Staircase issue.

[john306]

Hi, we're finally got around to hopefully changing our old horrible looking stair handrail to new Newell posts, handrail, base rail, spindles etc.
Problem being where the base rail would fit, it ends up at the top of the downstairs ceiling. Not in line with the top post to give a complete run.
We're not getting any younger so really need a full length handrail top to bottom.
And advice welcomed.
Thank you

 

[Bonni]

Building Regs Approved Document K covers staircases.

Document K

It's trying to workout what minimum width your staircase can be, it doesn't seem clear in Document K. My only proposed solution would be to widen the stringer.

There was an old cottage where the stairs didn't have stringers. So I bought too long planks of pine that would do the job. I laid them on the staircase where the stringer would be and marked all the steps onto them and cut them out so they looked like big saw teeth. Then I sat them in place and screwed them to the wall. Any slight deviation was hidden by carpet.

So that could be a possible answer, the new stringer could be spaced off slightly so you can get the base rail in. It just means the old and new stringer is too wide lower down for the base rail to cover, but a bit of creative joinery trimming could resolve. Also a little joinery thinking at the top to finish the base rail and spindles.

Just a thought.

 

[john306]

Thanks.
All ideas appreciated, as after a a lot of thinking how to get around it, I was still at a loss.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Problem being where the base rail would fit, it ends up at the top of the downstairs ceiling. Not in line with the top post to give a complete run.
We're not getting any younger so really need a full length handrail top to bottom.

I don't know if you have the space, but what about terminating the rails at the ceiling on the left side, and running a full length "pig's ear" style hand rail up the other wall?