Railing and handrail for stairs?

[Ironside]

Hello,

We are in the final stages of renovating our Pine staircase.

However, there is a bit of a problem finding suitable rails and handrails. Most ready-made parts are max 2300mm, which doesn't quite reach the full way. Of course, you can splice them, but I don't think it will be very good?

The measurements are:
Staircase down from the first to the last baluster: 370 cm
Balustrade upstairs: 300 cm
Balustrade upstairs short side: 95 cm
Balustrade upstairs, height: 103 cm

So far, we have not managed to find any local manufacturer around Kristianstad.

Anyone have suggestions for a solution?

 

[Ironside]

Stairs are a common occurrence, yet finding information about handrails and railings is not straightforward. I have spoken with a couple of other retailers who say that all they have is 2300mm, they have no other information on how people usually solve this. How do people who renovate their stairs go about it? Do they really choose to splice?

 

[Snickarkirre]

What type of model do you want for the handrail? You could possibly buy some longer timber and then mill grooves with a hand router to add some character to the handrail if you don't want to splice it. There are countless router bits to choose from. I spliced the handrail in my staircase, and it turned out well, so that works too.

 

[Ironside]

What model of railing do you want? You could perhaps buy some longer lumber and then mill grooves with a hand router to add some character to the railing if you don't want to splice? There are plenty of different router bits to choose from. I spliced the railing in my stairs and it turned out well, so that works too.

We are pretty flexible with the appearance, but we definitely want oak, and what we initially looked at was this, but as mentioned, they weren't available in the right lengths:

Handrail down the stairs:

Top rail (preferably a flatter version):



If we could get a round handrail that looks good running all the way from top to bottom without interruption, that could also be an option.

What did you use for a railing? Can you show pictures? Maybe also of the splices?

 

[Snickarkirre]

Okay if it’s oak, it might be difficult to make yourself. If you want a flatter one, can’t you just use the one you’ll have in the stairs as a handrail, but lay it on its side, so to speak?

Unfortunately, I can't upload any pictures because I'm away on vacation and won’t be back for two weeks. I’ll check if I have any pictures from when I did the job, but I don’t think I took any. But I have the same model you planned to mount as a handrail, but in pine.

I assume you’re going to mount brackets for the railing? I bought ready-made ones, and I made sure there was one right under the joint so I screwed both handrails into the same bracket, and it turned out really well. If you want, you can apply wood glue in the joint, then put a clamp on the top and bottom while the glue dries. Since it's laminated wood, it shouldn’t twist at all.

I’ve found at least two websites online that deliver round handrails cut to measure with a maximum length of 4m if that could be something for you?

 

[Snickarkirre]

https://www.rackesbutiken.se/ledsta...5mSePaKnj4ah1NdJ2E0QzMUrXmQ1AN8xoCD2UQAvD_BwE

https://trappbutiken.se/products/le...4&utm_source=google&utm_medium=smart_campaign

 

[Ironside]

Okay, if it's oak, it might be difficult to make it yourself. If you want it flatter, can't you use it as you would in the stairs as a handrail but place it flat so to speak?

Yes, I've thought about that, but you'll still have to splice, and the question is whether you can do it nicely.

Unfortunately, I can't upload a picture of it because I'm away on holiday and won't be home for another two weeks. I'll check if I have any pictures from when I did the job, but I don't think I ever took any. But I have the same model you were thinking of installing as a railing but in pine.

But I assume you're going to mount brackets for the railing? I bought ready-made ones, and I made sure there was one right under the joint so that I could screw both railings into the same bracket, and it turned out really well. If you want, you can apply wood glue to the joint, then clamp it on the top and bottom while the glue dries. Since it's laminated timber, it shouldn't warp at all.

Originally, we were only going to use brackets for the railing down the stairs. We hoped to place the handrail on top of the existing one. But if you're going for a round handrail, it certainly creates challenges, and then I would probably have designed the banister a bit differently.

Maybe there are brackets that can be mounted directly upwards on the banister and hold a round railing that then continues down the stairs, that might look nice. But the question is how nice it will look with a bracket on each banister.

I've found at least two websites that deliver round handrails custom-made with a maximum length of 4m, if that could be something?

Yes, after some more searching, I found 2-3 "local" manufacturers who are on vacation right now. But instinctively, it sounds like a very expensive affair to have someone custom-make the stair railings. The hope is to find reasonable prices on longer railings than what's normally available in stores so that we can put something together ourselves.

 

[Snickarkirre]

I thought you might install round handrails on the stairs and finish them at the top, then use them as railing on the banister?

The cheapest and easiest way I can think of without ordering from a company is to use the handrail you plan to install on the stairs but lay it on the banister. If you splice it onto a banister post, it should work well. If you drill two holes in the splice of one to be able to install wooden dowels in the holes and then mount it in place and splice onto a banister post. Then, use those pins meant for marking dowel holes on the mounted railing, then lay the other railing piece loosely on the banister and ensure that the splice is good and press them together to get a mark on the loose railing piece. Drill those holes 1-2mm larger. Then glue and press the wooden dowel into the first piece and let it dry, then take the second piece, fill the holes with either PU glue or PL800 (or similar), press together and align the splice exactly with clamps. Maybe it could work if you understand what I mean?

 

[Ironside]

I thought you might be able to run round handrails in the stairwell and finish them at the top and then lay them as you intended to have as a railing on the balustrade?

Yes, I was a bit inclined towards that, but the question is how well it fits together.

The cheapest and easiest way I can think of without ordering from a company is to use the handrail you plan to have in the stairs but lying on the balustrade. If you splice on a balustrade post, it should be possible to get it right. If you drill two holes in the splice on one side to be able to mount wooden dowels in the holes, then mount it in place and splice on a balustrade post. Then you insert those dowel markers to mark out holes for the wooden dowel in the mounted railing, then place the other railing piece loosely on the balustrade and make sure the splice is good and press them together to get a mark on the loose railing piece. Those holes you drill 1-2mm larger. Then you can glue and press a wooden dowel in the first one and let it dry, then take the second piece, fill the holes with either PU glue or PL800 (or similar), press together and align the splice exactly with clamps. Might work if you understand what I mean?

I mean, it could look nice with round, but it would have to be something like this:


It should be doable on your own. But I'm afraid it won't look very good when you have holders for the railing on each balustrade and skipping one probably doesn't look very good either.

Running the handrails we were thinking of laying flat on top and standing in the stairway isn't a bad idea, as it makes things a bit more uniform. It is 80x30 mm:

 

[Snickarkirre]

I think it could go well together with round on the stairs and then the other on the railing. It would probably look best to use the same one. But round that connects all the way from the stairs up to the railing would likely need to be custom-made and then the price might increase. Then I agree with you that it would look odd with holders on the railing.

Maybe it's best to use the one that is 80x30 both on the stairs and on the railing, then you just have to solve the joining.