Loose spindles, moving newels and handrail repairs

Start with the newel post

Grip the newel and push. If it moves at the base, nothing above it will stay tight. Newels are fixed either to the string, to the floor structure, or both — and a base fixing into a floorboard rather than a joist is a common cause of movement in later alterations.

Spindles: glued, pinned or housed

Older stairs often house the spindle into a groove with a fillet between. If a fillet has shrunk or gone missing, the spindle rocks. Replacing the fillet and re-fixing is a clean repair. Cut-string stairs with dovetailed spindles are a different job and usually need the tread nosing lifting.

Handrails and the regulations that apply

Handrail height and the gap between spindles are covered by Building Regulations Part K for stairs, ramps and guarding. If you are replacing a balustrade rather than repairing it, the new arrangement needs to comply — which is worth knowing before choosing a design with wide-spaced glass or horizontal elements.

Repair or replace the balustrade

Where the timber is sound and only the joints have opened, repair is straightforward. Where spindles have split, the handrail has twisted, or the design does not meet current guarding requirements on a staircase you are already altering, replacing the run is a better use of the work.

Questions we're asked about this