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Stair Supplies

Stair Supplies

by Andrew Kozlov

Whether you're remodeling a classic staircase in your living room or rebuilding a staircase from scratch, it's important to know the basic terminology of stair repair before shopping for parts. Basically, stairs are comprised of treads and risers. Layered over these treads and risers are handrails, balusters, strings and caps, newel posts, and so forth.

Let's define some of the most common stair parts, so you can calibrate your construction needs more carefully. The newel is a base post that's set at the bottom and top of your stairway. Oftentimes, a newel post will be carved elaborately for decorative purposes. Yet the function of the newel is crucial. Without strong newel support, your staircase will shake and rattle whenever someone uses it.

The Crucial Newel Posts

Newels are used in practically every kind of staircase, including spiral staircases, circular stairs, and straight 90° stairs. The newel post's ability to stabilize your staircase depends on your ability to calculate the rise and run of your staircase correctly. For this, you need a suite of measurement tools. In addition, you should work from a detailed layout or architectural drawing.

The balustrade is the general term for the assembly of newels and other rails. It's comprised of spindles, rails, caps, newels, and balusters. The balusters are individual posts that connect the handrails to the floor steps. While the balustrade lends significant structural support to the staircase, the real anchor of the construction will always be the newel post.

Elegant Baluster Supports

The balusters, otherwise known as spindles, can be plain or ornate. Even though balusters link up the handrails and the floor, they're not to meant to sustain a lot of force. Indeed, the purpose of balusters is primarily to prevent stair users from falling off the side. Standard domestic regulations require that balusters be no more than 100 mm apart from one another.

Balusters come into main varieties--sawn balusters and turned balusters. Classic sawn balusters are put together with their edges touching. However, you can space them out if that matches the aesthetics of your staircase decor. Regardless of which variety you choose, it's important to measure the spindle lengths carefully before proceeding with construction.

Undergirding Your Stairs with a Sub Rail

Another major stair part is the sub rail. There are many reasons to install a sub rail on your staircase. First of all, it adds a touch of old world flare by making your handrails look taller than they are. Second, when you put in sub rails, you have the option of making your handrails a separate color from the rest of the staircase. Finally, sub rails are easy to install, and they can help reduce potential construction damage.

If you're uncertain about which stair parts you need, it may be a good idea to take digital photographs of your staircase or to make photocopies of the architectural drawing plans. You can fax or e-mail these drawings to a competent stair parts supplier, who should be able to educate you as to your construction options. Don't wait until your stairs decay further before taking action.

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