Long time lurker on this forum - here is my first post Currently coming to the end of a bathroom refurb, and beginning on next project which is the hall! In the attached image - I have stripped down a poor (previous) newel post and spindle rail installation. I have also attached an MDF board to the stair stringer and connected a radiator at the same time. My question is where to attach a newel post - straddling the stringer/radiator board? although I like the open plan look, I would presume 'bldg regs' is an issue here, but my main concern is some form of protection around the radiator! Suggestions very welcome.
It would be better to fit the Newel to the right of the radiator and as chippie says a half lap joint so that the newel sits over the stringer. You will obviously have to angle the stair side to match the angle of the stringer. I would try to tighten up the gap at the top where the stringer meets the mdf. You will have to fit a base rail for the spindles which will hide the joint between the stringer and mdf. However, the base rail will be wider than these two, so you will probably have to use a piece of moulding underneath the base rail which will hide the overhang and also give a nice piece of detail. If the drop where the dustpan is to the floor is less than 1m you may not need to fit a newel post and spindles. Just fit a fand rail to the other wall. Good job on removing all the old paint and finish
The advice from sospan pretty much does the job. Just wanted to add that if you are to also install base rail, handrail and spindles, you should consider renovating the steps and risers too. You could cover them with new steps and risers and use a stair cladding system, or you can use a carpet to cover them.
Thanks for everyone's advice, the rad cannot be relocated - it already has been, that location will be a cupboard to hide the boiler + footwear (shoes). The MDF board was just a 'quick' fix from last year to where I am now. The rad and board are easily de-mounted due to Speed fit connectors under the stairs (cupboard) long arms help here! As 'sospan' suggests I will make good the gap between the stringer & MDF , I have my heart set on the (R. Burbridge) Fusion handrail system with glass panels, looking around there are deals to be had on that particular product. The stairs creak like mad but I haven't tapped the wedges on the risers for a while and I'm planning to carpet stairs. Just one more thought which has been with me for a while, the rad could me moved to locate (horizontal) centrally on the MDF, and fix two (vertically) pieces of timber either side of rad coach bolted to mdf. The cut angle at the top of timbers to match stair hand rail and then fix say a scaffold board size piece of material to these two timbers to recreate that 70s look handrail? This latter suggestion for me is a simple and cost effective end to the project, but a modern minimalist approach suggests otherwise!
I popped into B & Q this morning at 6:55 am, shutters opened dead on 7.00. It's been about a couple of months since my last visit, whilst in the timber section i viewed stair parts and ALMOST bought a Burbridge Pine base Newel. I remembered what Emanuel suggested "You could cover them with new steps and risers and use a stair cladding system". B & Q's own cladding system was on display but very little choice of wood finishes. Back home I looked up http://georgequinn.co.uk/ a website which has ease to navigate unlike Burbridge's for similar products, the hand and base rail for glass panels suits me down to the ground for ease of installation. Thanks again for help and suggestions, I'll post images of project as I work through.
If you look in the timber yard sometime the newels and handrails designed for decking are quite good quality not good enough for a natural wood finish though but a lot cheaper and can be rubbed down and painted.
sospan, of course it has to do with my tag line. It says that I work in this domain and I offered my advice (which he can take or not). Still, I have the feeling that I am accused of something here and I don't like it. Did you feel that my advice wasn't good? Good luck, nuts & bolts!
Ooooooh, calm everyone. That was a perfectly reasonable Q, and you gave a perfectly reasonable answer, Em. With a possible soupçon of perceived tetchiness on both sides. Or one. Or neither. Phew. A stair design specialist on here would be very welcome.
Hi! The best solution is to fit the newel to the right of the radiator. You can place the radiator in some other place for protection.
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