Hand rails for stairs install#

lengths ( 2.5 m) and longer, and must be cut. Buy two 4'x4' (10 cm x 10 cm) newel posts (posts).Buy handrail boards that are splinter-free, and very straight.Pressure treated pine can only be painted with solid stain, but does not need to be painted. Cedar can be painted with any type of paint. The handrail should be a 2'x4' (5 cm x 10 cm) board of cedar or pressure treated pine.If you're installing double handrails, one on either side of your set of stairs, double the quantity of supplies you purchase.

Hand rails for stairs install#

To install a handrail using balusters, rather than installing one on a wall, you'll need quite a few materials in addition to the handrail you have chosen. Mark the bracket locations using a level to make sure that the brackets are plumb. Measure where you intend to place brackets that will later be screwed into the wall.Use a tape measure to draw a straight line on the wall, connecting the 36-inch marks you placed at the top of the stairs in descending order to the very bottom step.

Measure the rise at 36 inches from the same place at each step, and mark its position with a pencil or chalk.

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The rise of the railing should be measured according to local building authority codes this is usually between 34–38 inches (86–97 cm).

For a wall-mounted installation, add an additional 2 to 4 inches to each end to use as returns (also called the ends) for people to grab during use of the handrail. The run of the railings should be measured from the top step to the bottom step of the stairs, along its diagonal. Measure the rise and the run of your stairs.