alternative to spindles?

[theflyingpig]

Hi all,

my flat had nasty reinforced glass in the stiarcase where you'd normally have spindles. It had to go. I'm wondering what to replace it with and thought it might be nice to make a feature out of the stiarcase by having somehting other than spindles. I'm thinking either wooodwork radiating out from a centre point - like a 6 pronged star, or maybe using mdf and jigsawing out some sort of design . . .

anyone seen anyting like either of these or got any ideas?

thanks

 

[soaringjock]

Sorry to sound like safety plod but don`t forget the 100mm gap regulation when designing your masterpiece.

 

[big-all]

also dependant on length between banisters the structure you are putting in will be require for strength and stability of the banister

 

[theflyingpig]

100mm!! - whats going to fall through ???!!
a cat?

thanks for that - I had no idea.

the banister is very solid as it is with no spindles - 4x4 newel posts and a 12 by 2 running under the banister - I guess they had to make it strong originally to house that damn glass . . .

 

[soaringjock]

They were thinking more along the lines of a childs head size.

 

[Bylough]

Have you thought about a wrought iron inset, where the glass was?
You can get these made up some places- I don't have a suppler address myself though.

 

[theflyingpig]

i hadn't thought of wrought iron . .could be an option . .thanks . .

 

[denso13]

I've fitted these several times. They are different but simple to do.

 

[theflyingpig]

hi denso13 - tht link doesn't seem to work for me, but very interested to see what they are . . .

 

[denso13]

Try it now

 

[theflyingpig]

thanks! they could be just what I'm looking for . .

cheers

 

[squern]

You don't say how old the flat is - what architectural style.
But, how about a sunray design - like on 1930' radio sets.

I think you can buy them ready made for decking banisters, so you would need three.

Or you could have the"sun" at the bottom corner, and the rays going up the stairs.
Either cut it out of blockboard and paint it, or make the whole from timber with M & T joints on the end of the rays, socketted into the "sun".

That would be different!

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Check the dates squern!

 

[theflyingpig]

blimey, here's a blast from the past! . . . I ended up putting stainless steel balustrading in - and still love it! it's created the 'open' staircase I wanted and if you imagine really hard you could be on the deck of a boat

got it here from memory . .

http://www.s3i.co.uk/balustradeComponents.php

cheers