The stairs in your home can often be forgotten about, becoming a dull, worn area that diminishes the cosy, homely feel you want and love. However, your stairs are one of the highest traffic areas, with a vital flow between the upstairs and the downstairs. Due to this, it’s important to keep your staircase looking fresh and giving your home a cohesive look and feel.
There’s something else important to consider: If you let your stairs become worn or even damaged, you can create a very unsafe way to navigate your home. The stairs can be risky if you don’t maintain the safety features such as the handrail. This part of the stairs is crucial as it supports everyone on the stairs, no matter their height. If your handrail is worn, cracked or even broken, your stairs aren’t safe to use daily.
Here at Blueprint Joinery, we know the importance of having a sturdy yet stylish handrail for your staircase. We stock a range of wall-mounted handrails for you to refresh your home and make the stairs safer for everyone. However, it can seem difficult to know how to install our wall-mounted handrail collection, especially if you’ve never done it before. We are here to help you fix a handrail to your wall properly with our step-by-step guide on how to install a wall-mounted handrail, so you can get a secure fit that lasts.
How to Install a Wall-Mounted Stair Handrail
When it comes to how to install a wall-mounted stair handrail, it can seem much more challenging than it actually is. This is because you need to make sure that it’s fitted correctly for optimal safety, as well as meeting safety regulations. Check the safety regulations before starting the process, so you know where to position your handrail and how many you need for your staircase. To help you with how to install your wall-mounted handrail, we have created these simple steps for you to follow for a safe and flawless staircase.
These steps are the same for any type of handrail you choose whether that’s a pig’s ear or a mopstick rail.
Step One
Firstly, you’ll need to accurately measure your staircase before you start to fit the handrail. To comply with safety requirements, you’ll need to measure the right height for you to position your handrail. Measure vertically from the front of the bottom step and the front of the top step to at least 900mm. You can position the handrail at a height anywhere between 900mm and 1000mm, so that you comply with regulations and have a rail that suits your staircase. Mark these areas with a pencil to visually see at what height you need to position your handrail.
Step Two
The next step for how to install a wall-mounted handrail is to stretch a piece of string tight between the two marked areas. You can get assistance to do this or place a screw in each marked area to hook the string tightly around, allowing you to do it by yourself.
The string acts as a clear visual to check if the height is correct by using a tape measure. Make any adjustments to the string or screws if the height is incorrect before carrying on with the process.
Step Three
A careful step in how to install your wall mounted handrail is to follow your string and mark about every 500mm to create a straight line on your wall. Join the marks up with a pencil and a straight edge. Remove the string and screws if you’ve used them.
Step Four
With a longer straight edge, create another line that intersects with the line you’ve drawn already. To do this, place the straight edge against the front of the second bottom step vertically to the pencil line. Use a spirit level to check its level and then draw a line upwards through the other line.
Repeat this again, but for the front of the second top step.
Step Five
Both of these lines at the top and bottom of your stairs will show you where to place your handrail between the vertical lines. Where the lines cross with the horizontal rail line is where you’ll fit the brackets, if having a handrail with brackets. If your handrail has brackets, you should divide the distance between the two vertical lines by 1m, so every bracket is only 1m apart.
This means you’ll mark the wall around four times in between the two vertical lines.
Step Six
From this, you have to put the first bracket against the wall at the bottom vertical line. Make sure to line the centre of the bracket against the vertical line and that the rail plate is against the horizontal handrail line.
Create a hole in each of the three holes of the bracket with a bradawl. Repeat the process for the remaining marks and brackets. If your handrail doesn’t need brackets, like a pig’s ear one, then do the same with the screws.
Step Seven
This is a key part of how to install a wall mounted stair handrail, and this step needs to be done with precision to ensure a sturdy, secure fit. You need to fix the brackets into the wall precisely using fixing plugs, but if your wall is plasterboard, then you should use plasterboard anchors.
If your handrail uses screws instead, you need to drill the screw in along these points.
Step Eight
Now that your brackets are accurately in place, you can temporarily place the handrail on them. Get someone to help you with this and mark where the fixing holes of the brackets are on your rail, so you can properly pre-drill your handrail.
Step Nine
Drill holes where you’ve marked the handrail and fit it to the brackets using only a few screws. Make sure not to properly fit it yet as you need to mark the ends of the handrail vertically to cut it to size. Doing this can make it smoother and look much better, but only if your handrail isn’t already shaped.
Step Ten
For the final step of how to install a wall mounted handrail, you should use a spirit level to mark both ends of the rail vertically. Make sure this is done around 200mm out from the brackets. Remove the rail and carefully cut the ends with a saw if needed.
When this is done, securely fit your handrail to the brackets and paint or stain your rail to add a stylish touch that suits your home and décor.
Get the Perfect Handrail from Blueprint Joinery
At Blueprint Joinery, you can easily find a handrail that suits your home and staircase to transform your staircase and tie your décor together flawlessly. We offer a wide variety of wall mounted handrails that instantly refresh your staircase, suit your needs and create a stylish, cohesive look throughout your home. Take a look at our range now you know how to install a wall mounted stair handrail, and find your perfect match with our quality, durable solutions.
Contact us now for more information or for any other questions you may have.