The most popular possibility right now is bamboo! It grows amazingly fast (ask anyone who has ever planted it around their house) and is extremely durable. It is as hard as Maple and Oak and possesses valuable moisture-resistant qualities. LEED certification also provides added value for those creating environmentally aware spaces.

There are two ways that bamboo grain is situated (horizontal and vertical) and two styles for coloring (natural and carmelized), but it can also be stained.

Bamboo is a great product for the new frontier of green building. Contact us if you’d like more information!

Happy Building!

Kirk

But what if you want to paint your railing white or are looking for that dark black glossy finish?

When customers want to paint their railing white, parts are usually milled from poplar. Poplar has a very smooth grain, which means you won’t see the lines through the paint. It is also less expensive than most stain-grade woods, which is preferable since the look of the original wood is going to be covered up with paint. We also have access to many paint-grade railing parts that already have a primer coat on them, making final painting much easier.

Occasionally customers are looking to have a railing with a deep, glossy black finish. Poplar does not stain well (paint covers wood, which is great for poplar, whereas stain is soaked into the wood grain, which does not work well with paint-grade poplar) so we usually recommend maple. The benefits of maple are a smooth grain and consistent light coloring. When a dark color is applied the finish result will be a gorgeous final product!

Happy building!

Kirk

Refer back to my post on rail selection for a list of potential wood types. As with handrail, there are many species of wood available, from popular Red Oak to exotic Brazilian Cherry.

My post on handrail connection points out two different ways to connect railing to newel posts. Based on which you choose (look back to see what they are! ) you will choose either pin-top newels or newels that have a top such as a ball-top, mushroom-top, or acorn-top.

Most often the style of the newel post matches the balusters, which simplifies the selection process. Decide whether you want square or taper top balusters and you’re on your way!

Visit the newel and baluster tabs at our website to look through some ideas.

I just had a thought – what if you want to paint your railing? Or maybe you want to use box newels that compliment your Craftsman style?

I’ll talk about those in my next posts, along with issues regarding baluster size.

Until then…

Happy Building!

Kirk

Another choice to be made is the way a railing connects to the newel posts (newel post selection will be covered in a future blog post). There are two options: Post-to-Post and Over-the-Post.

If you click here – www.crownstairs.com/projects – you can see two pictures I will reference as examples (the 5th and 6th row down, left-hand side).

Post-to-Post

In this style, the railing ties into the side of the newel post and the post continues up higher than the rail height, often with a ball-top, mushroom-top, acorn-top or a cap on a square post. In the 5th row picture, square newels are used, with the railing beginning off the insides, turning, and continuing up the stairs. There is another example two pictures up on the right side, with painted newels.

Over-the-Post

The 6th row picture provides a great example of the over-the-post style. The newel posts do not have a block top in this situation, allowing the rail to pass over the top of each post, providing a slimmer, more contemporary look. At each post a rail ‘fitting’ is used to make the necessary transition, whether it’s a ninety degree turn or a starting cap at the beginning.

You can also click here – ‘Newels‘ – to see newels with block tops for Post-to-Post connections and others with pin tops for Over-the-Post.

When choosing the method of rail connection, your main concern is what you like to see. I have customer who cannot stand the slim look of Over-the-Post railing and others who love it. It’s up to you!

Happy Building!

Kirk

Rail profile

The rail profile is the shape of the rail. When choosing your rail profile, you’ll want to consider:

• Look: Choose a rail that is pleasing to the eye and that you’ll enjoy looking at for years to come.
• Comfort: Choose a rail that feels good under your hand. You’ll want to stop by the showroom to test the different handrails that are appealing visually.
• Baluster type: Some balusters have square tops which necessitates a groove being cut into the bottom of the rail. The standard groove dimensions are 1-1/4″ and 1-3/4″. While almost all rails are wide enough for a 1-1/4″ groove many cannot handle a 1-3/4″. If you choose a larger, square-top baluster your handrail choices may be limited.

Wood species

The species of wood is the actual type of wood from which the handrail is made. This is not a stain color added to the wood – this is the actual wood type, which has a natural color of its own. Here’s a short list of wood types from which we’ve had handrail milled:

• Red Oak
• White Oak
• Maple
• American Cherry
• Birch
• Brazilian Cherry
• Santos Mahogany
• Beech
• Walnut

Grain pattern and color are the two considerations when selecting a wood species. Wood grain is the pattern of lines that appear in the wood. The grain pattern varies in terms of number and thickness of the lines. Color is exactly what it sounds like – the color of the wood itself. Some woods, such as Walnut, American Cherry and Mahogany, are often left their natural color while others, like Red Oak, White Oak and Beech, are often stained darker colors.

In writing all these options may seem overwhelming. The best solution is to start looking at rail types and see the actual differences between them.

Happy Building!

Kirk

There are three primary parts necessary for most railings:

1. Handrail – This is what your hand runs along and holds on to as you walk up and down your steps. The primary function is to provide a handhold.
2. Newel posts – These are located at the beginning, end, and transitional sections (at landings, where railing turns) of your rail. The primary function is to hold up the handrail.
3. Balusters – These are the thinner pieces under the railing. The primary function to is keep you from slipping under the handrail.

You can see examples of these by clicking the appropriate tabs at www.crownstairs.com

Happy Building!

Kirk

My name is Kirk Hoffman and I am a member of the Crown Stairs and Rails team, serving the Washington, D.C. Metro area. While our offices are in Montgomery County, Maryland, we’ve done quality work in Baltimore, Springfield, Arlington, Annapolis, and Fort Washington, covering Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Many of our customers, both homeowners and builders, have had many questions about how stair and rail work is handled. In my blog I will cover topic such as:

• the components that make up a railing system
• stair configuration issues
• wood species
• new construction
• code requirements
• remodeling

And much more! Hopefully you’ll stay tuned and pick up some useful information that will guide you in current or future projects of your own. If you have any further questions you’ll find my contact information on the “About” page – feel free to email or call!

Happy building!

Kirk