Custom Balusters

Plain and simple is what this customer wanted.  Using the custom design the customer showed me, I made a couple of necessary adjustments for code and ended up with these simple but not so plain stairs.

The 4″ box newel is red oak.  The rail is just a rectangle 1 1/2″ by 2 1/4″ oak.  The baluster design was a picture that the customer wanted copied.  It uses 1 1/4″ balusters.

Modern Stairs: Custom Welding

Sometimes the stairs can set the style of the whole house.  The stairs here were custom built to a blueprint drawing.  Each panel was custom welded.

All intermediate posts are solid steel and bolted to the skirt boards.  The horizontal balusters are 1/2″ round steel and welded to the intermediate posts.  All steel was powder coated black.

The treads are Brazilian Cherry, and were clear coated.  The hand rail is a 2″ round maple and stained dark.  The box newels are maple wood.

The Grand Circular

Sometimes you feel the your stairs should be the focal point of your whole house and you want the stairs to set the statement of the house.

Starting with the custom turned mahogany posts  with the mahogany volute starting the railing system off with 6710 mahogany hand rail.  You can see that these stairs are really built to make the difference in this house.

As we move our focus towards the 14′ long bowed balcony, we can really see how the custom welded iron panels add to the over all “WOW” factor of this stair case.  The iron panels were ordered from House of Forgings, then hand welded and powder coated black.

The curves of the circular with the start step, and the balusters and panels bring the whole set of stairs into a grand work of art.  The treads are oak treads stained dark.

The box newels used on this job were 6 1/4″ mahogany with raised panels.  You can see in this picture them unfinished without the stain and still get the sense of it being a focal point of the home.

Commercial Stairs

This commercial job had almost 100 treads on the job, with various different stairs and layouts.  the job had a detailed stair print, which called for building the panels on the sides, building a small knee wall with an oak cap for balusters to set on, as well as trim detail under the top rail.

The top rail was milled in the shop.  However, due to commercial code, the handrail had to run continuous on both sides of the stair case from top to bottom.  The actual grab rail used for this was a much smaller 6040 rail.

The box newels used throughout the job were 6 1/4″ oak box newels with a tapered top.

Partial Circular

Sometimes when stairs turn it makes them more interesting when you can turn them into a curve or partial circular instead of a sharp turn.  This set of stairs is the perfect example of this.

The plain box newel gives the set of stairs the sturdiness it needs while allowing the curve and iron pattern to be the focus of the set.

The pattern with the iron is a simple twist basket twist pattern but it incorporated a few scroll balusters mixed in to help draw the focus on the elegant curve of the stairs.  The handrail used for this set of stairs is the 6010 oak rail.

Sturdy Box Newel Stairs

If you like the craftsmen style of stairs, a large box newel, and simple square wood balusters is the look for you.

This set of stairs features a 6 1/4″ box newel that stabilizes the rail system.  The rail is 6910 oak rail and the balusters are 1 1/4″ wood balusters painted white to draw attention to the box newel.

The sense of sturdiness and structure continue at the top where there is a small balcony where you can look down on the stair case below.

Partial Open Stairs

Many times a set of stairs will have a small open area but will then go up into a stair way with bot sides closed off by walls.  With solid wood steps and trim near the wall and steps, even these stairs can improve the look of the house.

This set of stairs features a sturdy box newel and basket and twist iron balusters in a pattern.

To add to the safety and meet code, this set of stairs also features a wall mount rail from the bottom of the stairs to the top on the right hand side.

Solid Wood Stair Installation

This solid wood stair case gives this house made mostly of pine an interesting look.  This stair case features oak treads, but everything else is pine.

Using1 1/4″ pine balusters, I installed them in sets of 3 to make a pattern and add some detail to the plain wood balusters.

The post is a 5″ box newel.  The size and shape of the newel gives the stairs a look of structure and helps bring out the details this set of stairs adds to the house in general.

Baluster Focused Stairs: Waves and Bubbles

Baluster focused stairs allow the stairs to give the house an open and energetic feel.  These stairs were installed with single and double ring balusters around curvy bar.

The iron posts hold a custom milled handrail.   The treads, risers, and skirts, are all red oak stained dark.

Using a special step and handrail attachments, making a turn in the stairs is simple and can be done seamlessly without loosing the effect of the pattern with the balusters.  Add a bench with matching stain, pieces the foyer together rather nicely.

Looking at the long run of steps, you can really see how this baluster pattern adds to the feel of the stairs making the waves and rings in the baluster pattern the focus of the stairs.