Staircase Spindles advice

[jameslee30]

Hello all.

Im after a bit of advice regarding my staircase. This isnt my usual area of expertise so dont know much of the regs etc. I understand that the spindles have to be no more than 100mm apart though.

Basically, I am doing up a house at the moment, and it has hardboard between the bannister and stair case. I dont think this looks great, but i dont want to spend a fortune changing it all as i am doing this house to sell. I am considering removing the hardboard, and then, instead of replacing the bannister and base rail, could i glue and pin on thin strips 32mm apart onto the current base and top to act as the housings for the spindles?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers, James

 

[Chrispy]

Have you looked behind the hardboard, quite often it was just fixed on to the old spindles in which case they may still be there.

 

[jameslee30]

No, Not looked yet, but judging by the other houses in the area (which look to be identical), they all seem to have hardboard over them. Also, knocking on the boards it sounds very hollow apart from every foot or so, assuming these are just bearers to take the hardboard?

 

[Dibs-h]

could i glue and pin on thin strips 32mm apart onto the current base and top to act as the housings for the spindles?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Cheers, James

No reason why not. Seen it done before.

HIH

Dibs

 

[RogerS]

I'm with dibs. Just make sure your spacing meets building regs..

 

[angelboy]

Statutory regulations require that balustrading:
* is fixed securely
* cannot be easily climbed and
* has no gaps which would allow a 100mm diameter sphere to pass through.

The rebate in the base rail and hand rail add stability from the spindles being easily pushed out.
If you can, I'd rebate a length which is screwed to the base and handrail then fix the spacer fillets as you would normally.

But there's nothing in the regs that doesn't allow the way you suggest as long as they're fixed securely.

 

[jameslee30]

Hmm now theres an idea.. I could easily make a rebated piece and then add the second side afterwards. Think i may do that. Thanks for the tips everyone! Will start on it this weekend.

James

 

[Melinda_dd]

oo ooo i know this one!!!

The 100mm gap is so there are no gaps that are big enough to alow a baby's head to pass through or get stuck!!!!

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
(just did stair cases at college)

 

[milkman]

I made a staircase for college and seated the spindles in a groove on the handrail and top of the string and used glued in slips(?) to seat and space them.

You should have a look at this, worst case? One piece of hardboard to replace the one you took off?

Also if you were the person doing this you wouldn't waste time knocking out spindles on a banister when you were going to board it in.
Unless the spindles were fancy turned ones and stood out from the plumb line of the string.

Hope you sort this out!

Marko