building a bannister - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

burntmonkey · 10-15-2003, 04:43 PM

I need to build a new bannister for my stairs. Any suggestions or hints?

homerhop · 10-16-2003, 02:59 AM

Timber or steel?
Building regs this side of the world state that on a landing the banister should be 1100mm from the floor to the top of the rail, and 900 mm from the toe of the step to the top of the rail in a vertical measurement

burntmonkey · 10-16-2003, 08:11 AM

I'm thinking oak. Since it is my house, it is not really governed by building regulations here in the States. By the way, I'm having a hard time conceptualizing the conversion from millimeters to inches or feet, so I'm guessing 900 mm is 2 1/2 ft and 1100 mm is about 3 1/2 feet.

homerhop · 10-16-2003, 08:51 AM

1 inch is roughly 25 mm and 304 mm to 1 ft.
Sorry cant help you on the timber bit, just that I was in a friends house and he put in an oak stairs. It looks great.

hotdogg · 10-16-2003, 03:02 PM

Hey Burntmonkey, check your building codes first...Ballusters must be 4" on center (this is to prevent a child from getting his/her head caught or even falling through the ballusters...Also height is 36" for the same reason (safety). These requirements are for New York and New Jersey which are the areas I work in.

powder · 10-16-2003, 03:35 PM

Go to a home depot or similar store and ask the dude in the finishing department. He/she will be able to fill you in on local codes and give you a bunch of ideas.

bierslayer · 10-17-2003, 07:30 PM

I recently built one using ideas from: http://www.ronhazelton.com/html/ron_how.html

It's a rustic look with the cedar so I don't know if you're looking for something more formal.

10-15-2003, 04:43 PM	#1 (permalink)
burntmonkey Tilted	building a bannister I need to build a new bannister for my stairs. Any suggestions or hints?

10-16-2003, 02:59 AM	#2 (permalink)
homerhop Insane Location: ÉIRE	Timber or steel? Building regs this side of the world state that on a landing the banister should be 1100mm from the floor to the top of the rail, and 900 mm from the toe of the step to the top of the rail in a vertical measurement __________________ its evolution baby

10-16-2003, 08:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
homerhop Insane Location: ÉIRE	1 inch is roughly 25 mm and 304 mm to 1 ft. Sorry cant help you on the timber bit, just that I was in a friends house and he put in an oak stairs. It looks great. __________________ its evolution baby

10-16-2003, 08:11 AM	#3 (permalink)
burntmonkey Tilted	I'm thinking oak. Since it is my house, it is not really governed by building regulations here in the States. By the way, I'm having a hard time conceptualizing the conversion from millimeters to inches or feet, so I'm guessing 900 mm is 2 1/2 ft and 1100 mm is about 3 1/2 feet.

10-16-2003, 03:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
hotdogg Crazy Location: NYC Metro Area	Hey Burntmonkey, check your building codes first...Ballusters must be 4" on center (this is to prevent a child from getting his/her head caught or even falling through the ballusters...Also height is 36" for the same reason (safety). These requirements are for New York and New Jersey which are the areas I work in.

10-16-2003, 03:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
powder Loser Location: ski town	Go to a home depot or similar store and ask the dude in the finishing department. He/she will be able to fill you in on local codes and give you a bunch of ideas.

10-17-2003, 07:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
bierslayer Upright	I recently built one using ideas from: http://www.ronhazelton.com/html/ron_how.html It's a rustic look with the cedar so I don't know if you're looking for something more formal.