How to install Iron Or Metal Balusters in Wood Handrails

As promised I am putting transmit facts on the premise of iron balusters. During the day, one of the most base questions I get from customers is the how to of iron baluster installation.

Many building codes wish three balusters on a tread to comply with the 4" sphere rule. Check with your local code officials if you have any doubts about your stair's compliance.

Spade Drill Bit

First, I let the buyer know that the very last thing in balustrade premise is the iron balusters. It simply works well to install the newel posts, handrail, treads and risers first. Once installed layout the balusters on the floor and use a level to plumb up to the handrail town and mark the relationship at the town lowest of the handrail. Using a ½" paddle or spade bit one can drill upward 1" deep into the handrail. Using a 5/8" paddle bit drill a hole no more than ¼" deep into the floor. Once these are drilled out the lowest of the handrail can be sanded with an orbital sander and the unblemished balustrade law can be stained and finished. Once the stain and stop is completed one can begin installing the iron balusters.

How to install Iron Or Metal Balusters in Wood Handrails

One of the following two tools is recommended for cutting iron or metal balusters: a power miter box with a metal cutting blade, or a transportable band saw. My preference is the transportable band saw. It works cleaner, is more portable, and doesn't cause sparking as does the power miter box (or chop saw).

Turn the baluster upside down and set the round dowel top into the hole in the floor, holding the baluster plumb to the hole under the handrail. Mark the baluster with a pencil, quantum up 3/8" minimum and that would be the cut mark. Note that you are cutting off the bottom, not the top, of the baluster. This ensures permissible alignment of the fabricate elements.

For gluing the installer has two options: Epoxy or building adhesive. My personal preference is building adhesive as I have more control over the product and, if it gets messy, wipes away actually and can also serve as a caulk nearby the iron. Epoxy comes in the mixing tubes and doesn't all the time mix properly. If it gets messy and dried, removing the epoxy also removes the powder coating on the iron. Some carpenters prefer and have their own control over epoxy. I do not. I find building adhesives easier to work with.

Squeeze a small number of the adhesive into the hole under the handrail. The adhesive is thick and slow and will not drain back out, giving time to unblemished the installation. Make sure the shoe for the iron baluster is slid up while installing. Push baluster's round dowel up into the ½" hole under the handrail and then drop it into the 5/8" hole in the floor in a bed of added building adhesive. Square off the baluster's alignment then drop the shoe down to the floor. If the shoe comes with a set screw, use an Allen wrench to tighten it. The glue in the handrail hole will conclude nearby the baluster creating a perfect seal. Once the glue has dried the baluster will be well secured, even helping to develop the handrails load.

When installing 5/8" iron balusters the process is identical, one only needs to drill a 5/8" hole under the handrail and a ¾" hole at the floor. 5/8" iron is ideal in remodeling work, when replacing wood balusters. Most installed wood balusters have a 5/8" hole under the handrail and a ¾" hole at the floor. If replacing wood balusters with ½" iron it is normally recommended to install shoes under the handrail to cover a small Square peg in a larger round hole. The use of wood or cabinet screws helps to lock the baluster in, serving as both a wedge and forcing the baluster on center.

Round 5/8" iron or metal balusters can be installed without shoes simply by drilling a 5/8" hole into the handrail and into the floor and following the same course outlined above.

I have been asked about manufacture the holes square. It is potential with a little more work. To cut the Square hole in the floor or handrail, drill a round hole in the wood the same size at the baluster's wide width. Then chisel out the hole to make it square. Someone else selection is a "mortising bit." I have not used one of these but have spoken with carpenters who have. Their commentary tends to be that this method is a "pain in the you know what."

How to install Iron Or Metal Balusters in Wood Handrails

Painting Confidential - Adventures in the Decorating Underbelly

To paraphrase Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" - the professional painting team is most likely to be a collaborative exertion of a team of wacked-out degenerates. But you don't have to put up with them. You can paint your house yourself.

In painting a house...or painting anything for that matter, preparation is all. If you think the paint will hide a myriad of sins, you're wrong. In fact it will highlight any cracks, holes and blemishes that haven't been properly prepared. The extra exertion you put into doing good preparation pays off in Spades when it comes to the final coat.

Spade Drill Bit

Choose the Right Sandpaper

Painting Confidential - Adventures in the Decorating Underbelly

Don't buy cheap sandpaper like that Chinese stuff or the brown stuff carpenters use. That's rubbish. Go for the white Norton Freecut paper. Yes it's more high-priced but there's a think for that - it lasts longer and doesn't clog up so much as the cheaper papers.

Pick the right grade. Don't try and sand a huge lump of filler with a Fine paper - it'll take forever. Charge it with 80 Grade and then halt off with a Fine Grade like 120 or 180. Don't forget to brush the dust away.

Sanding Block

Use a cork sanding block. Fold the paper in half lengthwise and slit it in two with a putty knife. This will wrap nicely colse to the block and you can keep rotating it until all surfaces are used.

Filling Fine Wall Cracks

Buy a 4kg (10lb) drum of fine wall-filler that you apply with a pair of new wide spatulas. Keep the blades of the spatulas clean and shiny - try not to let filler dry on them. Get the filler that is marked Easy to Sand.

Electric Hand-Sander

If you don't have a lot of filling you can get away with sanding with a cork-block. If you have lots, buy yourself an orbital sander - a light one that fits in the palm of your hand. A two-handed orbital sander covers more area but is tiring to use.

Use Caulking Compound

Buy a box of caulking aggregate tubes and a good gun to apply it with. Make sure its paintable. You'll use a tube or two per room. This makes the distinction between a happy-home-handyman job and a professional finish. Use it in the gaps under the cornice (the moulding colse to the ceiling), in corners and colse to windows and doors. Apply it with finger or thumb and wipe off excess with a damp sponge. Let it skin over before you start to paint or your brush might pull it out.

Go Mad with DropSheets

You can never have too many dropsheets - permissible canvas dropsheets. Plastic, old sheets and newspaper are all next to useless. Beg, borrow or steal permissible tradesmens dropsheets.

Use Good Paint

Cheap paint is cheap because it's thinner. Therefore it doesn't cover as well. All the time use a high-quality paint - not only does it cover good but it flows off the brush or roller good too.

Stir the Paint

Sounds obvious doesn't it? But I've seen it a lot. Mister Do-It-Yourself just opens the can, dips the brush in and goes for it. Disastrous. Especially with enamel (Turpentine or White Spirit based) paint. You need to at least have a decent paddle to stir with - a length of 2"x1" or anything will do. Not dowel or broomstick. They don't work. You can buy a hand-plunger mixer from the hardware but personally I prefer to use a paddle. Even good is a permissible stirrer you attach to an electric drill. But if you don't have that, stir the paint with the paddle in a form Eight pattern first and then in a circular pattern trying to scrape paint off the bottom of the can as you go. Take your time. Repeat the mantra Om.

Thin the Paint

Not all paint is ready to go after its stirred - especially enamel paint. If you find the paint isn't flowing or you're getting brush or roller marks - regularly this means the paint is too thick. When using enamel you need to keep adding thinner (known as ease in the trade) as you go down the can. How much? It's a matter of feel - you want the paint to flow off the brush or roller but you don't want it running down your sleeve or being so thin you can see through it.

Choose Your Brush

Cheap brushes are cheap because they aren't well-made. The absolute bane of painters is to have hairs advent out in your work - especially in gloss work. Bite the bullet and buy decent brushes and look after them - clean them after every use. Religiously. Keep the ferrule (the metal that holds the bristles) clean and free of paint. As you're painting keep scraping the ferrule off on the rim of the can to keep it clean.

Choose Your Rollers

Hey guess what? Roller sleeves or covers are not all the same. Longer naps hold more paint and give a stipple finish. Short naps are used for level surfaces and gloss work. Check the info on the covers to see what you need. Again, buy quality - don't use cheap foam rollers. Go for a good-quality synthetic and clean it after every use.

Applying the Paint

Start with the ceiling. From a step-ladder, cut-in colse to the edges with a 4" brush and then use an extension pole and frame to roll the paint on the ceiling. Load the damp roller with a fair bit of paint - you don't want it dripping but you don't want to be stingey either. Apply the paint across the ceiling and then roll it out lengthwise - working towards the light if possible.

When painting walls some painters prefer to initially roll in a W or M pattern. I don't worry too much about that. I just make sure that I put plentifulness of paint on and then roll it out top to bottom so there are no roller marks.

Clean Up

Clean all your gear fastidiously - you'll appreciate it next time you come to use it. Don't store brushes with the bristles down and store roller sleeves on end. Clean the rim of the paint can before putting the lid back on (some painters even punch holes in the rim so the paint drips back into the pot).

Pour yourself your beverage of selection and propose a toast to the wacked-out degenerates that you've managed to do out of a job.

Painting Confidential - Adventures in the Decorating Underbelly