The baluster is a vertical stand under the railing of the stairs, bridge, balustrade. In all cases, these columns perform several functions at once:
- staircase decoration;
- giving railing rigidity and stability;
- guarantee of human safety on the stairs or bridge.
You can make balusters yourself. To create a unique appearance of the fence for the stairs in the garden, at home and in any other place is a real art.
What are the pillars made of?
Balusters and posts to support the railing are made of different materials:
- decorative natural or artificial stone. Such supports are suitable for massive spans. The composition looks beautiful, but it will cost quite expensive;
- metal. Shod racks are well combined with a basis from any material;
- glass. They are decorative, they can be found in public places and in private buildings;
- wood - a popular type of support columns for the stairs in the mansion.
Wooden products are found in the design of urban apartments. This is the most easily processed material, its cost is relatively low, and installation does not require installation of equipment, foundation.
Fence posts made of wood: what they are, and how to make them yourself.
Kinds
Products differ in size, shape and thread.
The main forms of balusters:
- Flat;
- Voluminous.
The main difference between flat and volumetric is different sections.
Voluminous install wherever there is the possibility of a comprehensive review of the flight of stairs. Flat serve as a decoration of the railing of the flights of stairs, are an integral part of the enclosure of arbors, verandas, the entire site. The peculiarity of flat carved balusters is the formation of a single pattern with the close proximity of adjacent racks, if this was intended by the artist.
By section type:
- square, look strict and original;
- round are easy to manufacture, it is convenient to apply different patterns on them.
According to the method of production, there are balusters:
- Turned - the easiest form to make. For turning an ornament on a wooden blank, a lathe and various cutters are used.
- Twisted supports are obtained by milling on a machine. On the same device, you can grind rack elements in the form of a braid or screw, another periodic profile.
- A carved column is obtained by turning it on a complex multi-program machine or manually. So you can create unique non-periodic ornaments: wooden miniature statues, animals, vegetation, etc.
- Masters produce combined products, the middle part of which is made in the same style, and the upper and lower supporting parts copy the base and capital of a traditional column.
By the type of cut out pattern (for flat balusters):
- through;
- convex;
- contour line;
- bracketed;
- embossed.
A little bit about the basics of design
The production of balusters begins with the preparation of a drawing, which is carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST 25772-83. It regulates the design of steel fencing, but the established standards are also relevant for wooden railings, so the designers of wooden houses adhere to this document.
By definition of GOST, the distance between the columns should not exceed:
- 15 cm for the residential sector;
- 10 cm for a kindergarten, school (or living room with children);
- 30 cm - distance for screen railing.
The height of the balusters is equal to the height of the railings. Building codes define this value for fences - at least 90 cm. But in private housebuilding, designers often deviate from this norm. Well, if the customer wants a railing height of more than 90 cm, then the risk of an accident is lower. Install balusters of lower height is not allowed according to safety rules.
The device of the whole staircase guard should also be thought out:
At the beginning of the span, in the middle, at the end and at the intersection of the sites, it is necessary to install supporting pillars of a larger cross section than the balusters themselves. The railing rests on them, acquiring rigidity. The height of the pillars is usually higher than that of the balusters, by 30-50 cm due to the installation features (the pillar is installed on the step, the baluster - to run on the steps). In order not to get confused in the length and size of the products, it is necessary to draw up an accurate installation plan in advance.
Compositionally support pillars are often distinguished by ornament or diameter size. In other cases, all elements are machined in the same style.
What to cut the racks of the fence and balusters themselves
The quality and service life of the structure depend on the decision on the choice of wood.
- Larch is one of the common materials. This breed is durable, unpretentious in operation. Railings and balusters are dark brown. Over time, the wood gains strength, ceases to warp, crack.
- Oak, depending on the variety, gives light or dark columns that are not afraid of pests, warping, shrinkage, cracking. The dense structure of oak wood does not crumble, it is possible to grind the smallest, finest details on it.
- Birch is rarely used due to low performance: it dries quickly, crackes, and rots. However, it is worth it to be processed correctly, and the birch blank will be an excellent material for the manufacture of balusters.
- Pine is ideal in processing: it is soft, ductile. Details made of pine require careful painting, and it is evenly difficult to coat them with enamel due to the different density of wood on the trunk.
- Ash is a substitute for oak. It has characteristics similar in strength, wear resistance, and most importantly, it does not crack during shrinkage and drying of wood.
There is one option - choose the wood from which the remaining elements of the march were made.
Flat Balusters
The easiest way to make flat balusters.
In the work you will need:
- Billets - boards of the desired thickness. Well, if they will be sanded in advance.
- Joiner table with a jigsaw.
- Devices for wood finishing - a hand or electric tool.
Work Stages:
- Draw a contour of the future product on a life-size workpiece.
- Cut unnecessary parts of the board along the outline.
- To clean and process a baluster from the wood fibers.
The process is graphically presented in the video.
This can be done with a manual jigsaw, however, the process will take significantly more time. A multi-operation CNC machine will facilitate the work, which will cut products along a given contour.
Turned balusters
To create turned products you will need a conventional lathe. The manufacturing process of the supports is simple:
- We clamp the workpiece in the workplace of the lathe.
- We start the engine and begin to remove excess wood.
- When the workpiece turned out smooth, take different knives and cut out circular patterns.
The wizard shows how to make a baluster on a lathe.
Screw and twisted balusters
Manual milling cutter will help to make unusual balusters.
No special effort is needed here. The main thing that is needed is the presence of an electric tool with various nozzles.
Work algorithm:
- The workpiece is clamped into the bed.
- Removed excess wood.
- We turn on the milling cutter, which is mounted on the bar near the bed and can move back and forth.
- We start the slow rotation of the wooden workpiece and begin to display the first line with a milling cutter.
- Slowly but accurately repeat the movement. With the help of the desired nozzle we get weaving or a screw of a certain shape and size.
Process on video
The method is simpler - using an automated machine, in which you can put the drawing program and observe the execution from the outside.
Hand cutting
Rarely, but still there are craftsmen who are engaged in manual cutting of wood. Handicrafts are unique, they are especially appreciated. Usually, only the central and supporting posts are manually cut. Hand-made baluster will decorate any interior.
To embody a pattern on a tree, you will need a set of various chisels. The blank should be pre-processed, because the pattern with sanding and grinding can be spoiled.
The methods can be combined to create works of art.