How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Banister And Spindles?

When it comes to home renovation projects, your thoughts may first drift to redoing an outdated kitchen or bathroom. However, more ambiguous areas of the home, such as your staircase, can very easily date your home. This is especially true if most of your living areas have already been upgraded.

A staircase renovation can encompass replacing all of the staircase components or possibly just the banister and spindles. Most often, these upgrades involve a combination of replacement and refinishing.

Regardless, the scope of the project will depend on the look you want to achieve and the condition of your current staircase. The ultimate goal comes down to refreshing and enhancing the beauty of one of your home’s most eye-catching features.

The average cost to replace a banister is $1,600 and $1,400 to replace spindles. Homeowners spend $500 on wrought iron spindles, $75 on steel spindles, and $55 on each wood spindle. You can expect to pay $7.50 per square foot to finish a banister and $35 hours for a painter to paint them.

We’ve outlined all the various costs associated with replacing the banisters and spindles on a staircase. This guide will help you have an overall greater understanding of what all goes into staircase renovation and give you the necessary tools to either hire it done or perform the job yourself.

Contrary to popular belief, the pillars between the banister and treads on a staircase do not provide support. Spindles, or sometimes referred to as balusters, are generally placed 4 inches apart and their purpose is to provide protection from falling off the side of the staircase.

If you have a broken or loose spindle, it won’t threaten the entire banister, but replacing it is probably the best course of action for the sake of children and small animals. Not to mention, fixing damaged spindles will help restore the overall aesthetic.

Whether you’re replacing a few broken spindles or swapping out the entire set for a renovation project, the first step is to remove the existing balusters. Detaching the spindles is very simple, as they are often only secured with a tenon rig and mortise at the base and a few nails near the banister.

You can remove the spindle by either using a putty knife to break the seal at the base and wiggle it loose, or use a dead-blow hammer to whack the upper portion, loosen the nails and slide it out from the banister. If you just need one or two replaced, you can take it to a woodturner to copy the design. Otherwise, you should have purchased a full new set to install that is of your desired material.

Quick Tip: When you send the banister to a woodturner, make sure you request more copies than necessary to be made. Also, ask for the spindle ends to be left long. Trimming them yourself will allow for less chance of error.

Prior to installing the replacement spindles, you need to clean up the wood around the holes they will be inserted into. Scrape off any debris, dust, or old stain around the tread to allow for a tighter fit.

To prep the spindles for installation, sand and paint them to your desired appearance. The next step is the most challenging part of replacing spindles: cutting. To determine how long you need the spindles to be, use a measuring tape to measure the length and a bevel gauge for the angle.

Once cut to size, insert the spindle into the mortise and position the top end in the middle of the underside of the banister. For a sufficient bond, apply two passes of carpenter’s glue to the top of the spindle before securing it to the banister with two 2-inch nails. Finish off by covering the nail heads on the railing with a wood filler and touch-up paint.

The price you can expect to pay for replacing the spindles on your staircase will largely depend on the scope of the project. Are you replacing the entire set of spindles or just a few broken pieces? Additionally, hiring a professional for the project will cost you more than it would to DIY the replacement.

Overall, the cost to replace an individual spindle can range from a mere $3 and go up to $30 a piece. The lower price generally involves very simple wooden spindles whereas, the pricier option refers to more detailed, aesthetically pleasing alternatives. The price, including labor, to replace a full set of spindles can range anywhere from $1,200 to $1,600.

The banister on your staircase, also referred to as the handrail or railing, serves both a decorative and functional purpose. Functionally, it offers safety when you need some support climbing up and down stairs. Whereas, decoratively, your banister can add curb appeal to complement your home’s overall aesthetic.

There may come a time when your banister needs a makeover. While you can certainly hire someone for the job, replace it yourself by following the steps outlined below.

If you don’t need to completely replace your banister, it may benefit from a fresh coat of paint or refinish. This is typically a more cost-effective way to refresh your staircase without breaking the bank.

The cost to refinish a banister is priced for the treads per square foot at around $5 to $10. In general, you can expect to pay between $90 and $106 for this service. On the other hand, to have your banisters painted, it’ll cost you $20 to $50 per hour to hire a painter or $5 to $20 per linear foot.

All of these costs can be greatly reduced if you consider performing the paint or refinish job yourself.

Accurately installing a banister requires the necessary experience. In general, banisters and spindles experience a lot of traffic and are a vital safety measure in the home. While the DIY route is always the more cost-effective option, you want to greatly avoid anything that could result in an unstable staircase.

In some cases, if the scope of the project is rather large, you may even be required to secure a building permit. n In order to ensure that the replacement is completed up to code and in a safe manner, consider hiring a professional for the job.