Adding Spindles To Existing Stairs

Feb 18 2015 this banister renovation is for when you have a sturdy railing but your stairs need a facelift build a different newel post around the existing post and replace the spindles.

Adding spindles to existing stairs.

They also play an important role in setting the feel and look of your home. It s amazing how you can transform your stairs by painting the risers the vertical portion of the stair the same color as your trim and refinishing the treads the horizontal portion of the stair. Use reciprocating saw to trim iron spindles to height. Measure the height for each spindle.

We took the railing outside and flipped it upside down to drill holes for the new spindles. The measurement between them was 12 inches of course so we are just adding two spindles between each we kept. Toe screw the top rail to the posts. Use reciprocating saw to cut wooden balusters in half.

Lay your cut spindles out and use a uniform measurement to mark the screw holes. The stair spindle angles will be the same as the angles at the rail ends. Coat with poly to seal. Pull out of each end and discard.

Add glue or epoxy into lower hole. If the old spindle was glued in and the bond is still strong you may have to cut the damaged spindle out flush and bore two new holes. A well designed stairway can transport a contemporary living room back to the victorian era or create a warm welcome at the entryway. Step 15 caulk the newel posts and the tops and bottoms of the new spindles.

Rest the bottom rails on 2 4 spacer blocks and toe screw them to the posts photo 22. Stick spindle up into top railing. If you cut too much off one side or the other the shape of the replacement spindle may not line up exactly with the existing banister spindles. How to install stair spindles.

Don t replace refinish one of the most cost effective ways to update an older staircase is to refinish it. Sand railing and stain or paint. Aligning all the spindles at once can prevent errors in the hole locations. Stick spindle in that hole.

Since we were changing 6 inch spaced spindles to 4 inch spaced spindles we were able to keep every other spindle in tact. The most important thing to remember is that stairs are not just conduits between different areas of the house. Then slip the spindles over the uniballs and starting at one end work the top rail uniballs over each consecutive spindle until the rail is seated.