Balusters
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Balusters
The actual installation of the balusters was quick and easy thanks to the formula I used for spacing. For each railing span there were already balusters installed on each side that the railing shoes were attached to. I measured the distance between the insides of these balusters and then used the following formula:
My baluster formula:
- A = Space between outside balusters (Or distance between post to post minus 2.5" (width of 2 balusters)
- B = Width of balusters (1.25")
- C = Maximum desired baluster spacing (I used 4")
- D = Number of balusters
- E = Baluster spacing
- D = (A + B) / (C + B) (Round down D to nearest whole number)
- E = ( (A - (DB)) / (D + 1) ) (E is the spacing to use between balusters)
Example:
- A = 33.5"
- D = (33.5 + 1.25) / (4 + 1.25) = 6.62 (6 rounded down)
- E = ( (33.5 - ( (6)(1.25) ) / (6 + 1) ) = 3.71" (round to 3 11/16")
My Balluster Installation Steps:
- Measured distance between two outside balusters for current railing span.
- Calculated spacing between balusters using formula.
- Cut wood jig to match spacing between balusters.
- Cut balusters to size and cut the bottoms of the balusters at 45 degrees.
- Started from the center of the railing span and installed the balusters. If there was an odd number of balusters for the railing span then the exact center of the railing was the location of the center of a baluster. If there was an even number of balusters then the center of the railing was exactly between 2 balusters.
- Using the wood jig to obtain proper spacing, I attached the rest of the balusters on each side of the railing span.
Balusters from inside of deck:
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