How to remove your staircase's spindles |
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Shop for Spindles | ||||
Closed String |
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Removing spindles is a little more time consuming than removing rails in a ranch style staircase. |
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A typical balustrade constructionA baserail is usually slotted along its length, top and bottom, and fixed on to the top of the string. The upper slot of the baserail will be the same width as the spindles. The spindles are mounted in the slots and spaced apart using Infill strips the same width as the slot. |
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You can see here how the base rail fits onto the string, and how the spindles fit into the baserail. The underside of the handrail is also slotted to accept the spindle. |
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Using a sharp chisel, remove an infill strip below one of the spindles from the baserail. In the same way, remove an infill strip from the handrail just above the same spindle.
Note that the infill strips may have been pinned, glued or both, so take care not to damage your chisel on the nails. If you look carefully, you may see where the nail was driven in. |
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The spindle, too, may have been nailed to the baserail and handrail - this will be evident once the infills have been removed.
Using a block of wood (because of limited space between spindles) and a hammer, tap the base of the spindle to free it from the baserail. Do the same for the top of the spindle, tapping it from below. Remove the other spindles in the same way. With the end of the fillets now exposed they can be removed by simply prising them upwards. |
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Shop for Spindles | ||||
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Jointed SpindlesWhere spindles fit straight onto a string, the spindles may be fixed by a mortise and tenon joint or possibly jointed with dowels. |
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Nailed SpindlesTo remove spindles that are pinned or nailed to the string, remove a section approximately 30cm above the string and 30cm below the handrail using a handsaw. |
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Carefully remove the remaining stubs by levering them back and forth by hand until free, or ... | |||
Shop for Spindles | ||||
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....prising them off with a claw hammer.
Remove the other spindles in the same way. With the spindle removed, use a chisel to prise up the remaining fillets. |
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