If you have a loose stair rail or simply want to change the existing rail with a new style or material, you could do the installation as a do-it-yourself project. Keep in mind that this is a somewhat time-consuming project but with attention to detail and patience, you would have no problem in completing the job. First, gather the necessary tools and supplies such as a hammer, miter saw, tape measure, stud finder, cordless drill, drill bits, 4d nails, four-foot level, 90-second epoxy, 150-grit sandpaper, masking tape, and wood glue. For materials, you need the rail material and railing brackets. After getting everything organized, you would be ready to start the project.
Then, determine if any building codes need to be followed. Whether there are codes or not, we suggest you extend the length of the stair rail one foot beyond the top and bottom stair. With this, people would be able to grasp the rail easier but also maintain balance. Additionally, make sure the material meets current stair rail standards, which usually include the top being between 34 and 38 inches above the front edge of the stair nose. You will also find that certain woods are accepted whereby others should be avoided. Of all wood, oak is the favorite but also the most expensive. Another option would be popular or pine, which work great but are more cost-efficient.
With the stud finder, go along the wall up the stairs to locate the wall studs. Typically, these are built 16 inches apart so once you find one, locating the others would be easy. For each stud, place a piece of blue tape on the wall to mark its location. The stair rail would need to be securely anchored to the studs instead of the plaster or drywall, which would not hold the rail or a person’s weight, but also damage the wall. With a different colored tape, mark the location at the top and bottom of the stairway for the full length of the rail, including the extra one-foot.
With a miter saw, cut the short horizontal piece about two feet, and the long rail to cover the remaining measurement. For the horizontal piece, cut a 16-degree angle on one end and for the long rail piece, a 45-degree angle on one end. Although the 45-degree angle of the long rail would be affixed to the 16-inch angle of the horizontal piece, start by allowing the cut end of the long rail to rest on the floor so the contacts at the top of the stair nosing could be marked. Next, mix the 90-second epoxy for about 30 seconds, applying a thin layer to cut end of the horizontal piece and the cut end of the long rail. To keep the epoxy from getting onto the rail pieces themselves, we recommend you wrap a piece of blue tape around the end before applying the epoxy.
Press the two angled ends together for 90 seconds so it starts to set. Then after five minutes, slowly remove the tape. The epoxy will take about two hours to dry completely. Keep in mind that these two ends of the stair rail could also be secured with dowels, anchors, and/or screws for added stability, which recommend. The top of the stair rail would be aligned to the marks you made and then attached with brackets. When finished, you would have anywhere from three to seven brackets supporting the rail depending on the exact length. To finish the job, the returns would be attached to the exposed ends with glue and 4d nails to produce a smooth look.
