DIY Acrylic Railings
Acrylic is a clear plastic that resembled ice or glass. You can use acrylic for just about any application where you would normally use wood. You can use a clear piece of square or round acrylic stock as a handrail for a stairwell. Cutting and installing the handrail makes a good do-it-yourself project for a beginner DIYer or for an experiences home renovation expert. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tape measure
- Acrylic rod stock
- Miter saw
- Sandpaper
- Handrail riser brackets
- Stud finder
- Hand drill
- Screwdriver
Instructions
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1
Measure the length of the stairwell from the bottom step to the top step with a tape measure. Transfer the measurement to your acrylic stock and then cut the acrylic to length with a miter saw.
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2
Sand the cut edge of the acrylic to remove the micro-scratches caused by the saw blade. This will restore the original finish to the acrylic and make it see-through again.
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3
Measure the thickness of your acrylic stock and then measure the height of the handrail risers with the tape measure. Add both numbers together. Subtract that total from 33 inches. National code requires the top of a handrail to rest at 33 inches from the top of each stair tread.
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4
Locate the studs in the wall with a stud finder and then place a mark on the wall at the height obtained in Step3. Do this with each stud in the wall.
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5
Position the riser mounting bracket at the mark on the wall and then secure the bracket to the wall with the screws supplied with the mounting bracket.
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6
Place the handrail on top of the riser mounting brackets and mark the mounting holes located on the brackets onto the acrylic rail. Drill pilot holes at each marked location.
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7
Place the handrail onto the riser mounting brackets and then secure them with the screws supplied with the brackets.
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