Are These SAFE??? - Horizontal Stair Balusters - Tricks to Make Them Fit... 

I seriously have no clue how you do not have millions of followers, man ! Love your channel and videos, keep em’ coming! Learning so much along the way ✊️

You are so good at teaching in a tone and method that is learnble for any level of wood worker. Great Work !!!

Hands down best horizontal rail video on RU-vid.

I've turned down many railing installs just because they are so daunting. Your vids are giving me the knowledge and confidence to take some of them on. I follow a lot of big name guys, and you consistently put out some of the most helpful and professional vids.

I install a lot of these rail systems and the only thing I do differently is after cutting the balusters with my bandsaw I hit the burs with a sanding disc on my cordless angle grinder. Speeds things up for me. Love your videos. Keep up the good work!

I think you and I are about the same age 37. I’ve always done things the long math way and the apps you provide make money and time. I have a bunch of books I wrote on jobs to look back at. You and I have spoken on this platform about sketch up, I just took a morning and moved outside to figure a 60” radius on my pediments. I’ve been doing this the old way and glad I know my angles and equipment but even at 37 apps can make money in time. You’re good and South Carolina needs some more like us.

1/2"forstner bit, genius Pitch block, genius. Thank you for sharing great information

As usual, Mr. Carpenter delivers superb techniques and explanation. My recommendation for the slanted hole is to cut out the front of the wood guide to accommodate the spade of the drill and rest the drill rod on it. That way, you don't have to check the angle often. I will even put a half circle chanel on it by drilling then sawing it to give a good resting surface.

This old guy learned something from you again I just downloaded the app you are using, I do lots of stairs and the old school math calculation to figure it all out is a pain, no longer. Thank You

Story pole and pitch block. Notes taken 📝👍🏽! As always, thank you so much for the education!

Nice video as usual. When I make my story poles, I take a piece that's the width of my newel posts, cut a U out of the top that's the profile of any top rail(and bottom rail if it's there) to straddle the rails and lock into place. I secure a couple blocks on the side of the piece if there's no bottom rail and then have all 1/8 pilot holes drilled in the right location. I just lock it in and fire away. Eliminates the need to mark height with a pencil and center with a combo square. Works especially well for long cable runs on exterior decks. Some people could say that as you use it you'll widen the hole and the bit can walk but it's easy to maintain enough control to avoid that.

I appreciate seeing you leave the wrap on them during install. I do the same thing with all of the work I do, which is typically nothing like this carpentry stuff.

I personally don’t love the idea of horizontal balusters but to each their own. Great job on the install though nice and clean, and thanks for the tips.

I can’t believe how perfectly timed this video is. We’re smack dab in the middle of redoing our floors and stairs and planned on the horizontal railings like this but was a little concerned I’d screw it up. This was awesome. Thanks Spencer

You rule man ... can't figure anything else to say today. Thanks always Spencer. It's been a huge pleasure being a sub to your channel and vids

Thanks for the videos……Always nice to watch a true craftsman

Great video brother!

I do production stairs, use a grinder with a sanding disk or flap wheel and use that to debur the bulisters. For the balusters on the rake i use a couple scraps to make a guide on the same angle that i can run my drill along. Also use 15 minute epoxy for balusters it's much much stronger

Looks terrific. As a painter and carpenter I would have loved to at least gotten a coat of primer on the wood before the banisters went in haha. But great job very informative.

For the Algorithms....In one of your last videos of the large house there was same layout of stairs with horizontal balusters that was sort of open plan at top of staircase looking over balcony. if my memories serves me correct that kiddies room was at top of staircase so happened wife passed by while I was watching your video nice work she said however that staircase/ Horizontal Stair Balusterss is dangerous for children they will use that as a climbing frame (as all children would of course)..I did think the same more so at top of balcony that will never stop children. If you did not have any children then would not matter of course. Can see you going back to that house and adding something to the stairwell for safety..... Nice work Spencer well done. have a great weekend

Great video! Another detailed learning experience. Only one suggestion about using safety glasses for all Carpentry. You need those eyes to keep doing your excellent work! I lost the tips of two fingers on a table saw so I am a stickler for safety first!! We need you to keep making these informative vids!

This is exactly how I lay out mine. Your right you have to as perfectly on when you lay these out!!

As usual great video. I’m getting ready to install similar handrails with horizontal balusters and never thought it might not be code. Thanks for the heads up.

Congrats on 150,000 subscribers. 👍👍👍👊

Thanks for sharing. Never knew how they installed those. Thanks for the lesson!

Always great work and great teaching. Thanks Mr. Lewis !

An auger bit with spurs would make a nice clean hole on the angled balusters.

Nice detail mate! You have made what appeared to be a bit complex very simple. Thanks again 👍🏻

Your a great teacher :). Thanks for sharing. Always enjoyable.

I wish I lived in your state, I know you work alone but I still would try to apply.... Good bless you and your family.

Congratulations on almost having 150 K subscribers.

Your work is top grade

Excellent! Thank You.

Did this a couple years ago...the app would have been so nice..great vid

Thanks again Spencer I look forward to seeing your videos!!

I would love a video on how you balance work with family life?? I struggle with it myself

Way to go man! Your content is the best out there for finish work I follow you and practice a lot of your methods. Thanks for all the videos brother 👍

Great how-to on the angles and fitting! Thx

Love the video man. I install stairs and railing for a living and particularly those exact spindle. I often find they say 9/16 but when they're power coated they are a hair over that. Cheers my friend.

Fantastic tutorial. Well done.

Hi Spencer, another great video. Would a rotary ball end rasp bit help in gouging out the holes? Therefore not needing the spur tip of the forstner bit. Just a thought. Thanks again. 👍👍

We are about to try this now wish us luck

As always great video my mate, love how you make it look so easy I’ve learnt a lot over the last couple of months Thank you 👍👍👍👍

Thanks brother

On the angled ones you did at the end, you added some adhesive and also because of the angle it would be less likely for the balusters to move and come out of the holes, but how do you make sure the balusters don’t come out on the horizontal ones you did in the beginning of the video… same adhesive? Thanks for the content, very educational!!

Have a set of stairs to do. Excellent timing, thanks

Nice looking job your work should be on fine home building Magazine!

Thanks for the video on this. Well done.

They may not be safe, but they look great! Happy customer 👍

your the man !. such a relaxing learning experience

If you want to do this on a budget you can buy 3/4 metal electrical piping and a roll of heat shrink tubing and slide the conduit into the heat shrink and hit it with the heat gun real quick. Nice smooth finish ,extremely durable .i have done it numerous times.

Rolling the spindles over a cordless mini belt sander is a great way to debur the edges 😉

I’ve done a lot of them and it has always baffled me that horizontal balusters meet code. Can build the kids a ladder but at least they won’t get their head stuck!

Awesome information...another great video! Thanks Spencer!

As always, another excellent instructive video from Spencer Lewis. Question: would you consider sharing the baluster spacing app you used in above vid; I did not find it in the program notes. Thanks for sharing all your content - you've upped my finish game in uncountable ways.

Dude you work is awesome 👌🏼 👏 👍🏻 😍 love it... keep it up

That’s awesome, I use a forstner bit too, to add some space on the inside of the hole when I do railing. I’ve got the large DeWalt bandsaw but that small one looks perfect for railing. I also was picking crap out of my eyes today because I was only using my safety squints. 😉

With those small rods you can spread them apart with your fingers thus creating a larger than 4” opening

Curious, would you be worried about paint ruining those, why not dry-fit now, but install them after paint?

Very frustrating when code allows unsafe practices. Doesn’t give the builder any recourse except to inform the client (or, I guess, decline the job). On the other hand the code is only good if someone cares or notices. We had to retrofit a 38” high fence 30’ long along a 10’ drop. The contractor said the customer was replacing a damaged fence and only wanted a top and middle rail, so that’s what he did - after he informed the customer it was not code and dangerous for children. No permit involved (but was it required?). Fortunately, no accidents. We just added the vertical balusters. Which was interesting because the posts were not equally spaced and we wanted it to look fairly uniform.

Welcome Back 🙂

I’ve got this project in our remodel and this video came at the perfect time! Great tips and tricks! Is that poplar wood for the handrail and posts?

Hi great video do you have one on the posts and rails you did prior to the balusters in? Also what balusters did you use? Thank you!

You've helped me earn so much more money thank you!

I love your work and videos. But, how do you quote such a complicated job?

Fine work my man

Nice work!

Assuming you leveled the top railing, are you measuring down from the top to create your story stick? Asking because a lot of floors aren’t level and using the floor side as starting reference could possibly leave you with uneven spacing. Also, I feel sorry for the guy who has to paint or stain the railing & posts afterwards! Would be far easier to do before the baluster installs, I imagine.

Have you done those modern slat balusters? My wife likes that style. Any tips? Dowels into the slat and the handrail?

What did you do to keep them in place.

Which app are you using for baluster spacing?

EXCELLENT VIDEO

Thanks for sharing

Nice job !!!!

Is that a level on the back of your drill? Thats so simply brilliant.

Nice job!

So good thank you.

The craftsmanship is as always stellar, building a ladder is mind boggling as any child will climb it and it will likely collapse it leaving a nice opening before they reach the top. It’s amazing that it meets code. I’m guessing the tubes are of a gauge that can’t tolerate weight. Are you as the installer legally liable in any way? Everyone these days lives to hold others responsible instead of themselves. Your skills at your age are outstanding!

Hey Spencer what's that app that you use for the balusters spacing would like to download that to my Android phone

Awesome video as always man. What's the name of the app you used to calculate your baluster spacing?

Well done. 👍

Like always great educational video but those spaces look more than 4in on the bottom railing

Spencer, where to find not to expensive horizontal railings?

I don't think that there's enough rod socketed in to not pull out if someone fell against the rods and bent them slightly

Great video as always spencer!

Are you just relying on the adhesive to hold the poles in place?

Great vid. How come you didn’t use clear silicone.

Spencer, how did you secure the vertical rods, a bit of adhesive like downstairs?

Thanks, Great video! What would one expect to pay for just the labor on that job? Say, per section of railings installed including posts, top rail etc.

For the raked rails how do you figure out the spacing for newel to newel post? Trying to figure that out at the moment and I'm completely lost.

Another great video. Question about painting the trim. On a new construction trim job does the painter spray or brush the trim. Sorry if this question has already been asked. Great channel!!

Thanks for the video. Where did you buy the newel post, balusters and handrail?

I found that app, and downloaded it. It’ll work great for strait runs, but what if you need to drill in to stairs. I’ve got two 11’-0” runs to do on basement stairs next week, and a little lost on spacing.

How do you secure them so they don’t move around and come out

Where do you get stairs railing kits from?? Please can you share your supplier

I had an issue with tear out on the angled holes. Any thoughts?

Great explanation! Where can I get the steel rods?

Am curious why you didn’t use a Forstner bit to drill and enlarge the inside of the post holes

Could you help me find the App for Baluster spacing. I am not finding the one you showed in this video. Thank You. Great Vidoe

What is to stop the 2nd flr horizontal bars from being pulled all the way to the side that was hollowed out with the forstner bit and then coming out of it's whole on the opposite side, it didn't look like you put caulk or anything to prevent that like on the stairs?