"Base Rails" Frequently Asked Questions
A base rail, also often referred to as a bottom track, is the piece of wood that runs up the length of the staircase and sits on top of the string. If the property has a landing with a bannister, the base rail will also run along the landing too. Once the base rail is in place, spindles and panels are then fixed into or onto the base rail, depending if it is grooved or ungrooved.
This will depend on whether your staircase’s base rails are screwed or nailed onto the string. If they’re screwed, it’s as simple as unscrewing the screws and lifting the base rail. If it has been nailed, you’ll need to use a fine-toothed saw to cut out a section between two nails. This allows you to remove this section, and gives you access to place a hammer and chisel under the rest of the base rail to lift it out.
For both screwed and nailed stair base rails, you’ll need to slide a knife alongside the underside of the base rail to split any built up paint that might be making it difficult to lift the base rail.
For both screwed and nailed stair base rails, you’ll need to slide a knife alongside the underside of the base rail to split any built up paint that might be making it difficult to lift the base rail.
Base rails for stairs can be sold in many lengths, however they generally come in 1.8m, 2400mm (2.4m), 3600mm (3.6m) or 4200mm (4.2m). Be sure to measure both your landing and staircase base rail to see if you’re able to purchase one length and cut it down to size to fit both. Alternatively, you can also buy two separate lengths if they fit the requirements of your staircase.