Baluster spacing on a slanted railing
I’m trying to figure out the baluster spacing on my interior stairwell. The railing has both a top and bottom railing. The tread ends are not exposed. They are completely enclosed by the stringer/skirt board.
The run of the slant is 78″. My square balusters are 1.25″ wide. If this were a straight horizontal run, I would just use the 1.25″ for the width of the baluster. However, it occured to me that that wouldn’t work because the actual width is the width of the angle cut that I’ll make on the end of each baluster.
So I have a few questions:
1) What is the code specified spacing for the balusters in NJ (Hackettstown in Warren County to be more specific if it matters)?
2) Should I use the width of the baluster or the width of the angled cut on the baluster?
I did a search but it seems the formulas were for straight horizontal runs rather than slanted runs.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Thang
Replies
no more thana 4'' space at any part of the spindel..use that.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
unless you are trying to make the balusters evenly spaced in relation to each tread, the horizontal spacing remains the same as your level railing runs.. the only thing that changes is the slant spacing...
use trig to figure your slant spacing.. and your first space and last space should be the same as your intermediate spaces..
you can figure this with a ruler... with a stick and blocks... with trig.. with pythagoreum theorem .. or with Construction Master calculator...or when all else fails.. trial and error
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike, you be trial, I'll be error..LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
duane.. you are a trial.... ain't that what your wife tells you all the time ?
mine does..
too bad mine wasn't raised catholic.. she could be offering up all her suffering for the poor souls in purgatory.. if they still had a purgatory..Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Generally you maintain the same **horizontal spacing** (and use the same value for baluster width), regardless of slant, since the balusters are all vertical (we hope). You do need to do the squaw on the hippopotamus thing, though, to figure out what the spacing is on the slant.
A good problem for the math class.
The other guys are right when they say to keep the spacing the same as the flat runs. If you are using balusters like I am used to the narrowest part is 5/8th, this means you can layout the balusters 4 1/2" (well between 4" and 4 1/2") on center to get a little less than a 4" space between balusters. Keep in mind to account for any detail in your posts, I usually subtract an additional 3/4" for balusters that are next to the post to account for the post profile.
Notes to keep in mind:
A 1 1/4" baluster will measure about 1 5/8" a long the cut line so keep this in mind, (not that usefull if laying out the centers though).
If you are running 4 to 4 1/2" centers on the flat runs the spacing on the rake will be approx 6 1/2" on center. Seems like this is your first time so cut two at the bottom and measure them inplace to get the closest measurement.
My quick calculation for spacing on center (subtracting an additional 3/4" for a post at the top and bottom)
78"+ 1 5/8" (width of baluster bottom) + 1 1/2" (additional to account for post profile) = 81.125/13 spaces (12 balusters)=6 1/4" (spacing on center). So the first and last mark would be 4 3/4" from the end and all the other marks would be 6 1/4"
Hope it makes sense.
What is your rise and run per tread (not including the nosing)?
Example: If your run is 10" and your rise is 7.25", your unit length running up the pitch, per 1" of horizontal run is 1.235". So, if you want to have exactly 4" spacing, you would measure 4.94" along the pitch.
The baluster thickness can be figured out the same way. Just multiply your thickness by the factor (in this case, 1.235) and you have your answer.
Edited 5/28/2004 8:47 pm ET by Jon Blakemore
Sounds like figuring out what the stair measurements will be, and what will be evenly spaced and look good on the stairs, should be the first priority, then use the same inter-baluster spacing on the horizontal run?
Of course, one of these days, the government will notice that a toddler has been injured while his or her head was between the balusters, and dictate the spacing.
What's the new railing height? 36 inches?
the gov't DID..hence the 4'' dia. max space.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.
I think the spacing is 2.5" on cribs, but I'd look it up (again) before building any cribs.
Thang- make it easy on yourself;
1. Measure the running length of the rail
2. find the center
3. mark every 5inches. this translates to about a 4" horizontal center,satisfies the 4" sphere code.