Baluster Spraying and Drying Rack
An innovative way to deal with those tricky balusters.
I do all kinds of paint jobs, from brand-new houses to restoration work. No matter how old or new the work is, balusters present their own challenges: How to hold them while applying finish, and where to put them while they dry? The drawing shows my best solution so far.
I pick up a sheet of 1-in.-thick XPS foam insulation (Styrofoam, for example), and use a hole saw to cut snug sockets for the turned tenons on the ends of each baluster. Then I plant the balusters in the foam, spray on the finish, and let them dry in place.
Anthony D’Agostino, www.mainepaintandrestore.com, ME
Edited and Illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #225
