Baluster is a rack used to connect railings and steps. The main function is to ensure safe operation and sufficient strength of the ladder. Owners of their own homes often use balusters. How to fasten them correctly? The material below will help you figure it out.
Materials used to make balusters
You can use different materials to make balusters:
- wood is not only the most environmentally friendly material, but also harmoniously fits into almost any interior;
- metal is a real godsend for a designer, as it allows you to get absolutely any shape;
- forging - the main positive qualities include elegance, unusualness and reliability;
- concrete is strong and durable;
- glass can make your home look fantastic.
Features of mounting wooden racks
Wooden baluster includes the following main parts: support, base and central array. The main load willtake on the foundation, therefore, it should be as strong as possible. The place of attachment of the support is the railing, and in order to ensure their reliable functioning, it is necessary to achieve their tight fit to each other. In the manufacture of these two elements, a small margin of length is made, which in the future will provide the possibility of installing racks. The array is purely decorative.
The structure of a pole is usually divided into 3 components: support, center and base.
Balusters how to fix? If there are small children in the house, you need to carefully monitor the distance between the racks, otherwise the child may simply fall out.
Support posts can be connected directly to the floor. To save space on the stairs themselves, balusters are often attached to strings or stringers.
To install balusters made of wood, you can use self-tapping screws, studs and dowels. The simplicity and convenience of the first method is fully manifested in the presence of a ladder on the stringers. This case involves attaching balusters to treads. The self-tapping screw is screwed directly to the step so that its tip protrudes halfway. Then you need to mark a point on the bottom cut of the rack, which will serve as a place for screwing.
Stud installation sequence
Balusters how to fasten with studs? The lower part should be screwed into the tread, and with the help of the upper one, fix the rack. Before proceeding with the installation, you must stock up on the following tools andmaterials:
- standard galvanized studs;
- drill;
- miter saw;
- wooden posts;
- glue.
Now you can proceed to the installation:
- The lower end of each wooden baluster must be equipped with a hole with a depth of at least 0.8 cm and a diameter 2 times smaller than the diameter of the hairpin.
- Then you should start making the upper and lower cuts with a miter saw. In this case, it must be borne in mind that the angle of inclination should fit under the bowstring.
- The pin and the hole must be connected with glue.
- How to fix wooden balusters? The depth of the holes in the bowstring must be at least 8 cm, and when installing, one should not forget about the optimal order - first the 2 extreme columns, and then all the others.
Secrets
How to fix balusters to the floor? In this case, the most versatile way is to use screws or self-tapping screws. They can handle both wood and metal fixings.
The following approaches deserve attention:
- underbaluster;
- use of shim;
- applying direct fixation.
All these methods are very similar to each other. A secure connection to the steps can be achieved by using a plate, which is usually fixed with four screws.
In addition, self-tapping screws make it easy to connect balusters withrailings.
If the step is not equipped with a riser, then it is considered optimal and most convenient to bring the mount to the bottom. And if the risers are removable, then there is nothing left but to disguise the junction.
The presence of a thin bowstring does not allow attaching balusters using the method described above, but the issue can be resolved using one rather interesting trick. It requires the addition of an additional rotary element to the structure, which connects the baluster and the side part of the stringer. This maneuver not only increases the free space on the steps, but also allows you to move the fences beyond them.
During the execution of work, utmost care must be taken so that damage to the supports does not occur. For manufacturing, you need to find a suitable species of wood that is resistant to splitting, which can withstand such installation.
How to install balusters on rods and dowels?
How to attach balusters to stairs? Wooden structures involve the use of ordinary round dowels. Their diameter should not exceed ¼ of the diameter of the post, and the length - two diameters of the baluster.
Marking involves every element - railings, steps, columns. The depth of the hole should be half the diameter of the dowel. When installing fasteners coated with glue, the following order must be observed: first steps, then railings.
Metal rack is not a complex installation
The use of metal in the staircaseconsidered traditional. Such elements are distinguished by sophistication, elegance, and the regular appearance of new ornaments and curves of lines reminds of a new time, a new trend or a new fashion trend.
Metal balusters how to fix? Very simple, because all the necessary parts and detailed instructions are included with such racks. The standard mounting sequence is as follows:
- marking the distance between the balusters, pre-coated with paint;
- the rack is screwed onto the tread with a bolt or self-tapping screw;
- the railing is attached to the post from above, after which the railing itself is glued.
Private houses do not involve the use of hollow balusters, they are much more popular in office buildings. The main advantage of such structures is a special protective layer that prevents rust, therefore, increases the service life. We fix the balusters with our own hands:
- You need to make marks on the steps, in the place of which columns will be located in the future.
- bolts or screws must be used to install each column.
- Lodgements, on which the railing will be attached in the future, can be rotated to the required angle.
Mounting Features
The safety of the structure directly depends on the reliable fastening of the balusters to the stairs, which, regardless of what material and shape were used for their manufacture, are subject to the following generalrules:
- The optimal safe distance between two adjacent supports is 15 cm, especially if small children live in the house.
- The value of the support height that is comfortable for many users varies between 80-100 cm.
- Each support should be fixed at two points - upper and lower.
- The safety of the structure does not depend on the thickness or cross-sectional area of the baluster, since this element does not perform a load-bearing function, its choice is mainly influenced by the style and design of the stairs, as well as the interior of the room.
- How to properly attach balusters to load-bearing structural elements, railings and handrails? The answer to this question largely depends on the material used to make them.
Glass balusters
How to fix glass balusters? Despite the fact that such elements seem very fragile, they have sufficient strength and reliability.
Metal hinges or nozzles are used to attach glass to any support. Installing glass screen protectors requires specific profiles.
