show you. But is the brass scroll bracket too ornate to use with a simple oak box newel? Thanks

For the gaps around the stair and stringer, I'd use a quarter round and stain it to match. If you taper and round the end of the quarter round as it reaches the edge of the stair, it should blend in well. On the stringer, stop the 1/4 round when it meets the molding. As with the stair, cut the end of the 1/4 so that it's tapered.

How much width do you have on the stairs between the two walls? Do you have room to put a rail and still have people walk up?

Ah, I think I get it, finally. Sorry. If you are doing the baluster on each side I would definitely make it the same size on each, something simple that you could add trim to.

The handrail bracket is a bit ornate, but it should work.

I bought the brackets when I was thinking of a balustrade with an over-the-post railing wrapping around the corner, sort of like this

{{!gwi}}

But with a starting fitting like this vertical volute instead (since I don't have the room to the side for a traditional turnout or volute)

{{!gwi}}

This was my inspiration - but I can't find anyone to put the newel post and balusters in

{{!gwi}}

Hence the ornate scroll bracket

My uncle gave me some scraps of brazilian cherry a couple of years ago. I'd love to use them as newels - they're 2.5" x 3.5". Need a cap b/c there's a groove in the back side (he used these for a custom built-in desk).

{{!gwi}}

One edge is routed - I would face that away from the stairs, so you'd see it from the foyer and the other one from the DR.

{{!gwi}}

Here's how it would look from the front (sorry, hard to hold it up and take pic by myself)

{{!gwi}}

It would have to be chamfered or routed on the other front edge as well since there is a chip out of this one.

{{!gwi}}

Here's how the oak rialing would butt into the side ( have to do a 90 degree turn)

{{!gwi}}

What do you think?

Our newels were kind of built into the bottom step - maybe you can find someone willing to do this so you would still have enough pass-thru room?

don't mind all the stuff on the steps - just got back from a shopping spree at IKEA :)

mairin - I guess there's a chance they'd mess up the finished floor if they did that now? Anyway, I wanted the newel just 1 step up, same as it would be if we had a bullnose step and volute/turnout, they could still notch it out to snug up to 2nd tread. But 1st guy didn't want to do that, wanted permnission in writing from building inspector (and now 9 months later I'm even more reluctant to go asking), 2nd guy never got back to me after coming out for a quote and nodding his head yes the whole time, and my cousin who has been doing all the trim in my house (and building new window jambs and stools where the builder didn't do them right) says that he doesn't want to do it, even if we put blocking under the first tread. I guess when they're on the floor they actually are attached to a joist?

I showed him pics of crazyhouse6's newel and he didn't think it would hold up to lateral forces (swinging), though it was fine for someone just pulling straight on it.

{{!gwi}}

So what do you think of my newel options? Which should I choose? It will be 2 weeks to get the oak contemporary newel that I posted first. The 2.5 x 3.5 blocks of cherry are here, just need to get cousin to cut and route them, I can put clear finish on and get them up but I don't know how they look with oak rail. My favorite is still the vertical volute with a newel somewhere near the bottom, but I haven't even thought of balusters (BC newel and rail with oak balusters?), and I need to find someone to install it.

Here is a railing where we set the baluster up one step for space considerations.

Thanks - I just posted on Building, but it's slow over there. Do you know how the post was secured?

This is actually a box baluster, so I believe there is something that goes through the step and then there is a box built around it. I think it you lap the step you will gain support there. The one you are placing against the wall can go right into the wall framing. In the picture I showed, the railing was done after the staircase was put in, like yours. I am not sure how they constructed it. You have a short run so there will not be a lot of leverage on it like there would on a long open rail.

In the project I am working in right now, the baluster attaches to the joists below the floor and the floor was put in around it. (This was because we had the opportunity to do so).

Hi. Can you post your final outcome as I have the same issue