We install a railing on a wooden staircase. Stair attachment points: railing connection

One of the main elements of the staircase design is its fencing. It performs two functions: protective and decorative, and consists of balusters, main support and intermediate posts, protective screens and handrails. Railings provide safe movement of a person along the flight of stairs, give him support when walking and prevent falling over the perimeter of the stairs. To properly install the fence, you need to know how to fix the balusters and railings, depending on their type and material of manufacture. Let's try to understand this issue.

Balusters - an important element of the stair railing

Balusters are vertical supports on which a handrail is laid. They are installed directly on the steps, or attached to bowstrings or stringers. The shape of the balusters can be different and depends on the interior of the room, design features stairs and design ideas. They are able to decorate even the most nondescript flight of stairs, and they make balusters from:

• tree;
• metal;
• natural or artificial stone;
• concrete;
• gypsum;
• glass, etc.

Often there are stair railings, in which there is a combination of two or three types of materials that are in harmony with each other. It is on them that it largely depends on how to attach the balusters to the stairs, which installation option is better to choose.

Requirements

In order for the stair railing to be reliable and safe, when installing it, it is necessary to ensure compliance with certain binding rules and conditions:

• the clear distance between the balusters must be at least 150 mm;
• the safe height of the railing can be at least 900 mm;
• fastening of the supports must be done at two points - to the handrails and the staircase structure (steps, bowstrings, stringers);
• handrails should be as comfortable and smooth as possible, but not slippery. Near the wall, they can be attached directly to it without installing balusters.

The main protective function of the railings is assumed by the support posts - lower and upper ones, therefore, their fastening must be approached more responsibly. Although the installation of intermediate balusters should be taken no less carefully. It is necessary that the fence withstand a person weighing 100 kg leaning on it.

The railing installation process consists of the following steps:

• installation of extreme (upper and lower) support pillars;
• marking the locations of balusters. To do this, you can use a thin but strong cord, or a laser level. Do not forget that markup accuracy is extremely important and avoids unnecessary problems;
• drawing center lines in the center of the balusters with a pencil or marker;
• preparation of the upper ends of the balusters. They must be sawn off in accordance with the slope of the flight of stairs. The lower ends are filed only if the vertical supports are installed on top of the bowstring or the fastening of the railing to the stairs has an individual design.

wooden stair railing

The main load-bearing elements of the fences can be attached to the steps with ordinary nails, but such a design will very quickly begin to loosen and become unusable after a short period of time. There are three main ways to make a more reliable fastening of the railing; handrails are mounted identically to the balusters. Fastenings are carried out:

• on stilettos;
• on dowels;
• on self-tapping screws.

When installing the railing on metal studs, a hole is drilled in the middle of the lower end of the wooden baluster with a depth of no more than 80 mm. Its diameter is usually 12 mm.

It should be noted that the studs, in order to avoid rust, must be galvanized. A pin is inserted into the hole so that it protrudes 5-7 cm beyond the surface. With the help of special glue, they are fixed in the desired position and await its final setting.

Installation of balusters on dowels, which are rounded wooden spikes, is carried out as follows:

• at the lower ends of the balusters and on the bowstring or steps, larger holes are drilled than for metal studs;
• dowels are inserted into the finished recesses, using glue identical to PVA for fastening;
• a baluster is placed on the dowels, filling the pre-prepared holes with glue;
• check the verticality of the racks using a level or plumb line and leave them for 2-3 hours until the glue has completely set;
• start installing handrails.

The easiest way is to install wooden balusters on self-tapping screws, which must be made of of stainless steel. A self-tapping screw is screwed into the vertical support at an angle so that its tip protrudes slightly beyond the end of the baluster. Then it is installed in the desired position, and the self-tapping screw is screwed into the ladder structure to the end so that its cap is slightly recessed. In the future, the recess will not be difficult to seal with putty or wax.

Feature of fastening metal railings

The metal railing is combined with almost any material from which the staircase is made. It can give it severity, make it elegant or massive, give a touch of mystery or super technology. Forged railings are sophisticated and expensive, so the question of how to fix balusters and railings will be taken care of by specialists.

A simpler option is vertical stainless steel supports or with a special protective coating. Their package includes universal fasteners suitable for wood, or glass and metal. These can be hidden screws or fasteners with protruding spectacular elements.

Glass balusters

Glass railing elements modern interiors quite popular. Despite the apparent fragility, they have sufficient strength and reliability. Glass is attached to any base using metal hinges or nozzles. Protective screens made of glass are installed in certain profiles.

There are many more different materials, from which the railings are made, but we considered the main options for their fastening above. And the nuances appear, add up and are resolved in each case individually.

Places for fixing railings

Depending on the design of the stairs and your aesthetic preferences, the railing can be fixed:

• on the horizontal surface steps;

• on the vertical surface of the bowstring or kosour (sideways);

• on the inclined upper edge of the bowstring.

The main condition for reliable fastening of the railing is fixing their position at least in two points. The first, lower point, combines the railing and lower structural elements stairs - steps or bowstrings (kosoura). And the second - railings and handrails. Railings, handrails, extreme and rotary support posts together form a single rigid frame. Its strength must withstand the load when supported by an adult weighing 100/120 kg. The height of the railing is calculated in such a way that, together with the handrail, it is not less than 900 and more than 1000 mm. Then walking up the stairs will be not only safe, but also comfortable.

Railing attachment options

The fastening of the railing should be carried out with special care and accuracy. Wood is a very flexible material. Careless handling of the tool and material can lead to the formation of cracks and chips. This is especially true of pine, the softest and most common material for stairs. For fastening from wood, three types of fasteners are used:

• on galvanized screws;

• with the help of dowels;

• galvanized pins.

Features of working with self-tapping screws

If you decide to fix the baluster on self-tapping screws, then you should fulfill some conditions. First of all, it is desirable to tighten the self-tapping screw at an angle of 45 °. To avoid cracking, it is necessary to drill a hole of a slightly smaller diameter for it. The head of the self-tapping screw must be recessed by 8 - 10 mm, and a wooden chopstick should be inserted into the resulting recess. It is planted on PVA glue and cut off after it has set. Then this place is polished and varnished along with the entire product. When installing the railing on self-tapping screws, screw it into the hole just enough so that it protrudes slightly beyond the end of the part. You can finally twist it only by setting the baluster in the right place according to the level.

Mounting with dowels

The dowel is a cylinder made of wood. In the end part of the baluster and in the surface of the step, bowstring or stringer, recesses are drilled in the middle of the length of the dowel. The recesses must be coaxial and of the same diameter. The dowel should sit slightly tight in its place. The adhesive provides a strong monolithic connection. Since it is used in most carpentry work, this connection can be considered ideal. However, it is not recommended to use the dowel method for installing balusters or other railing posts if their thickness is less than 60 mm.

Stud installation

The most common option among craftsmen is the installation of railings on galvanized studs. The advantage of this method is that it can enter the parts to be joined much deeper than a dowel or self-tapping screw. The recess, having passed the thickness of the step, continues in the stringer. So, the attachment point will be very strong. The recess for the stud must be drilled strictly along the axis of the baluster. To do this, you need to fix the drill, and push the baluster itself onto the drill. This procedure should be performed on the table. If the installation is carried out on a bowstring, then the hairpin must enter strictly vertically.

Important! Please note that the installation of all elements on a wooden staircase should be carried out only on galvanized metal fasteners.

Installation of enclosing structures with nails is not recommended, even if you drown their hats with a metal tip. The shaft of the nail has a smooth, round surface and cannot "cling" to the wood. Over time, the tree will still give off moisture and dry out. The nail joints will loosen and creak. The installation of wooden railings begins with fixing the studs under the lower, upper and rotary support posts. For the unity of the composition, these structural elements have the same design as the railing posts. All other balusters should be located at the same distance between them. If the flights of stairs are straight, then the center line can be moved with a stretched lace. You can't do this on a screw march. Therefore, you need to move the installation points as accurately as possible.

Marking places for the installation of balusters

By screwing the stud with a key, you can preliminarily carry out a trial installation of the racks. Having fixed the sample of the handrail to the side surface of the balusters with clamps, we mark the cut line of the upper part of the balusters. For undercutting, it is better to use a miter saw, wrapping the cut line with tape. Masters say that this helps to avoid chips.

When the installation of all the balusters of the span is completed, you can begin to connect them together. The handrail bar connects all the balusters. It is fastened with a self-tapping screw to the end of the railing post sawn at an angle. Then a handrail is put on this bar, and with the help of self-tapping screws they are attracted to each other. If on the stairs you want to fix the railing to the side surface of the bowstring, then you can use bolts with decorative caps. It is only necessary to tighten the connection with a nut on a ladder made of wood through a washer. Baluster fastening

Balusters are part of the stairs, namely the support posts belonging to the railing. These elements are turned pillars on which the handrail is located. There are lower and upper balusters, which are more massive, as well as intermediate balusters. Before proceeding with the installation of the entire structure, you should learn how to install balusters and railings with your own hands, which are necessary to ensure safety and ease of descent and ascent. In addition, such elements act as an aesthetic decoration of the stairs, giving a finished look to the structure.

The height of the railing has a recommended limit, which varies from 90 to 110 cm. Sometimes it is necessary both on the stairs and along the perimeter of the 2nd floor platform. If we talk about the railing of the stairs, then in this particular case, the installation of the upper and lower balusters is carried out, and the intermediate ones are installed on each step. To install intermediate balusters, they should be cut at the top, cutting should be done at an angle that will equal to the angle inclination of the flight of stairs. will be done with the help of dowels, which are spikes having round shape, as a rule, such dowels are used when fastening wooden elements. To do this, a hole should be drilled in the center of each of them using a feather drill.

Similar holes should be drilled in the steps of the stairs, installing dowels in them, which should fit snugly into the nest, otherwise you can use furniture glue, which will fill all the free space by gluing the elements together.

The diameter of the drill used must match the diameter of the dowels, and the holes must be given a depth that will correspond to the length of the dowels. After balusters and railings can be installed around the perimeter of the opening on the 2nd floor. Large balusters should be placed in the corners of the opening. And on the intermediate balusters it is necessary to install a handrail. The lower element of the handrail - the base, must be equipped with a groove, the depth of which is 5 mm, the width must be equal to the thickness that the intermediate baluster has. So, the upper parts of the balusters will go into the recess that the handrail has. This will make it possible to hide the existing defects, among which there may be chips that appear in the process of cutting the balusters.

Materials and tools for installing stair elements

• drill;
• dowels;
• furniture glue;
• level;
• self-tapping screws.

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Balusters must be leveled, having strengthened the handrail to them, it is necessary to use self-tapping screws. In this case, it is necessary to drill holes for self-tapping screws, using a drill of a smaller diameter than the diameter that the self-tapping screw has on the thread, while the depth should be equal to 3/4 of the length of the screw. In order to sink the screw head, these holes should be drilled to a depth of 10 mm using a drill with a diameter equal to the screw head. After that, it is necessary to screw the screw into the hole by inserting the dowel. That part of the dowel that protrudes must be cut off, and the resulting surface must be sanded.

The installation of railings to large balusters, which are located at the top / bottom of the structure and at the corners of the opening, is also done using self-tapping screws. After all the installation work has been completed, you can start painting the railing.

Installation of balusters and railings may have its own characteristics in some cases. So, these elements can have a different basis, for example: wood, glass, metal, concrete. When installing such elements, no matter what material they are made of, it is necessary to monitor, which should be less than 15 cm, this is especially important if there are children in the house. All racks that make up the stairs must be made of the same material, which is due to the temperature and humidity factors of the room, which will affect the elements differently, causing distortions, deflections and other negative consequences.

The railing should be comfortable during operation, their height should vary between 80 and 100 cm, but the cross-sectional area of ​​​​the racks can be selected depending on the interior features. When attaching the base of the balusters, the same distance should be observed, while it is necessary to use active metal tightening hardware, including screws, studs or self-tapping screws. Strengthening of the support is carried out in the groove in the handrail. In order to ensure greater reliability, an additional fixing bar should be installed between the grooves. For the safety of the structure, the dimensions of the sides of each baluster in cross section should not be less than 3 centimeters and exceed 8 cm.

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Installation of glass and steel elements

As practice shows, it is possible to install metal-based balusters in a shorter time than wood elements. In this case, you have to work only on the installation of racks. And the delivery set should include balusters, railings and a set of special fasteners, including brackets or hinges, which are fixed to the base of the structure with screws.

The staircase may have elements made of glass, in which case metal hinges or metal nozzles must be used during installation. Glass railings are divided into separate vertical posts that must be installed between the railing grooves and steps, as well as flat barrier surfaces. You can install the latter using the sliding method. For this, a groove should be made in the steps of the structure, the depth of which should be equal to a couple of centimeters.
The installation of concrete elements should be carried out in several stages, one of which will be that it is necessary to drill holes in the bottom of the racks for steel reinforcement, which can be replaced by a rod. Holes should have a depth of 20 to 40 mm. Next, with special care, you should fill the holes using SM-11 glue for this. After that, it is necessary to seat the reinforcement with screwing movements, allowing the glue to harden. On a step or bowstring, holes also have to be drilled through the same distance, the depth of these grooves should be equal to the limit of 40-60 mm. The gap between adjacent balusters should not be more than 15 cm.

After that, the grooves should be filled with glue. From each baluster it is necessary to expose a rod with which it will be fixed. The rod must be immersed in the resulting hole, gently turning it, as in the example with the stand, pressing it to the base. After completing the work, it is necessary to leave the structure for three days, during this period the glue will harden. After that, you can proceed to strengthen the railing, following the same technology as described above.

Today we will consider the issue of fastening balusters and railings when arranging wooden stairs. Even a person who is not tempted by the intricacies of carpentry understands how rich and noble the appearance of wooden stairs is, how difficult they are to manufacture and install.

Calculation and production of parts

fencing wooden stairs consists of three key elements:

1. Railings - horizontal or inclined elements for which a hand grip is carried out.
2. Balusters - vertical supports between steps and railings.
3. Pillars or pedestals - vertical racks against which the ends of the railing rest. Usually the pillars have chiseled or carved heads.

The details of each group are made individually, after which they are assembled at the installation site. Pillars and balusters are made mainly by turning, and railings - by milling.

It is necessary to start the calculation of the fence from the railing, including straight and curved segments. In general, the configuration of the railing is determined by the shape of the stairs in plan. For the base in the calculations, the outer edges of the steps are taken, the railings are located with some indentation from them to the center of the flight of stairs. The offset is necessary so that the fulcrum of the pillars and balusters is not located on the very edge. The amount of indentation is determined by the section of the supports, plus some arbitrary value is added, which is dictated by aesthetic considerations. It is also necessary to take into account such specific circumstances as the overlap of spans in the plan, achieving a symmetrical indent on adjacent flights and at the same time maintaining the width of the passage as much as possible.

In space, individual parts of the railing can be located strictly horizontally and under the general slope of the stairs. Calculation of the length and dimensions of the horizontal segments can be done by displaying the railing sketch on the stair plan drawing. Inclined elements are calculated in a similar way, but to calculate their actual length, it is necessary to divide the projection length by the cosine of the angle at which the flight of stairs is inclined relative to the horizontal normal.

When calculating pillars and balusters, several requirements apply, the most important of which is the height of the fences. According to GOST, the railing of stairs must rise above the plane of steps by at least 90 cm in residential buildings and at least 120 cm in public institutions and on street flights of stairs. The axial profile of the pillars and balusters can be arbitrary, but there are certain requirements: the thickness of the pillars in the plane of the support must be at least 10% of their height, the balusters can be 2-2.5 times thinner. The length of the balusters should be equal to the height of the fence + 7-10%, while in the base part a uniform profile (preferably faceted) should be maintained for a length of at least 5% of the total. Pillars are made in the amount of at least two for each flight of stairs, the number of balusters is equal to or twice as high as the number of steps.

The width of the railing in the plan should be less than the thickness of the faceting of the pillars in the junction zone by approximately 30-50 mm and more than the thickness of the balusters by 15-20 mm. The milling profile can be arbitrary, but the rounded top with two longitudinal necks for a more secure grip is considered the preferred option. The length of the handrail segments should have an allowance of 50-80 mm on both sides for cutting and fitting.

Pre-assembly and preparation for installation

Before starting the installation of the stairs, it is necessary to pre-assemble the straight segments of the railing on the adhesive joints. The spatial arrangement of the handrails is a guide for calculating the attachment points of the vertical elements of the fence. Since the railing is precisely machined and has a flat bottom edge, it is convenient to use it as a straight rail for further marking.

Sometimes, at the corners and turns of flights of stairs, the distance between flights forces the installation of short handrail inserts between the posts. Depending on the configuration of the stairs, these sections are assembled either from one or more radius segments, or from linear segments. The railing elements are prepared and glued in advance, the connection is made on hidden domino-type spikes, or on 2-3 cylindrical dowels.

Also, before starting work, they should be stocked in the right amount wooden dowels for fastening balusters and poles. It is also desirable to cut the poles themselves to size: if this could not be done in the workshop, then due to the significant section, processing with a miter saw is not possible. It is better to mark the perimeter of the base part under the square, making sure that the end of the last line coincides with the beginning of the first. Trimming is carried out along this line with a hand saw with a fine tooth, it is advisable to alternately go deeper into each face by 3-5 mm. For more confidence you can fix the limit rail with clamps.

Marking and fastening of pillars

Pillars are the base for positioning everything stair railing. They are located on each upper and lower step of each flight of stairs. If there are intermediate platforms, including turning ones, this rule must also be observed. At the same time, the uppermost post may be common for railings and balustrades.

Factory poles are of two types: solid and box-shaped, that is, glued from strips of thick plywood or wood panels. It is very important that each post has a straight edge at the junction of the handrails, because in the case of docking with a round support, factory trimming of the railing edges is required, which greatly complicates the installation process.

Hollow pillars are fastened through a boss - a 150-200 mm piece of timber, the outer dimension of which corresponds to the cavity of the pillar as much as possible. The boss is attached through a through axial hole by means of a pin screwed into a step or platform. This method of fastening allows the column to rotate around its axis and a small transverse play for its precise positioning. The gluing of a hollow column is carried out on a glue of a thick consistency, the lower end is preliminarily lubricated a small amount sealant, this belt around the perimeter will prevent excess glue from squeezing out.

A - box-shaped pole with fastening through the boss. B - one-piece pole with fastening on a dowel. 1 - pillar; 2 - base; 3 - plinth; 4 - hairpin or anchor; 5 - dowel

Monolithic pillars are fastened to one large (20-30 mm) dowel or to several small ones evenly distributed over the support area. With this method of fastening, it is desirable that the junction of the pole to the site be framed by a plinth, which helps to hide the adhesive seam and increase the plane of support. If there is a skirting board, you can also use the tie-down method for cabinet furniture, since the niches for the nuts will eventually be hidden anyway.

Alignment of pillars is better with parallel standing pairs, that is, at intermediate platforms where flights of stairs converge. The distance between the posts should provide a sufficiently large gap between the lower handrail and the steps of the upper march. In the longitudinal direction, the position of the pillars is determined by two long straight slats laid on the edges of the steps of converging marches. The plane laid out through the line of intersection of the rails is the ideal position for installing the posts. If necessary, they can be moved towards the spans, but not back, otherwise the railings will overlap. When paired poles are positioned on platforms and turns, the end ones are marked according to the same principle, it is important here that the pairing with the railing is performed at the same height.

Trimming, installation of balusters

Looking ahead, we note that the sequence of fastening the balusters to the steps, to the handrails, as well as the handrails themselves to the pillars, can be different depending on the method of assembling the fence. Previously, all balusters must be cut and mark the places of their fastening.

The bottom of the balusters is best mounted on dowels with zero tolerance by drilling the steps to a depth of 20 mm. To mark the centers of the holes, it is necessary to shoot a vertical plane parallel to the end of the steps with a laser level. If the balusters are installed in the amount of one piece per step, it is enough to find its middle using a square, based on the riser. When installing balusters in pairs, it is necessary to achieve their uniform pitch, for which the protrusion of the upper step above the lower one is beaten off with a square, and the remaining “clean” width is divided so that the centers of the balusters are 1/4 of the resulting segment from the edges.

When installing balusters, it is important to keep their heads strictly on the same line.

Balusters with a figured profile should be aligned in length with respect to the handrails. To do this, they are laid out on a flat plane, combining the profiles along their widest part. Further, a line is drawn under the long straight rail, which serves as a marking for trimming at a right angle.

An oblique cut of the top of the balusters is carried out on a miter saw or in a precision miter box. Trimming of balusters is carried out in groups for each flight of stairs. First you need to determine the actual slope of the stairs by laying a rail on the edges of the steps and beating the horizontal axis along it with a laser level. According to this markup, with the help of a bevel, a template is made, according to which the saw turntable is fine-tuned.

Before oblique trimming, centering holes are made at the ends of the balusters, their depth should be sufficient to deepen the dowel at least 40 mm after trimming. In the lower part, drilling is carried out after trimming the balusters along the length. It is quite simple to do this: first, dry and strictly vertically, two extreme balusters of each span are installed, which are temporarily fastened together with a regular rail with a straight edge aligned with the upper edge of the oblique cut. Then, one by one, the balusters are put in their place, the excess length is determined with a caliper and the lower end is cut, if necessary, deepening the center hole and be sure to number the parts.

Handrail fastening

Handrail can be attached to poles different methods, among which the most popular are fixing on spikes or self-tapping screws with making through holes. The first method is more time consuming and often spiked mounting cannot be done without a groove router with fine adjustment of the inclination of the sole. In the second case, installation is easier, but mounting holes remain on the backs of the pillars, which must be closed with decorative plugs.

Railing with railing

Fastening railings to balusters is done in two ways. Simple - by railing and a little more complex - on wooden dowels. The choice of mounting method depends entirely on the profile of the handrail: when fixing to an intermediate rail, a rectangular groove must be selected at the appropriate depth at the bottom of the product. The handrails for mounting on dowels should also have a groove equal to the width of the base part of the balusters, but it is intended solely for masking the attachment points and should have a depth of 5-7 mm.

The final assembly of the fence, as mentioned, can take place in a different sequence. When attaching to the railing rail, first balusters are glued to the steps on the dowels, after which the rail is mounted, and then cutting and fastening the railings with self-tapping screws from below. When installing balusters on dowels and fastening handrails to poles with self-tapping screws, all railings are first glued, while drilling in them must be carried out with a tolerance: in this case, landing on liquid nails will allow for more accurate alignment. If the balusters are attached to the dowels, and the poles to the handrails are spiked, the pedestals are installed last, which requires the simultaneous positioning of all elements of the stairs in short term adhesive setting.

Handrail finishing

As a rule, railings of wooden stairs are assembled from already primed and painted parts. In such cases, it remains only to disguise the places where the railings are spliced, where they adjoin the pillars and balusters to the steps, where gaps up to 1-1.5 mm thick can form. To fill the gaps, you can use an acrylic sealant or wood paste based on natural wax.

If wooden details do not have a protective coating at the time of assembly, the gaps in them are sealed with wood putty, and then the entire fence is primed and painted along with the stairs. It is recommended to apply two coats of a transparent water-soluble primer, followed by fine sanding to remove the raised pile. Next, the steps are covered with stain or azure in 2-3 layers. It is recommended to choose two coats of transparent polyurethane varnish as the main protective coating.

No one private house in two or more floors can not do without stairs. There are many requirements for such structures. And one of the key ones is safety in use, especially if small children live in the house. In order to make the staircase as comfortable and safe to use as possible, as well as to give it a more aesthetic appearance, balusters are installed on it.

This publication will consider the installation of balusters on a wooden staircase with your own hands. Due to the fact that there are various ways installation of these elements, from the information below, it will be possible to choose the most suitable option for a particular case.

To begin with, perhaps in order to broaden one's horizons, it makes sense to figure out what balusters are and where they are used, except for framing flights of stairs. Perhaps this information can be useful when decorating other areas of a private house.

So, balusters are called racks that are small in height, which can have various forms and thickness. They are made from variety of materials and are used in various areas of the building, depending on the style of its design.

It is interesting that balusters have been used since the construction of the palaces of the Assyrian rulers and to the present day, almost in their original form. With change architectural styles, these elements changed shape, the craftsmen used various materials for their manufacture. But at the same time, their purpose does not change, as well as the former demand in construction.

So, a row of balusters forms a balustrade, which has been widely used since ancient times. And not only when fencing stairs, but also to support roof overhangs. In the latest versions, the balusters had very impressive dimensions and were installed from the base of the facade to the roof. In addition, the balusters installed on the facades also performed decorative functions, setting the exterior design style of the building.

IN last years, with the return of such architectural styles as Russian classicism, baroque and empire, the elements that are integral to these areas are again returning to widespread use. And balusters are among them.

A variety of balusters according to the material of manufacture

If earlier such architectural elements were made of stone, wood or clay, and later they began to be made from concrete, gypsum and metal, today polymers have been added to these materials (most often these are - polyurethane). And in order to figure out how the racks differ from each other, and which of them can be used on a wooden staircase, it is necessary to consider them in more detail.

Gypsum and concrete balusters

Balusters made of concrete and gypsum can be combined into one group, as they are made using the same technology. These types of curly racks are classic version, today they are mainly used for various areas of the exterior design of a building - this can be a fence for balconies, terraces, stairs, as well as cornice lines of flat roofs.

The skeleton for balusters made of concrete or gypsum is reinforcing cage. It is laid in a special form, into which the solution is then poured. After extraction from forms finished products, they, if necessary, are sent to the grinding process.

When completed, the "classic" baluster takes the form of an elongated flowerpot, intercepted in a narrow place by a ring. The creation of this most widespread the shapes of the stair pillars are attributed to the famous Italian scientist, artist and architect Michelangelo.

If the cast balusters are intended for outdoor use, then they are impregnated special formulations and, if necessary, stained.

Previously, similar elements of balustrades and stair railings were made as separate products, which were built into the overall composition. In our time, quite often sections are poured out entirely, and the entire structure of the fence is assembled from them. And, sections can be straight, curved under different angle or semicircular, depending on the shape of the landing of the stairs or balcony, which they must enclose. In order for the sections to be precisely adjusted to the area intended for them, they are most often made to order, with the necessary measurements taken.

The disadvantage of these structures is their quite high price, as well as a very considerable mass of products. Therefore, both single balusters of their plaster or concrete, and sections of them are almost never used to protect wooden stairs.

stone balusters

The most durable, but also the most expensive in price, are stone balusters. They can be made in two ways. The first is by turning products from solid or individual pieces of stone, from which a baluster is then manually assembled. Another option is balusters made of artificial stone. They, by analogy with concrete, are produced by casting. To do this, a special solution is poured into prepared forms. The solution consists of stone chips, sand, cement, fine gravel, and dye. As a reinforcing agent in Lately fiberglass is most commonly used.

Balusters made of natural or artificial stone are most often used for stairs or facades lined with the same material. They are ideal for such areas and add appearance buildings of particular respectability. Stone balusters are not installed on wooden stairs: firstly, because of the rather large weight, and secondly, because stone and wood still do not harmonize very well with each other.

Unlike concrete and gypsum, stone products can have more wide range of various forms.

metal balusters

Metal racks for fencing stairs and other areas of the building are made by forging, casting or welding. They are usually made to order for a specific installation site, according to a pre-drawn sketch and accurate calculations.

Metal balustrades, unlike other products, are used to protect not only stairs and other areas of the house, but also for windows - as protective and decorative grilles. And for this purpose, products made by any of the three listed methods are suitable.

Metal balusters can have various shapes, and be voluminous or flat. The last option can be found in high-rise buildings built in pre-revolutionary Russia.

Metal balusters, made of thin elements, may well be used in combination with a wooden staircase. With the right, not excessive combination and proportionality of parts, wood and metal are in perfect harmony with each other.

Polyurethane balusters

Polyurethane balusters are lightweight and can be given absolutely any shape. In addition, their price is much more affordable, unlike all the above options. Products are made from polymer high density and are not afraid of mechanical stress.

Such balusters consist of a shell made of polyurethane and a supporting frame, which is a metal rod, which gives the product a certain weight, making the product more stable. In addition, the rod, embedded in a polyurethane body, has holes or mounting platforms in its end sides for attaching balusters to the base and railings. Due to the fact that this type of product is lightweight and can be decorated to match any material, it can be used for installation on both stone and wooden stairs.

It is also interesting that polyurethane products can very reliably imitate almost any of the above materials.

Wooden balusters

Balusters made from natural wood, are traditional for Russian architectural styles. They can be made in the form of three-dimensional or flat relief elements. Volumetric products are machined from processed round timber, and flat balusters are cut from the board different thickness and width. That's why various options such products may differ significantly in the method of installation and fastening.

On the facades of private houses built of wood, one can often see balustrades used as balcony railings, consisting of such figured columns. If available in a personal workshop lathe, you can make them yourself.

Flat balusters can also be cut with your own hands from high-quality boards, using, for example, electric jigsaw. Well, then, with patience, you will have to process their edges to perfect smoothness.

Properly made and processed wooden fences will probably last no less than stone or other material mentioned above. Of course, balusters, also made of wood, are best suited for a wooden staircase. They are perfectly combined in weight, texture and possible design solutions, opening up ample opportunities for the manifestation of the imagination of the owners of the house.

Stair design and baluster attachment methods

The place of balusters in the staircase design

It makes sense to consider the general staircase structure and get acquainted with the name of the parts of which it consists. In addition, it is necessary to choose the option of installing and securing the racks of the building envelope.

The main elements of wood interfloor stairs shown in the illustration:

When drawing up a drawing for the construction of a staircase, as well as when studying the description of installation work on its arrangement, it will be possible to refer to this diagram, since it indicates the location and name of all the main structural details.

So, balusters can be installed on the edges of the surfaces of steps or on a bowstring.

The top figure shows a staircase, in the construction which balusters are installed on the steps. In this case, the width of the steps allows you to install two such wooden decorative posts on their edges. In this case upper edge the baluster is cut at the same angle as the flight of stairs.

If the bowstring of the staircase has a large width sufficient for the size of the base of the balusters, then they can be installed on it in order to maintain the width of the flight of stairs. However, this mounting option can be called more complicated, since cutting under desired angle you will have not only the upper, but also the lower side of the balusters. It is clear that the lower edge will have to correspond to the slope of the bowstring.

This diagram shows the principle of installation and fastening of balusters on a bowstring. If wooden balusters are selected, then they are cut at the angle of the flight of stairs. If polyurethane or metal version racks, and their installation is supposed to be on a bowstring, then on it for balusters it will be necessary to equip a kind of steps-stands. The horizontal surface of such steps should be parallel to the floor of the room.

However, due to the fact that balusters made of natural wood are still the most used for wooden stairs, options for their installation will be further considered.

Fastening of balusters to steps or a bowstring must be carried out with the help of dowels, studs or self-tapping screws. It is not recommended to fix the retaining elements with nails, since in this case it is difficult to guarantee the reliability and safety of the structure. Given that the stairs are constantly experiencing mechanical and vibrational loads, the nails will quickly expand the hole through which they are driven. into wood, as a result which does not exclude the possibility that the design of the staircase railing will quickly become loose and become very unreliable.

Mounting options for balusters on studs

With the help of studs, fastening balusters to the surface can be done in several ways. In this case, either smooth studs or threaded ones are used.

• In order to fix the balusters on smooth studs, markings are made in the end part of the uprights, since the hole must be drilled exactly in the center of the base of the product. Then, at the found point, a hole is drilled with a depth of not more than 80 mm, with a diameter of 8 ÷ 10 mm.

The diameter of the hole is selected depending on the size of the end of the baluster and, of course, on the diameter of the stud. It should be about 1 mm larger. It must be drilled very carefully, otherwise wooden product may crack. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to first drill a hole with a drill with a diameter of 5 mm, and then expand it to the required size.

In order for the pin to fit snugly into its seat, carpentry glue is poured into it, and the end of the pin for a length of 50 ÷ 60 mm is not only processed adhesive composition, but can also be sprinkled with small sawdust. After the hairpin is prepared, it is inserted into the hole in the end of the baluster with twisting movements. Outside, its part 70 ÷ 80 mm long should remain. Excessive, protruding glue is immediately removed, otherwise, after hardening, it will interfere with the installation of the baluster on the step or bowstring of the staircase.

• Another option for using studs as fasteners is to screw them in. In this case, studs are selected that have threads at both ends: On the one side metric, from the second - like a screw.

In order to screw such a pin into the end of the baluster, a hole is drilled in it with a diameter of 1 ÷ 2 mm less than the thread of the fastener. Before screwing in, the hole is also filled with glue, and the pin is screwed into it with a pointed end. For screwing on a metric thread, two or three nuts are baited and locked, and screwing in will be easy to carry out with an ordinary socket wrench.

In order for the second end of the hairpin to be securely held in the step or bowstring, you can do this. A hole of the same diameter is drilled in their surface as in the end of the baluster, and then it top part expands for gluing one or more nuts, which must be recessed flush with the main surface.

Installing the balusters in place can only be done after the glue around the nut has completely dried. Before screwing the baluster into place, the hole will need to be filled with glue.

• Using a threaded stud and a nut, you can do it differently, but only if the baluster is fixed to a step that has a small thickness. In this variant, the steps are drilled through hole, into which a hairpin is inserted, glued into the baluster. Then, from the underside of the step, a washer of the appropriate size is put on the stud, after which a nut is screwed onto the thread, which will press the baluster to the step. In this option, it is recommended that before installing the baluster on the step, coat its entire end side around the installed stud with carpentry glue.

• The next option for installing a baluster can be considered the use of a stud, the outer end of which enters from the end and also looks like a thick screw. The installation consists in directly screwing the stud into the step board, with preliminary lubrication of the end part of the baluster with carpentry glue.

Installing balusters on wooden dowels

Now it's worth considering fixing wooden balusters to dowels. This method is considered, by the way, traditional for the installation of stairs. Dowels are easy to use, and besides, it is quite possible to make them yourself. However, buy in the store furniture fittings they are not difficult, since their cost is quite small.

For this process, only the dowels themselves of the required length and diameter, as well as wood glue, will be required. The diameter of the dowel can be from 8 to 12 mm, and the length is 100÷120 mm. To install the dowel in the center of the end of the baluster, a hole is marked and drilled over size dowel in diameter by 1 ÷ 2 mm and a depth of about half the length of this mounting rod. Then, the hole is filled with glue and a dowel is inserted into it. Allow the glue to dry well before continuing. Its excess, which has come to the surface, must be removed immediately after gluing the part. It is important to glue the dowel exactly vertically, otherwise the baluster will be installed crookedly on the stairs.

To fix the baluster on the bowstring or steps, they mark the points of their installation, which should be located in one line. Holes for dowels are drilled at the points found. When the glue on the balusters dries, their end is smeared with a layer of the same glue, it is also poured into the hole on the step or bowstring, and then the dowel is tightly inserted into the hole. After that, the baluster must be well fixed until the glue hardens. At the same time, the racks are leveled, which is controlled using the building level.

Fastening balusters with self-tapping screws

The easiest and most affordable way for any master to fix balusters, both on the bowstring and on the steps, is to fix them on self-tapping screws 80 ÷ 100 mm long.

This type of fastening cannot be called traditional, however, it fully justifies the expectations for a reliable and durable fastening. The self-tapping screw is screwed through the baluster into the bowstring or step from the side, obliquely, into a hole pre-drilled for it of a smaller diameter than the fastener itself. Since the head of the self-tapping screw must be recessed into the wood, for it, in the upper part, the hole expands (countersink). After the self-tapping screw is screwed into the wood, the hat will hide in the nest prepared for it, the holes are masked with wood putty of a suitable color.

Balusters can also be fixed to the handrails with self-tapping screws. But for this purpose, fasteners of a shorter length are usually chosen, since they should in no case go through the railing. The head of the self-tapping screw is also deepened into the countersunk socket in the same way, and then masked with putty.

The process of installing a wooden balustrade on a staircase - step by step

Now, having dealt with the methods of fixing the balusters, we can proceed to the consideration of the stages of installation work on the assembly of the stair railing as a whole.

The instruction table below will present one of the options for assembling the staircase balustrade. However, it should be noted that this method is not the only one, since each master works according to his own pattern, developed over the years.

Illustration	Brief description of the operation to be performed
	So, after the steps of the stairs are mounted, their edge area is marked. The line of installation of supporting pillars and balusters is determined. For marking, you will need a flat metal or wooden plank having a length equal to the length of the flight of stairs, a metal ruler, a pencil and a construction square. By the way, you can use a galvanized profile, which is used for the installation of drywall structures. A profile or plank is laid along the edge of the steps, approximately at the same distance from the edge. Then, the exact distance from the edge to the plank is measured along the entire width of the step, and a line is drawn at the points found. Thus, the marking of all steps is made. At the end of the process, all lines on the steps must coincide with the common bar.
	The next step is to determine the places for fixing the support pillars, between which the balusters will be fixed. The pillars should have a cross-sectional size larger than the balusters, approximately twice. For example, if the balusters are 50×50 mm in size, then the pillars should have a cross section of at least 80×80, and preferably 100×100 mm. To fix the support posts, you can use a stud, screw or dowel. If the post is installed on a wooden surface, the length of the fastener should be 100 mm and the diameter 8÷10 mm. In this case, such bolts with a conical thread like a screw are used.
	In the example shown, the upper platform, on which the stairs rest, is made of concrete. Therefore, calculating the action plan in advance, the so-called mortgage was built into the concrete at the edge of the site - this is a metal plate, 80 × 80 or 100 × 100 mm in size and at least 4 ÷ 5 mm thick. On top of the plate, strictly vertically, the mentioned bolt-screw is welded with a length of 100 mm and a diameter of 8 mm.
	A hole corresponding to the diameter of the welded bolt is drilled in the lower end part of the support post. Then, the post is simply screwed onto a threaded pin welded to the mortgage. To keep the post firmly pressed to the floor surface, lower part drilled hole can be expanded a bit.
	If the support pole is installed on a plank surface, then in it, as well as in the end of the pole, a hole is drilled for the fastener, according to a pre-made markup.
	The pole can be fixed to a horizontal surface using the same bolt. For this it will be necessary to wooden surface drill a through hole on the ladder, and then insert the fastener from below, after putting a wide metal washer on it. You can fix the post with a dowel, gluing it into the end of the post, and then into the hole in the step, or with a pin, screwing it first into the end of the post, and then into the step board. In a word, by any of the methods discussed above, whichever seems more convenient.
	Usually, the lower support post in the flight of stairs is mounted on the last step and pressed against the riser of the previous step, which gives it some additional rigidity.
	When installing the support pillars, it is necessary to ensure that they are not only perfectly vertical, but also in the same line, otherwise the stair railings will be crooked or they will not be able to stand at all in the place determined for them.
	Having installed the support pillars, you can proceed to determine the mounting points for the balusters. For this procedure, you will need a building corner and a ruler. If the steps have a sufficiently large width, then it is best to fix two balusters on each of them. All elements of the balustrade should be located at the same distance from each other. Usually, when installing two balusters on each step, the distance between them is 70÷80 mm. The marking of the exact location is carried out along the previously outlined common line.
	After the installation points of the balusters are determined, through holes are drilled in them, through which the racks will be fixed to the steps. If the fastening option is chosen with the help of dowels or studs, then before gluing the fasteners into the balusters, half of the racks will need to be shortened somewhat so that they are installed exactly under the handrail. Thus, the first step baluster remains the original height, and the second, located closer to the lower step, is shortened by about half the height of the step. In each case, the cut off part will have its own size, depending on the width and height of the step.
	Balusters can be attached to the steps by any of the methods described above or, as in this case, using a screw bolt screwed from below through a through hole in the step board into a hole drilled in the lower end of the baluster. A metal washer is put on the bolt, then it is inserted from the bottom of the step into the hole and screwed with a ratchet socket through the board into the hole drilled in the end of the baluster. For this purpose, a screw with a length of 80 mm and a diameter of 6 mm is suitable.
	When all the balusters are fixed on the steps, a flat guide bar is fixed on them, so that it passes through top corners balusters. The plank can be secured with clamps. After that, along the guide, on each of the balusters, a line of the future cut is drawn with a pencil. In addition, also on the guide, the vertical location of each of the racks is marked. Balusters must be numbered so that there is no confusion during further assembly of the structure.
	After that, the balusters are carefully unscrewed and removed from the steps. Holes with a diameter of 5 mm are drilled in the center of their end upper part. Then, using a miter saw, cuts are made along the marked lines. The next step of the balusters, according to the numbering, must be returned to their original place and fixed on the guide along the pre-made marking lines.
	Now you can move on to work on the railing. The first thing to do is to determine the angle of cut of the ends of this part, since with them it must be joined with support posts. For this purpose, you can use a tool such as malka. Experienced carpenters advise simply not to change the angle set on the saw for washing down balusters. Before making cuts, it is necessary to accurately determine the length of the railing. To do this, they are placed on the edge of the steps, from the upper to the lower support column, and their exact length is marked with a pencil, taking into account the oblique cut. The width of the railing should be equal to the width of the supporting posts.
	After that, according to the markings, oblique sections of the railing bars are made. Next, the cut end sides must be carefully cleaned with sandpaper.
	Now on the railing beam, along its entire length, it is necessary to cut a groove, the width of which should be equal to the width of the balusters. The depth of the groove should be 7÷8 mm. The groove should be in the middle part of the beam, that is, it is made, stepping back from the edges of 12 ÷ 15 mm. To sample such a groove, of course, one cannot do without a manual or stationary milling machine.
	To securely fasten the railing, you will additionally need a wooden railing strip with a thickness of 8 ÷ 10 mm and a width equal to the width of the groove cut in the railing. The railing bar is screwed with screws to the upper ends of the balusters while they are fastened with a guide rail. The bar will replace the last one, and fix the racks in the required position. After it is fixed, the temporary guide can be dismantled.
	A railing is laid on top of the plank and screwed to it from below using self-tapping screws.
	Additionally, railings, wherever they are installed, are fixed with long self-tapping screws to the supporting posts. To do this, a through hole with a diameter of 5 mm is drilled from the outside of the column. First, the hole expands so that the self-tapping screw goes deep into the wood by about 20 mm, passes through the post and is screwed into the end of the railing by 30 ÷ 40 mm. The length of the self-tapping screw is calculated depending on the size of the support post.

Additionally, it must be recalled that when installing balusters on their permanent place on any fastening, it is recommended to coat their end surfaces with carpentry glue. The same is best done when mounting the railing bar, as well as the railing itself. Glue, hardening, will strengthen the structure and make it more durable.

Building a staircase with your own hands is not as easy as it might seem at first sight. To obtain a solid and reliable design, it is first necessary to carry out accurate calculations, taking into account the height of the lift, the free space that can be allocated to it, ergonomic criteria, and even the height and weight of the inhabitants of the house. In these calculations, each parameter is important, starting from the thickness and width of the steps, and ending with the cross section and height of the balusters, as well as other structural details. Therefore, in order to staircase design turned out to be safe and reliable in operation, its calculation is best entrusted to specialists. And if you plan to build a staircase completely on your own, then you will need to follow the drawn up drawing exactly, observing all the dimensions indicated in it.

Video: The final stage of the installation of a home interfloor wooden staircase - the installation of support pillars, balusters and railings