Hi!
I'm planning to start working on the renovation of the staircase. Probably just sanding and painting. And removing the carpet from the steps.
But then we got the idea to also remove the railing. To make everything more open.
What do you think? Could the railing have any structural function, or can we just unscrew it and remove it?
I'm planning to start working on the renovation of the staircase. Probably just sanding and painting. And removing the carpet from the steps.
But then we got the idea to also remove the railing. To make everything more open.
What do you think? Could the railing have any structural function, or can we just unscrew it and remove it?
The railing has a stabilizing function that can be removed if support is made at the angle down to the floor.
But the other part with the railing cannot be changed, as it must protect against fall accidents and must be present in all open stairs according to the law. So nothing with something open for you with airy.
But the other part with the railing cannot be changed, as it must protect against fall accidents and must be present in all open stairs according to the law. So nothing with something open for you with airy.
Are we talking about the same part? The railing in the lower part of the stairs is a number of posts screwed to the side of the stairs and a diagonal handrail. No part is attached to the stairs in more than one place. I can't see how it could stabilize the stairs. That it can stabilize the person walking on the stairs is another matter.J jonaserik said:
You can remove the railing and the 6 short spindles without compromising the staircase's construction; they might not seem stabilizing, but not in a way that you need to worry about the staircase's structure. If you remove that part, there's more concern about the increased risk of fall accidents.
It's a good idea to save the parts you dismantle in case the result is not as you intended, if a sale becomes relevant, or if the family situation changes (you can't install a stair gate without the side railing, and many elderly people have difficulty with that type of staircase with only one railing). I've seen this modernization solution in countless fresh, airy 60s houses, and as loved as it is by creative DIYers, it is hated by the families who move in when the DIYer moves on to the next project.
It's a good idea to save the parts you dismantle in case the result is not as you intended, if a sale becomes relevant, or if the family situation changes (you can't install a stair gate without the side railing, and many elderly people have difficulty with that type of staircase with only one railing). I've seen this modernization solution in countless fresh, airy 60s houses, and as loved as it is by creative DIYers, it is hated by the families who move in when the DIYer moves on to the next project.