DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hi can you help? At the top of my stairs i have a plasterboard wall which separates the staircase and the landing. I am wanting to pull down the plasterboard wall and open up the landing and the replace it with a balustrade however i don't know how to fit the newel bases.
Please have a look at the added pictures, might give you an idea what i'm babbling on about. Thanks.

[URL=http://img30.imageshack.us/i/staircaseb.jpg/][IMG]http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/1672/staircaseb.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://img268.imageshack.us/i/whatiwouldlike.jpg/][IMG]http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/6308/whatiwouldlike.th.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Newel posts are generally fitted by cutting a halving joint along them at the bottom, and then either coacbolted to joists, or bolted straight through joists.
At the wall end, if you fit a half newel post, screw that to remainder of wall you are planning to remove, and joists if possible. Emphasis must be placed on getting everything plumb, and level in all directions.
Then fit sole plate for spindles, and cut joints for handrail. Fit spindles, and finish to suit.

Hope this helps you.

Andy

There's a great diagram in this project which shows how the return balustrade is constructed. This should help:

https://www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects/ba ... drails.htm