Painting bannisters - what a ballache!

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Globalti

Legendary Member
Not really very interesting but I'm at home on holiday, painting the new bannisters and I'm so bored that I thought I'd tell you about it.

The old blue carpet was inherited from the previous owner so will be going soon. The old bannisters were B&Q's worst 1980s mock Victorian, all turned spindles and newels and stained a horrible dark reddish brown colour.

The rails are oak and we've treated them with three coats of Danish oil. Looks nice, eh?

The first coat of primer brought up all the grain on the softwood spindles so I spent most of the next morning rubbing down, vacuuming then wiping with a damp cloth. I've just finished the undercoat and the satin top coat will be next week after everything has dried thoroughly and I've rubbed down again and de-dusted.

Here's a pic of the first coat; the brown blobs are shellac knotting solution. After I'd taken this pic I realised that I would need to remove the carpet so I spent hours laboriously cutting out a strip 2" wide all the way round the edge. Then I masked all the rails with paper to keep off any drips.

I love painting. Not. Hoping to get out on the bike tomorrow, planning a trip up Wensleydale and a couple of big climbs.

IMG-20110816-00033.jpg
 

swee'pea99

Squire
I'd sooner torch the house and get onto the insurance company.
 

upsidedown

Waiting for the great leap forward
Location
The middle bit
For reason best known to themselves our house's previous owners removed the bannisters and newel posts completely. I have absolutely no idea how to replace them. Wish i had some bannisters to paint :rolleyes:
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
Giobalti's got some... I'm sure he'd let you.

USD, Google Jeld-wen Staircases.... should be able to select what you need on there.
 

asterix

Comrade Member
Location
Limoges or York
For reason best known to themselves our house's previous owners removed the bannisters and newel posts completely. I have absolutely no idea how to replace them. Wish i had some bannisters to paint :rolleyes:

Our house had the same done and it made falling down stairs a whole lot easier. We bought a kit from B& Q and it wasn't too hard to fit new ones. A proper slide mitre saw makes it a lot easier if you can borrow one.
 
OP
OP
Globalti

Globalti

Legendary Member
For reason best known to themselves our house's previous owners removed the bannisters and newel posts completely. I have absolutely no idea how to replace them. Wish i had some bannisters to paint :rolleyes:

If you look carefully you can see that the carpenter (I didn't trust myself to do this particular job) has actually grafted the new newel posts onto the stumps of the old ones. Couldn't you do that?
 

dellzeqq

pre-talced and mighty
Location
SW2
looking at the thread title I can only offer the following advice - use a brush!
 

upsidedown

Waiting for the great leap forward
Location
The middle bit
If you look carefully you can see that the carpenter (I didn't trust myself to do this particular job) has actually grafted the new newel posts onto the stumps of the old ones. Couldn't you do that?

By "graft" do you mean hammer large nails in, injure myself, swear a lot and leave it for another four years ? If so then I could

Otherwise forget it, I'll just have to put up with falling down the stairs now and again. Thanks for the tip though; I'll suggest it to my father-in-law next time he's round; he has tools for that sort of thing.
 

Archie_tect

De Skieven Architek... aka Penfold + Horace
Location
Northumberland
My nightmare would be winning the painting contract for the Forth Rail Bridge... would feel compelled to launch myself off it in desperation.
 
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