Thread: Advice about stair baluster installation

Originally Posted by Greg Q

Looking to use a commercially available dowel size and the appropriate bit.

Bunnings sell 3m lengths of dowel rod, 16 or 19mm would do (5/8 or 3/4 if it's imperial). I'd be picking whichever one'e easiest to get a drill for; 3/4" is near enough to 19mm that it doesn't matter either way, 5/8" will be sloppy in a 16mm hole.

Easiest way would probably be to make a little box that sits neatly over the end with a hole in the middle as a jig.

Thanks for the reply. Good idea about the guide box.

The standard method is the handrail and the string capping have a channel machined into them and a filler piece is installed as a spacer and to locate them. Glue and a fixing gun does the rest

Yeah, but I am making something like this:

I have already machined the handrail components out of oak and the design does not allow for a plowed trench, plus the posts are round at the top so will have to have a bored hole to locate them.

Greg

Dowling is the quickest and easiest way to install balisters. Old traditional stairs are often square, shallow mortised. Particularly when soft timber such as Cedar was used. Obviously with modern electric drills it is far easier to bore a hole than chop out a mortise. The important thing is to keep the dowel cross section as large as possible as this is where most balisters tend to get broken.

I'm not sure that dowelling is easier and quicker than four finish nails and a thumb load of putty.

Especially if the banisters are to be painted and you are using a decent nail gun.

The balusters are going to be painted, but also structural, as there are no newell posts on the run up the stairs. That said, I have decided to use big dominoes after all as I know how to rapidly mortice the posts and figured out a jig to easily index it on the treads. At least that’s what I am thinking at 3:46 AM when I should be not thinking about anything.