A Big

Project for

the Ambitious

DIY’er

I

nstalling a stair handrail can

be a challenging undertak-

ing. The project is more com-

plicated than tread or riser

replacement, because you’re

dealing with precise angles

rather than square cuts. The

rail system must be securely

supported by newels that are

solidly fastened to the framing

of the floor or wall. The rail

must also adhere to strict code

guidelines meant to ensure

people’s safety.

If you plan to tackle this

project as a DIY’er, I can’t

recommend strongly enough

the need to carefully plan every

aspect of the project before

you order supplies. The cherry

stair rail shown in this project

appears courtesy of L.J. Smith

Stair Systems, which provides

detailed step-by-step instruc-

tions for installing the compo-

nents. The company also pro-

vides a handy checklist of

required parts and supplies to

make sure you include all the

necessary components and

fasteners.

Check with your stair parts

supplier for any special tools or

accessories that will make the

project go smoother. For exam-

ple, to make installation of the

stair balusters easier, we used

L.J. Smith’s IronPro system.

The IronPro system eliminates

the need to to bore angled

holes into a rail to house the

balusters, relying instead on

small screws and adjustable

fittings. The system reduces

the likelihood of error and

installs much quicker than

typical installation methods—

highly recommended for a

DIY’er.

When planning your hand-

rail, give a call to your local

municipality to check the build-

ing codes in your area, which

are very specific for stair con-

struction. In the town where I

live, the minimum height for a

stair rail is 34 inches and the

maximum height is 38 inches

(measured from the top of the

tread nose up to the top of the

ExtremeHowTo.com 29

DIY

STAIR RAIL

INSTALLATION

By Matthew Weber

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