Hello all,
I am looking to replace the stair rail in my house in a few locations and would like to do something different than the “I went to H.D. and got oak stair rail parts”. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but that kind of triditional rail design doesn’t seem to fit us. Our home is mostly an eclectic mix of spanish-ish and italian-ish styles, though more the country, peasant kind than the pallazo kind. I was wondering if anyone out there had any ideas for resources I could look in that might provide some design ideas for wooden railings that might fit that description. I’ve searched the web and not much comes up. I suppose that iron would be great, but it’s not really an option for us. Thanks in advance! Erich
Replies
This might fit with your style ...
We trimmed the interior of a modern SW territorial/Spanish house, and the architect designed a rail to be sawn out of a single 8/4 pine plank. In profile, it was just a repeated wave, or squiggle ... up, down, up, down, etc. I cut it out with my Bosch jigsaw, ran a 1/4 round router along the corners, and sanded it. A spindle sander would've been handy.
I'd say the wave was 12-16 inches long, hump to hump, and rose and fell about 1-1/2 to 2". If you cut it in two, the section would be approximately 1-3/4" square. Did my description work?
I don't know if the assorted codes say that a rail has to be straight, as long as it all falls within the height requirements. This one had no code problems that I know of.
Formerly BEMW at The High Desert Group LLC
I believe there is more to rail requirements than height, something about grippability.bobl Volo Non Voleo Joe's BT Forum cheat sheet
You're right about that, and this rail, in section, satisfies the size and shape requirements of the stair code(s). It just happens that the grippable section rises and falls as you use it. It was actually a very comfortable rail, and I think quite safe.
Formerly BEMW at The High Desert Group LLC
Edited 4/9/2003 10:59:00 AM ET by Bruce
I bet that looks pretty nice. Any chance we could get a picture?
I really liked the natural state mountain juniper ballistrade on the back of FHB a while back.
I've got this ambition of doing something similar it the house were building right now but I just don't know if I could pull it off. We have a lot of mesquite in this part of the country that I think would look pretty remakable crafted into a ballistrade like that.
Probably fooling myself- I'm picturing the 2x4 temporary railing still there five years from now waiting for me to get around to it. Also picturing my wife using one of those mesquite sticks to motivate me. Ouch!Kevin Halliburton
"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary man." -Elbert Hubbard-
I do have a pic, but haven't been able to get the scanner fired up since I changed pooters. I'll bookmark this message, though, and post it if I get lucky with the scanner.
Your mesquite idea sounds much nicer than the one I did; it was clear pine, and not real interesting. The rich colors in mesquite would look good. Formerly BEMW at The High Desert Group LLC
Combine wood rails with metal balusters. I use all three of the leaf design with a wood top rail. This company has a lot of different styles
http://kingmetals.com/Pages/Page80C-4.html