DIY: Adding Wrought Iron Spindles

Amy Dowling
by Amy Dowling
We recently had our oak spindles replaced with wrought iron ones in order to update the look of our railings. That along with a coat of paint on the bottom made a huge difference in the look and updated the whole space.
We have a lot of railing in our house. Our upstairs is open to our family room below so when you look up, you used to see an expanse of oak.
Here is the before shot.
Our contractor actually completed this project, but I watched him do it and thought I'd share the steps with you. If you have the right tools and enjoy a DIY project, you can completely do this one yourself.


Our new spindles were purchased at Lowes and we did a double barrel followed be a twist alternating them. They are the matte black look.


First step is to use a reciprocating saw to saw off the old spindles.


Screws at the bottom of the spindle should be removed.
Using liquid nail attach the shoes to the bottom and then screw them in place. Next place your new spindle in the bottom shoe and screw it in to place. The tops should fit into the existing holes pretty loosely. A second shoe is then liquid nailed and screwed into place.
A coat of white paint on the bottom freshened up the look.


We chose to leave the balusters and top rail oak. We like the contrast of the wood with the white and I have several light oak antique pieces throughout our home that will never see paint, so it works with our eclectic look.


You may choose to paint or stain accordingly for a look that works for you. For all the photos on the final look, please visit the blog.


The biggest consideration when doing this project is to keep building requirements in mind. For more information on these codes and a chart to follow, see the full post on my blog: http://mylifefromhome.com/2015/10/diy-railings-adding-wrought-iron-spindles/
Amy Dowling
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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