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Wood Balusters

by Andrew Kozlov

What are some useful tips for designing and constructing wood balusters? First of all, you want to choose either a turned or sawn baluster style. The sawn look is more boxy and modern--it's also easier to create sawn balusters with home carpentry tools. "Turning" your balusters involves beveling them to make them ornate. Creating turned pins on your own is extremely time-consuming--if you want to go with a turned baluster look, it's probably easier to buy the pins from a supplier.

You can dress up your balusters by painting, staining, or carving them even further. Remember that the balusters aren't meant as structural supports. The bulk of the work of holding up the balustrade assemblage is performed by the newel posts at the top and bottom of the staircase. That said, your wood balusters can prevent slip and fall accidents.

Assembling with Wood Balusters

When assembling your wood balusters into the railing, be sure to space each pin by no more than 100 mm. To attach the balusters into the rail, you simply nail or screw the pins into the treads of the bottom rail. To reduce the complication of baluster installation, you could employ a sub rail.

To keep your wood balusters looking great and functioning well for years to come, remember to apply staining and wood preservative at recommended intervals. Particularly if you're creating an outdoor staircase, environmental factors, such as a moisture and sunlight, can impact the strength of the balusters. You should also avoid using a "rivet" system to hold the balusters into place, as this may collect rainwater and lead to mold.

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