What are stair Newels?
A newel, also called a central pole or support column, is the central supporting pillar of a staircase. It can also refer to an upright post that supports and/or terminates the handrail of a stair banister (the “newel post”). Hollow newels are known more accurately as box newel posts.
What does the word newel mean?
1 : an upright post about which the steps of a circular staircase wind. 2 : a post at the foot of a straight stairway or one at a landing.
What is a balustrade on stairs?
The balustrade is the railing and baluster that prevents you from falling over the edge. It’s also the collective name for the complete assembly of handrails, including spindles and newel posts. Handrail: This is the part of the staircase we use for support when going up and down the stairway.
What is the difference between a baluster and a newel?
is that baluster is (architecture) a short column used in a group to support a rail, as commonly found on the side of a stairway; a banister while newel is (architecture) a sturdy pillar at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs, supporting the handrail.
What are bannister posts called?
newel post
The newel post is the vertical post that marks the end of the stairway or a turn in direction of the staircase.
What are the balls on railings called?
Baluster: what is a baluster? A baluster is a the vertical post onto which the handrail is affixed. It is usually a part of the guardrail system. These pillars or columns are usually decorative in design and are also referred to as the spindle.
Why is it called a newel post?
newel (n.) Klein’s sources suggest the French word may be from Gallo-Roman *nucale, from Latin nux “nut.” The carpentry meaning “tall and more or less ornamental post at the top or bottom of a staircase” is from 1833 (newel-post in this sense is from 1798).
What is meant by nosing?
: the usually rounded edge of a stair tread that projects over the riser also : a similar rounded projection.
What is the difference between baluster and balustrade?
The term baluster is interchangeable with the word spindle. A balustrade is comprised of an assembled top rail, balusters or spindles and often a bottom rail, posts, post caps, and decorative finials. It is a composite made up of individual parts, such as the balusters and a railing/handrail.
What is the difference between a banister and a balustrade?
A “balustrade” is a sequence of balusters that support a handrail. A “banister” (also spelled with two “n”s) is another name for a staircase baluster, but many architects and interior designers prefer to use the word “banister” to refer to a narrower, more modern support.
Are newel posts structural?
A newel post is the structural upright post that fits at the beginning and the end of a staircase and supports the handrail of a stair banister. The most important job of a newel post is to provide structural support, but that does not mean that they can’t be used to enhance the look and feel of your stairs.
What is the maximum distance between newel posts?
Therefore, if you have a sixteen-foot balcony, you will need three newel posts, one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end. But if the balcony is eighteen feet, then it would require four newel posts as the distance between each post would be greater than eight feet if only three newel posts were used.
