Nashville stair railings
The most common interior upgrade in a 1990s or 2000s house: the white wood spindles come out, iron or steel balusters go in, and the oak handrail and newels stay. Done right, it changes the look of the whole entry for a fraction of a full new railing.
Many two-story houses built in the 1990s and 2000s around Hendersonville, Smyrna and Murfreesboro were finished the same way: an oak handrail, oak newels and white painted wood spindles. Swapping those spindles for black iron or steel balusters keeps the parts that are expensive to replace and changes the part you actually look at.
The old spindles are cut out and their stubs drilled from the treads and the underside of the handrail. Each new baluster is cut to its own length, because the rake of the rail means no two on a run are the same, then set into a hole in the tread and up into the rail with construction adhesive or epoxy. A small shoe at the base covers the hole and holds the baluster square. Patterns run from plain square bar to single or double knuckles, baskets and twists, and alternating two patterns is common. Many owners refinish the oak handrail darker or paint the newels at the same time so the old and new parts read as one design.
New balusters do not have to go back at the old spacing, and sometimes they should not. In the 2018 code a guard must stop a 4-inch sphere along a balcony or landing, the open side of a stair may allow up to 4⅜ inches, and the triangle formed by the riser, tread and bottom rail must stop a 6-inch sphere. Balcony guards also need to be at least 36 inches tall. We lay out each run to those numbers, which can mean one or two extra balusters per section, and we check the edition your city enforces first.
A handrail or newel that moves gets fixed before new balusters go in; see railing repair. A balcony guard that is too low, or a staircase you want to redesign from scratch, is a job for a full interior stair railing.
How long does it take? A typical two-story staircase with a balcony run is often one or two days. Restaining or painting the handrail is extra time.
These often come up on the same staircase or the same visit:
New handrails, newel posts and balusters for staircases inside the house - a full run, or a dated oak-and-spindle stair brought up to now.
Read more →Wobbly handrails, loose newels, rotted porch posts, rusted steel bases and broken balusters - fixed without replacing what still works.
Read more →A handrail where there is none, a second rail for a parent who needs one, or a rail raised or replaced so you can actually grip it.
Read more →Written quote
A few lines about the stairs is plenty to start.
Expect a call to arrange a measuring visit. To talk sooner, call (615) 437-4214
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