How to Build a Basement Stairway Railing

Stairway railings offer a good safety precaution no matter how short the stairs or where they lead. Basement stairways can be especially hazardous as many of them are without carpet and carpet padding to cushion falls. Small children or elderly, injured or even healthy adults all can take a spill down the stairs and suffer horrible injuries. Adding a railing to the stairway for relatively little money can prevent unnecessary injury to those who visit your house.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Stud finder Tape measure Level Carpenter's pencil Painter's tape Rail Rail brackets Drill Screws Screwdriver Miter saw Epoxy glue

1. Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs along the wall where the railing will be attached.

2. Attach a strip of painter's tape along the stud about 3 feet from the stair tread.

3. Attach a small strip of painter's tape 3 feet above the edge of the tread of the top stair. With your carpenter's pencil draw a horizontal line 36 inches above the tread of the top stair and a vertical line even with the edge of the top stair, so you have a sideways T on your piece of paper.

4. Repeat the previous step for the bottom step of the stairway.

5. Cut a 45-degree angle at the bottom end of your railing, slanting out away from the wall, with the miter saw.

6. Rest the bottom end of your railing on the floor at the bottom of the stairs and mark the top of the railing with your carpenter's pencil where the edge of the top step is.

7. Cut a 16-degree angle with your miter saw at what will be the top of your railing, where you made your mark in the previous step, that slants toward the bottom of your railing. Cut another 16-degree angle on the small piece that you just cut off the railing, this time in the opposite direction. This creates a piece of railing that will be horizontal and parallel with the top of the stairs.

8. Mix the epoxy glue according to the manufacturer's directions.

9. Tape around the edges of the two top railing pieces and glue the two pieces together using your epoxy glue.

10. Line up the top of your railing with your 36-inch marks.

11. Mark where the bottom of the railing is on each piece of stud-marking tape. Make sure the lines slope along with the railing.

12. Align the top of your rail bracket vertically below the slanted marks at the top and bottom of the stairway where the holes for the brackets are.

13. Drill pilot holes for the screws you will use to attach your brackets. Make sure you are drilling into a stud; if you aren't, then relocate the stud for that section of wall and repeat the previous steps necessary to mark for your bracket.

14. Remove the painter's tape and attach brackets.

15. Drill pilot holes into your railing so it can be attached to the brackets.

16. Attach brackets along the length of the railing between these two brackets.