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When assembling a railing for a staircase, you need to decide how to install balusters, racks, support pillars. Everything is not so simple, because the installation of balusters depends on the type of stairs, the material from which the stairs are made and the railing itself. At the same time, aesthetic preferences are also taken into account.
Number of balusters and supporting pillars
First of all, you need to decide whether one baluster will be on a step or two. Both options are acceptable. The second point: it is necessary to decide where and with what frequency the support pillars will stand. There are several options:
- At the beginning and at the end of the span.
- Through a step.
Most often, support pillars are located at the beginning and at the end of a flight of stairs. - Through two steps.
- Through three steps.
A large number of pillars on the stairs is necessary if the balusters are made thin or filling – not vertical, but longitudinal “threads” that do not carry the load, but perform protective and / or decorative functions.
Marking the place for poles and balusters
In any case, all poles and balusters on the span must be in a straight line. Moreover, if the radius / size of the balusters / support pillars is different, their centers are set on the same line. After installing all the balusters and pillars, if you look along the line, they should all be in the same plane.
At what distance from the edge of the step should the balusters be placed
On average, the center of the baluster is set at a distance of 6-10 cm from the edge, but it is also possible at the very edge. Choose how you like. But you need to choose this distance in order to determine the place where it will be necessary to make holes for mounting balusters.
There is an algorithm to determine the distance. It is usually assumed that the stair pillar or baluster should be at a distance of 2-5 cm from the side edge of the step. We divide the size of the post or baluster by two, add the selected distance to the edge and get the desired value.
Let’s give an example, calculating the installation location of the baluster. Let them have a square section below, 80 * 80 mm. They should be 3 cm from the edge of the step. In total, we get: 8 cm/2 + 3 cm = 7 cm. 7 cm, from the edge – 7 cm. 3 cm / 7 + 2 cm = 3 cm. That is, in this case, a hole for mounting stair balusters is made at a distance of 6,5 cm from the edge of the step.
Baluster installation algorithm
The process of marking balusters step by step can be described as follows:
- On the upper and lower steps of the span, a certain distance is set aside from the edge of the step, which depends on the size of the pillars / balusters.
- A straight line is drawn between the points found. You can do this:
- driving / screwing nails / self-tapping screws into the intended points, pulling a thread between them;
- setting the line at the laser level;
- by setting a level bar / guide according to the marks.
Balusters can be installed one or two per step. There is also an option – two on one, one on the next, on the third step again two and so on, alternating and placing one or two
- A straight line is transferred to the steps. The easiest way to do this is with a large square and a pencil. At each step, it turns out there is a line along which we will level the centers of the pillars and balusters.
- Now you need to mark out where the pillars for the stairs will be installed. Be sure they stand at the top and bottom of the span. The first to put the pillars for the stairs at the bottom and at the top of the span. Then, we mark out where the balusters will stand. We make sure that the distance between them is the same or almost the same. The allowable difference is 1 cm (for example, 9 cm is obtained between all balusters, and 8 cm between one pillar and a baluster).
The main task of this stage is to transfer the straight line to the steps as accurately as possible. The second is to choose such a distance between the pillars and balusters so that there are no differences noticeable to the eye. If you can’t do everything the same way, you can do it symmetrically – leave larger or smaller distances along the edges or alternate them after one or two. There are no universal solutions, since each staircase is unique, with its own parameters and features.
Handrail Assembly Order
In order for the installation of the railing on the stairs to take place without surprises, it is necessary to clearly understand the whole process.
- Attach two extreme pillars – at the top and bottom of the span. They are set so that there is the same distance from the edge of the pillar to the edge of the step (usually 3-6 cm). If the stairs are made on a stringer, they are placed by combining the edges, or making sure that there is the same distance on both sides.
- A rope is stretched between two mounted poles. Self-tapping screws are screwed into their center, twine is pulled, along which it will be necessary to set the centers of the installed balusters and poles, it will be possible to view the height, etc. Instead of a rope, you can install a guide if you are sure that it is even and does not sag anywhere.
The assembly procedure for stair railings consists of several sequential steps. - Balusters are fastened, poles are placed according to the existing markings. Their position is strictly vertical and so that the top is flush with the thread / guide.
- When installing each element, its position is verified:
- Pillars / balusters should be strictly vertical, without the slightest deviation. You need to check in two planes.
- They should be in line with those already installed, “do not walk” to the right or left.
- Railings are put on the exposed pillars (with or without a railing – it depends on your desire).
The process is then repeated for the second span. The last thing that ends with the installation of the railing is the union of the supporting pillars at the turn. The specific method depends on the type and material of the handrail, but one must contrive to make this section a transition from one span to another, while being comfortable and not seem alien.
Fastening wooden balusters and poles
Many will agree that the installation of a railing is more difficult than the manufacture of the actual staircase: there are too many different nodes, there are no standard solutions suitable for everyone. This is where the difficulty lies. Perhaps the most difficult to install wooden railings. The material is plastic, but that’s the problem: an element that is well fixed at the beginning, after a year or two, can hang out with a decent amplitude. Therefore, they approach the fastening of pillars and wooden balusters very, very carefully, play it safe, use combined methods, adding glue if possible. This makes the connections tighter.
In general, a baluster or a pillar is attached either to the step board itself, or to the stringer – it depends on the design of the stairs. Internal stairs on stringers are rarely made today, therefore, basically, we will talk about installing railings to the steps.
With the help of a bolt (capercaillie) to the step through
There is a simple option – through fastening of balusters and support pillars to the step. The only requirement: the thickness of the step must be decent – more than 40 mm.
In this case, for the installation of a baluster or pillars at a selected point, a through hole is made in the step board, through which a bolt with a diameter of at least 8-10 mm is passed through (12 and 14 mm are also possible, depending on the section of the baluster). The minimum length of the capercaillie is 80 mm (the rest can be cut off). A hole of a larger diameter is drilled under the bolt. After installation, it must be recessed so that at least 5 mm remains to the edge of the board. The resulting hole is closed with a decorative overlay (you can choose a plastic one of a suitable color or make it from wood).
A bolt is inserted into the hole, a hole 2-3 mm smaller in diameter than the diameter of the bolt used is drilled in the center of the baluster. The specific diameter depends on the type of wood: the harder the wood, the smaller the difference between the diameters of the drill and the bolt should be. The depth of the hole is equal to the length of the bolt.
The bolt is screwed in from below, passes through the step, enters the body of the baluster. It is screwed onto a thread, exposed. Finally tighten from below with a socket wrench of the desired diameter. The option is good because, in theory, the connection can be tightened – if you remove the plug and, using the key, reduce the backlash. But the “tightening” works until the hole in the wood becomes too large from the backlash. And he (backlash) will appear sooner or later – from loads that are directed in different directions, from natural processes occurring in wood. So the connection is not permanent.
For dowel or threaded rod
If it is impossible to get close to the steps from below, there is an option for attaching balusters to dowels (50 * 10, 60 * 12, 70 * 14, 70 * 16 mm). Dowel choose large, large diameter. The installation of balusters in this case is as follows: a hole is drilled in the steps with a depth equal to half the length of the dowel. We drill the second same hole in the lower part of the baluster. The drill diameter is 1-2 mm less than the diameter of the dowel.
Epoxy glue is poured into both holes, the dowel is inserted into the hole in the steps until it stops, then a baluster is put on it. For greater reliability of such fastening, it is possible to coat the entire lower part of the baluster with glue.
One point: look for dowels from the same wood from which steps and railings are made. They have the same coefficient of thermal expansion, equally react to shrinkage, increase in humidity. This will make the connection more durable. Installing balusters on dowels is a traditional, but not the most reliable way today. Firstly, the dowels can break, and secondly, the connection itself is still loose. So in a few years you will have to look for a way to fix the dangling railing.
Instead of a dowel, you can use a threaded stud. The installation process of the baluster is no different. Everything is the same, only you can not fill the hole with glue, although …
For self-tapping screws
The most “collective farm” way, which professionals do not like very much, but which is easier to understand and implement, is to install balusters on self-tapping screws. For fastening to steps, wood screws with a diameter of at least 6 mm and a length of 60 mm or more are used. Two are placed on each side (total, 8 screws for each).
It is necessary to twist them at a half angle of 30-40 °, pre-drill holes for the caps. Install self-tapping screws, then close the holes with plugs cut from the same tree or cover with wood putty.
Using Zipbolt (Zipbolt)
A relatively new fastener that can be used to attach balusters to both steps and handrails. It is easy to use but expensive. If you install the railing with your own hands and “for yourself”, this is a good option. Installing balusters with a zip bolt is also good because the connection can later be tightened, eliminating the resulting backlash.
The zip bolt consists of a threaded stud and a removable gear head. There are two types:
- of two movably interconnected threaded studs of approximately equal length;
- from one threaded rod (type 13.600).
The variant with movably connected studs is good for connecting balusters and railings, railings with supporting pillars. A straight zip bolt is good for hidden connection of perpendicular bars. Just the case of installing balusters on the steps, supporting pillars on the floor, the ceiling of the second floor. The dimensions of this fastener are solid – a diameter of 8 mm, a length of 96 mm, so it will withstand the post well, and there is no doubt about the reliability of fastening the balusters.
The algorithm itself is similar to mounting on a stud: you need to drill a hole in the steps and balusters for the installation of a threaded stud. The length of the hole in both parts should be equal to the length of the stud, minus the height of the head.
The difference is that to install the head, you need a technological hole perpendicular to the main one. In size, it should be slightly larger than the diameter of the head, and its center should coincide with the axis of the hole for the stud. After the pin is installed, a removable gear head is inserted into the technological hole. It has special slots on the key. Install the head so that the slots are accessible. Using a 6 mm hex wrench, which is inserted into these slots, the head is turned all the way, pulling the baluster to and fixing the pin.
When installing the support posts of the railing on the floor using a zip bolt, questions may arise regarding the method of fastening. If the floor is wooden, the threaded part is simply screwed in. If the floor is concrete, chemical anchors can be used. If there are metal mortgages, the bolt can be welded. The last method, by the way, is the most reliable: at least the bolt will no longer hang out.
dovetail connection
Another way to connect balusters and steps is carpentry. With the help of a groove and a spike of a special shape – a dovetail. This option is possible if you make the balusters yourself or they have a solid margin in length at the bottom.
A similar installation of balusters is possible if the railing is planned to be made almost from the very edge of the steps. Then holes in the form of a trapezoid are cut in the steps from the end, the same ones are formed on the balusters. The ends of the cuts are lubricated with wood glue or epoxy resin, combined and fixed.
With this method of connection, the racks for some time – until the glue dries – must be fixed in a vertical state, as they may deviate. To do this, construct a temporary supporting structure, which is disassembled after the glue has hardened.
To make the steps look better on the side, the ends are covered with overhead decorative strips. Planks can be “planted” on glue, nails, screws, dowels. The choice is absolutely arbitrary, but the most correct and inconspicuous are dowels. Such installation of balusters is based entirely on the art of carpentry, it requires precise observance of dimensions.
Installation of balusters on a kosour (bowstring)
When mounting balusters on a bowstring or stringer, you can use all the same methods of installing balusters: on dowels, studs, self-tapping screws, zip bolts. You can even make a dovetail, but you will have to cut it in a different plane, which is no more difficult, and perhaps even easier. For decoration, you can use strips on both sides.
The difference between mounting balusters on a kosour (string) is that the stand must be sawn at a certain angle so that they stand strictly vertically. But, in an angled surface, it is difficult to drill a hole that goes along the axis of the element. To avoid problems with this, first drill holes, then cut at the desired angle. A simple trick that makes the job a lot easier.
There is one specific method designed specifically for a ladder with a bowstring. They make a balustrade: a bar that “sits” on the bowstrings thanks to a groove cut out in the lower part. Racks are attached to the balustrade through and through – with bolts, dowels or self-tapping screws (the worst option). The choice is yours, and then the whole structure is installed on the bowstring. The connection is adhesive, you can use bots, self-tapping screws, nails for reliability. But they are for additional fixation.
There is another method that is usually used only for this type of stairs: the balusters are fastened with nails or self-tapping screws, decorative strips are installed on the sides, the gaps between the balusters are closed with fixing strips. With this method of fixation, you can also additionally use glue – it will not be superfluous.
A few words about improving reliability
All fastenings of balusters – on studs, self-tapping screws, dowels, bolts – become loose over time, a backlash appears. This is an inevitable process. Under load, the railing wobbles a little. At first, the deviation is fractions of a millimeter, absolutely imperceptible. With use, the deviation increases, the railing at hand is already noticeably “walking”. The softer the wood, the faster the backlash appears. It has to be removed and redone. Here, in order to delay this moment to the maximum, they use any available additional fixation methods.
Most often, glue is used as an additional fixing force. You can take any carpentry or epoxy resin. It makes no sense to look for more expensive ones – these work very well. Glue is applied to all joints. You can even grease the screws / nails with glue. For better adhesion, the places where the glue will be applied are cleaned of dust / debris, wiped to remove greasy deposits.
Installation of metal balusters
Installation of metal balusters is easier: there are special clamps – thrust bearings that are screwed into the steps or to the side of the stairs. The baluster itself, the rack, the pillar are then attached to the installed elements. All you need to do is to pick up the elements of a suitable shape / size.
There is one point: most fasteners suggest fixing balusters in them with clamping screws. So, the screws are not very reliable, such a connection quickly begins to “backlash”. Of course, they can be tightened a couple of times, but welding is much more reliable. If the thickness of the metal allows – from 1 mm or more – it is better to use welding.
Fasten to the step
The marking of the installation sites of metal balusters occurs as described above. First, we choose one rack each, it will stand on a step or two, then we distribute them so that all distances are the same. Heel pads are installed at the designated places. They usually “sit down” on 3-4 fasteners. Self-tapping screws are used if the steps are wooden or dowels are concrete or brick steps.
Metal balusters / racks are inserted into the installed thrust bearings, set strictly vertically, and welded. It is better to “grab” from four sides – to exclude the possibility of deviation in any direction. This completes the installation of metal balusters (stainless, nickel-plated, chrome-plated steel). Then you just need to install the handrail, which is also not particularly difficult.
If the wall thickness of the tube of prefabricated metal railings is too small for welding, it is not possible to select the appropriate welding mode, it is necessary to fasten the pipes to the heel pads with bolts. Clamping is still not recommended. Such a connection really quickly loosens up. You can drill through holes in the pipes, screw bolts of a suitable diameter into them.
Another option for installing balusters from a bar: weld a hairpin to the bottom, screw it into a step. If desired, a nut can be glued into the hole in the step.
Lateral (end) fastening of balusters and pillars
Fastening racks to steps is the traditional way of mounting, but there is another way: fasten to the sidewall. In this way, you can fasten any type of railing: wooden, metal, glass. For metal and glass, special fasteners are required – clamps that are attached to the wall, and they themselves have a groove and a system for fixing racks for stairs. Wooden poles and balusters are fixed through with a zip bolt or studs / self-tapping screws, hiding the heads under decorative covers.
With end-mounted racks, ladders are usually made with support pillars installed at a certain distance. Between the pillars, a filling is installed that is not connected with the base of the stairs, but only with the support posts. Of course, this is not a rule, but most of the stairs with a similar fastening of balusters and support pillars have this type.
The side mounting method is suitable for any stairs with a closed sidewall. Naturally, the sidewall material must have sufficient load-bearing capacity. The very method of attaching the ladder racks looks somewhat unusual, which adds decorativeness.
Usually, two clamps are used for each rack, which are located at a distance of 5-10 cm from one another. When marking, you can also use a stretched thread, a guide or a laser level. The location is chosen mainly in the center of one of the steps. The number of racks is chosen based on the bearing capacity of the base to which they will be screwed. For wood, the normal pitch is 50-80 cm, for brick, concrete, etc. you can make long distances.