Okay guys, as you know (or I hope you do) we love to amp up the style in our home with architectural elements. So, when it comes to our stair project the newel posts were a really important feature. I wanted big and chunky- no skinny “model sized” newel posts for me- give me some meat!
Tools I used for this project:
- Table Saw
- Miter Saw
- Circular Saw
- Orbital Sander
- Nail Gun
- Calking Gun
- Wood Glue
Lessons learned:
- Don’t use pressure treated 4×4′s for the core- whoops! We thought we would save $10 by buying it, but regret using it. They shrank and twisted. Justin was able to work around it but it took a lot of thought and patience. That is one reason that I used the spacers, but mine were all different sizes to make the shell of it all be centered and square.
- Don’t wait too lang to install your new newel posts. They add so much to the end of the stairs and are great to look at rather than what we looked at for 2 years!
In case you want to follow along, check out these posts too:
post 1: Starting the project!
post 2 : Demo & Rebuilding
post 3: More Rebuilding
post 4 : Filling the gaps
post 5 : Walnut Stain… at last!
post 6 : Adding the Stair Risers, Finishing the Runners
Post 7 : Custom Built Newel Posts
Remodelaholic is written by Cassity and Justin. Cassity has a degree in interior design and Justin is a landscape architect, so we adore everything that makes up a HOME! We love to share home remodeling ideas and projects we’re working on. From huge kitchen renovation ideas to small bathroom remodels, there isn’t anything we won’t try to tackle (at least once!). We are in the midst of our third whole home renovation, (check out house 1 and house 2 as well, so there should be a lot more inspiration coming your way. We hope that you will stop by often for home design inspiration, tutorials, interior design tips, delicious recipes and what going on in our family life.
Thanks so much for taking the time to draw up these plans! I have dreams of making over our ugly 1970′s staircase, and would love to have newel posts like these. This makes me think that maybe, just maybe I could do it!
I am so glad! GOOD LUCK! You can totally do it!
Cassity
Cassity, I am trying to find your kitchen cabinet headboard tutorial but it’s not here. Can you please let me know where I can find that? Thanks so much! You two are so very talented.!!!!
Here is the post, good luck! :http://www.remodelaholic.com/2010/03/head-of-the-board-headboard-tutorial/
i have been wanting to do this EXACT project at our house but couldn’t find pictures to show my handyman until i found your blog! our stairs are almost identical to what yours were before you made them over. i just linked to your blog from mine: http://patrickandmer.blogspot.com/2012/04/take-good-look.html
yea! Good luck! If you do it please send me a link!
Cass
Wow, this looks amazing!! We bought an older home with stairs the former owner do-it-yourselfer installed and I wondered how in the world to match the walls going up as their wood along both walls doesn’t match and is odd looking, one side thick to the top the other side thin half way up(???!!!) So with your ideas I now know what to do!! My friend already talked me into buying wood risers(they are just plywood)… So now to show hubby photos of your project with the trim on top (and his handy skills) I will have a pretty staircase too!! Thanks for sharing!!! My ugly stairs will soon be transformed too, yay
LOVE your entry!!! LOVE the tutorial and professionally done images!!! You guys are awesome!
Thanks for such a detailed tutorial! It looks amazing.
Hello, new follower here! I would love to have you link up with my Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/09/clever-chicks-blog-hop-2-featured-post.html
I hope to see you there!
Cheers!
Kathy
The Chicken Chick
Hello Cassity
I want to feature this post in a story I am working on for Houselogic. I sent you an email too. Can you please shoot me an email? I have a few questions, thanks!
Email has been sent!
Cassity, I really like your Newel post as well as all of the Architectural details in your house. Do you mind giving me an estimate of the cost to build just one of those newel posts?
Ayisha, It really wasn’t too expensive. We cut down a 4 x 8 sheet of MDF for the sides $30 (it will cover both newel posts), you need the 4×4 posts $10 buck each and the cap (in the fencing isle) around $15.00 for both and just about 6 feet of little molding for a little added detail… and you’re done (besides caulk, paint and nail hole filler)
So you could do this project for about $60-80 dollars!
Thank you so much for the inspiration! We’ve been researching the best (and cheapest) way to remodel our 20 year old stairwell for over 1 year now. We are scared to death to mess it up, but here we go! Your tutorial is simply amazing, and now we’re ready to tackle the project! I’ll be sure to send you pics of before & after. Best wishes
.
Yes! Please send me pictures I would love to see what you are working on! GOOD LUCK!
Hey, kids! Wondering how you did the long miter cuts? I have a table saw, but it doesn’t tilt to cut long miters, so I’m not sure how to get those nice mitered corners on the MDF. Thanks!
Derek, we did use our table saw, since it has the ability to tilt the blade. If you don’t have that function on your saw, you could always do a butted edge I would just have the front be a full piece and the back be a full piece. The sides will just need to be shortened to, the current width minus 2 x the width of the MDF you are using. Also you could add a panel like this newel post that my friend did in her home.