Square post with rounded bottom stair?? Please help!!

19 years ago

I didn't even think of this when the stairs were installed. We went to the builder to pick out the spindles and posts. I like the look of square spindles and square posts with the railing post to post. He was going to use an over the spindle railing. When I said I liked the square spindles, he and DH told me it wouldn't work with the rounded bottom stair. He would have to come out at a 90 degree angle and the square post would sit on a 90 degree angle on the bottom stair. I don't see why I can't just have a square post sitting on the rounded bottom stair without having an angle. Does this make sense? Do you think a square post on a rounded stair would look funny?

Here's our stairs:

Here's what I mean about the square on rounded (too bad It's not a frontal view - I can't seem to post the picture so here's the link)

http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/customers/settingdisplay.html?setting_id=3&category=entry

What do you guys think? Can you post pictures if you have what I'm describing?

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Comments (8)

thorn112
19 years ago
I have seen it done with the square on round step, I like it better on a square. We did the same thing. I had to cut back the step right before the curve. However, they cut it after the wood floors were stained and we can't get the color exact now.
cynandjon
19 years ago
I think it looks fine in that picture.
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dixiedoodle
19 years ago
I think it looks fine in the picture, too. But, I think that the over-the-post railings and a curved volute at the bottom are simply prettier and dressier than the square. Personal preferences and all that...
twitchy
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks, everyone for your opinions.
blsdgal
19 years ago
Is this what you are talking about? This is my stairway before it was finished. It's really pretty (if I must say so myself :-)

Hope this helps.

Here is a link that might be useful:
cynandjon
19 years ago
Are those milled trees for poles? Im not excatly sure of the terminology. Is your house pole and beam?
twitchy
Original Author
19 years ago
blsdgal - YES! That's exactly what I am talking about. And, yes, it's really pretty!
forpetesake
18 years ago
Twitchy,
What did you do about the square newel post? I am having a similar problem, but one thing that is different is that my wife wants a volute (the corkscrew curved rail) at the bottom of the stairs, but I don't know if I can do it. I wanted a box newel, but I'd like to see if a volute is even an option. (We also have the bullnose 1st tread, like yours.)

My stairs are "closed stringers", meaning that you can't see the risers or "stair-step" from the side of the stairs. I believe yours is a closed stringer staircase, also. All of the other pics in this post have open stringers, where you see the sides of the risers and treads, and the balusters sit on the stair tread, itself. I have a 2x4 finished knee-wall on the side that the balusters will be resting on (similar to yours, as well). I was just wondering how yours turned out, or if anyone else has any suggestions for putting a volute on a closed stringer stairway, where the balusters will be fastened to a kneewall or the like.
Thanks!