Thanks John. The wood on the deck is all Ipe and the pics were taken prior to staining. Last year I used Woodzotic to finish, this year I let it go. Since Woodzotic is no longer available, next year I'll probably use WoodTux or Armstrong Clark after a good cleaning. The edging is a cut piece of Ipe routered on the end and screwed in and plugged. It really gives the deck a more finished look hiding all the end cuts. My contractor used Tiger Claw hidden fasteners, I believe the TCG type. These are made for hardwoods and are stainless steel with an anodized black finish. I know the concensus on this board is to stay away from hidden fasteners but my contractor insisted he has had great success with the TCG's.I do know he didn't purchase pre-grooved Ipe, but rather made biscuit cuts in the boards where the fasteners attach. The deck is now two years old and I haven't had any problems. It is holding up great so far and I love it. Scott

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

You are all so helpful and generous with your suggestions, so thank you! I've definitely come to the right place for help. :-) Amysrq, I think I agree with you that my concern over the glass railing isn't that it isn't safe, but that it wouldn't FEEL safe! I think that the mere knowledge it is glass, and glass is breakable, would make me afraid to have my kids pressing against it. Just gives me the heebie-jeebies thinking about it! And looking up at a fingerprint-covered glass railing would bug me, I already know it. SO, glass is out. Hostagrams (and everyone else with this thought), thank you for point out that the black spindles would be easy to look through, where as with wood I would almost have to look around each spindle. (Does that make sense?) It is this issue more than any other that makes me lean toward the black spindles. I don't want to block the view or the light, and I don't want to have to stand up and look OVER the railing to be able to see anything below or out the windows. Sandyponder, I LOVE your railing! Looks very cool and functional, and doesn't block the view at all. But I showed the picture to DH, and he vetoed it immediately. Not rustic enough, apparently. But thanks for the photos - it looks great! Okay, all of this leads me to the fact that I'm pretty sure that a combo of black balusters and logs is the best compromise for DH and I. The logs in the railing would tie in with the log mantel, which is important to DH. I'm thinking that something like this (which is pretty much what is in my original post) might be the best of all worlds. So did all of your great ideas and input ultimately lead me back to where I started? Well, no matter what we decide, you have all been a huge help in helping me think through this decision. So thank you! Alicia

Thanks, robinj. Your stairs are a knockout. It may have been your original post that flashed in my mind when I had the idea to do this...I know I've seen it before. Now I'm probably just as confused as when I started, but I will take my time with this one. It REALLY helps to see one with similar colors to mine. My stairs are nowhere near as grand or interesting architecturally as yours, and that is probably why I'm looking for something to make them more so. Or, it's entirely possible that I'm trying to put a silk purse on a sow's ear; LOL, in which case I should just leave it alone and accept the fact that the stair railing is not my favorite feature of my house and leave it at that. I have until mid week to let the painter know; or I just pass on this one until some other work gets done. (New light fixture, for instance!!)