"Up-cycling" Old Staircase Parts That Were Too Short for Modern Codes:
I say "Up-cycling" because this technique allows you to raise guardrails "UP" and use old balusters (spindles) that are too short. I built a "curb" that is 8 inches tall to match the existing baseboards in an old house and gave the whole balustrade a "lift." This is one of the first tips I had published in Fine Homebuilding magazine. It is more timely now that some new codes require 42" guardrails rather than 36." Read more here: http://www.finehomebuilding.com/departments/readers-tips/new-life-for-old-balusters.aspx
Drawing by Charles Miller, Fine Homebuilding
Drawing by Charles Miller, Fine Homebuilding
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