A conventional balustrade system comprises a base rail, a handrail, newel posts and spindles. Spindles, also known as balusters, are the vertical posts that connect to the base rail and handrail. The number of spindles depends on the chosen spacing; therefore, they are a crucial element of the overall structure. For this reason, they play a vital role in determining the safety and visual appeal of the balustrades.
With this in mind, here are a few things you should pay attention to when choosing spindles or balusters for your new balustrade system.
Baluster Style: Traditional vs. Contemporary vs. Custom
First, you want to choose spindles that reflect the overall style of your home. For traditional homes, wooden stair spindles would likely blend well with the rest of the decor. If you have a modern-style property, you may want to opt for metal spindles. You could also have a mix of both, with metal handrails and wooden spindles or vice versa.
However, don't let the available designs on the market box you up. You can always choose custom balusters that reflect the style of the property. Customisation allows you to select your material, style and colours depending on your preference. It may take a while to actualise as compared to buying ready-made spindles, but it adds a unique touch to your property.
Choosing Spindle Material
As aforementioned, spindles are available in two primary materials: metal and wood. Whichever you choose, you have to narrow your options down to a specific type. For example, wooden options include timbers such as white oak, pine, yellow pine, hemlock and white ash, among others. These pair incredibly well with wooden or stainless steel handrails and base rails.
Metal options include stainless steel, brushed steel, nickel, wrought iron, chrome and black metal. Metal spindles are more sturdy and durable than wooden ones. Unlike wood, they require very little maintenance. However, both options are unique and versatile. The best choice depends on your style and taste.
Selecting Colours for Your Balusters
Both metal and wood spindles come in a variety of colours. For timber ones, you can opt to settle on the natural wood hue, or you can paint the wood in your desired colour. Metal balustrades can be powder coated using various colours and finishes to achieve a visually appealing structure.
When choosing spindle colours, pair them to the rest of the structure: handrails, base rails and newel posts. You can opt for contrasting colours to add visual contrast to the balustrades. If you're not sure of what colours to use, stick to neutral hues such as black, white and earthy wood tones. For stainless steel spindles, a brushed finish will give your staircase area an elegant and modern look.
As you buy new balustrading, pay attention to the spindles' material, style and colour. And if you can't find ready-made ones that are to your liking, work with an expert to design custom ones!
Share9 January 2020
Have you always dreamed of running your own business? Have you recently opened a business? Are you looking for ideas that will help you be successful? Then, you have come to the right place. This blog is devoted to helping people make their business dreams come true. Whether you run a restaurant, a factory, a dog walking business or anything else, there are a lot of commonalities. You have to identify your target customers, do development research, launch a marketing campaign, potentially hire employees and deal with countless other details. These posts are designed to help you through that process. I wish you the best of luck in your business efforts, and I hope my posts help along the way.