Balusters
These are the vertical handrail components used to protect people from falling through the handrail or guard rail system. Balusters can be made from wood, metal and plastic.
The black arrow is pointing
to one of the balusters, on the left side of the stairway handrailing.
Whatever you do, don't confuse the balusters with the newel post.
The newel post is usually located at the end or beginning of the stair
guard or handrailing. They can also be located in the middle of the hand
rail for additional support.
Baluster Installation Tip: Make sure that the stair balusters are
secured properly. If they're not properly secured, they might not be
able to do their job.
I've seen finish carpenters put one or two small nails into the bottom
of the balusters, where they connect to the stairway and this is a good.
If I was to apply a little pressure to the bottom of a poorly connected
baluster, there's a good chance that it could easily be dislocated.
Most experienced hand rail builders, use thick wood dowels or
double-sided lag screws, to create a strong, solid hand rail.
Stairs / Stair Glossary
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