The oak stair parts we offer and what to consider when buying oak parts

Oak is a hardwood, which means it’s extremely tough and resistant to dents and scratches. The distinctive tiger-stripe on oak makes it instantly recognisable. Oak staircase parts can add character and warmth to your staircase. Find out more about the benefits of oak handrails here.

Read our guide to the oak stair parts we offer, including things to consider about caring for and replacing oak stair parts.

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Read about the key benefits of oak stair parts, and whether it is worth paying more for oak.

Read a guide to the stair parts we offer in oak and things to consider when choosing different white oak stair parts.

A guide to caring for your oak stair parts, with recommended finishing products for oak.

How much you can expect to pay when replacing oak stair parts.

 

 

oak staircase

What are the benefits of oak stair parts, and is oak worth the cost?

Oak is a popular option for stair parts, offering outstanding durability and strength. If, for example, you have bought a home and you are looking to improve the look and feel of a house you will be living in for many years to come, oak might be the ideal choice. By investing in a durable wood such as oak, you can also rest assured that your staircase won’t get damaged easily. This can be extremely useful if you have kids who are likely to spill drinks or will likely touch stair parts with dirty hands.

Oak is known for its classic look, and its distinctive tiger-stripe grain makes oak handrails a great, eye-catching addition to the home.

Are you looking to combine oak stair parts with glass? Read our guide to combining glass and oak.

Stair parts made from oak

Oak spindles

White oak is a popular choice for wooden spindles, and there are many designs to choose from. At Jacksons, we supply oak stair spindles in the following sizes:

You can see the different designs available for oak spindles here.

Are you looking for new spindles for your staircase? Read our guide on choosing a spindle.

In a closed string staircase, the spindles are fixed to a base rail at the bottom and a handrail at the top. In a closed string staircase, the edges of the steps will be hidden.

In a cut or open string staircase, the side profile of the steps will be visible or even overhang the string. As the stair treads and are risers exposed, the spindle sits directly on the stair tread. For this style, you will need two spindles on each tread. The front spindle should be 900mm long and the back spindle 1100mm.

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You can read more about the different types of spindles in our Guide to spindles.

Oak newel posts

What are some popular oak newel post designs?

Barley twist newel posts

A barley twist is a type of wood turning featuring a single or double twist. It’s commonly found on traditional chair and table legs, as well as spindles and newel posts.

Jackson Woodturners stocks a wide range of barley twist newel posts, including this beautifully detailed oak barley twist newel post.

Oak Barley Twist Newel Post
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  • The Oak barley twist newel post is part of the Oak range of modern and traditional stair parts.
  • The 90mm plain turned newel post has a 50mm diameter peg, which will fit into a 90mm newel base. A 90mm newel cap is required for the top of the newel post.
  • A single head newel post is a bottom and/or top newel.
  • Oak stair parts come unfinished and can be finished by painting, varnishing or waxing.
  • The length of the newel post, is a fixed length. This measurement does not include the peg.
  • Newel Post Size: 730mm x 90mm x 90mm.

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Oak Barley Twist Newel Post

Stop chamfered newel posts

Stop chamfered newel posts are square posts with bevels on each corner. The bevels soften the edge of the wood, making the square posts more aesthetically pleasing. The chamfer also adds strength to the corners—ideal for newel posts, which can be subject to plenty of wear and tear.

Oak Stop Chamfered Newel Post 1500mm
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  • The 90mm stop chamfered newel post, is a complete piece of timber incorporating the newel base and newel post to form one full length newel post.
  • A 90mm newel cap is required for the top of the newel post.
  • Spindles in the stop chamfered style are available in 32 and 41mm.
  • Newel Post Size: 1500mm x 90mm x 90mm
  • Please note these newel posts are of an engineered construction.

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Oak Stop Chamfered Newel Post

Pine stop chamfered newel posts are more affordable and you can expect to pay around £10–£20 for these, depending on the size.

Fluted newel posts

Fluting is a technique where long grooves of wood are carved out of a newel post to create an attractive symmetrical design of multiple flutes (also known as ribs or ridges).

Oak Fluted Continuous Newel Post
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  • The fluted continuous newel post has a 50mm diameter peg, which will fit into a 90mm newel base.
  • A continuous newel post is used in conjunction with a handrail and handrail fittings, which allows the handrail to flow over the top of the newel post.
  • The length of the newel post, is a fixed length. This measurement does not include the peg.

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Oak Fluted Continuous Newel Post

Square newel posts

Plain square newel posts are among the most affordable styles of newel post available.

Square newel posts are ideal if you’re updating your staircase on a budget but don’t want to compromise on strength. Although the design is simple, it doesn’t have to be boring. The simplicity of square newel posts means they suit a wide range of staircase designs.

Oak Square Twist Newel Post 90mm 1500mm
Delivery Available
  • The 90mm square twist newel post, is a complete piece of timber incorporating the newel base and newel post to form one full length newel post. It is a plain square newel, the middle section of the newel post has been twisted.
  • The top block is 232mm the middle twisted section is 548mm and the bottom block is 720mm.
  • A 90mm newel cap is required for the top of the newel post.
  • Newel Post Size: 1500mm x 90mm x 90mm.

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Oak Square Twist Newel Post

Are you looking for oak square newel posts? Read our full guide here.

You can read about how to attach a newel post to a newel base or replace a newel post completely here.

What are half newel posts?

Half newel posts are used to attach a balustrade to a landing wall. They also provide an attractive finish to the balustrade and help to tie-in the overall look of the staircase.

Shop our range of half newel posts here.

What is a continuous newel post?

A continuous newel post is used in conjunction with a handrail and handrail fittings, which allows the handrail to flow over the top of the newel post.

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You can find more information about newel posts here.

Oak newel caps

Oak newel caps provide a traditional style and put the final touch to your staircase.

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If you are replacing your oak newel cap, you can read our guide How to replace newel caps.

Oak and metal newel caps

If you are looking to replace a newel cap, you may also want to consider white oak and metal newel caps. View our oak and chrome newel caps range and oak and nickel caps range.

View our full range of newel caps here.

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Oak handrails and base rails

Before purchasing a handrail or base rail, you should consider the design of your staircase and the type of handrail and base rail you need. You can choose between the following types of oak handrails and base rails:

  • Glass grooved oak handrails and base rails have a deep channel which is designed for the glass panels to slotted.

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  • Ungrooved oak handrails are better suited to metal spindles or glass brackets and panels, as the bracket/clamps or spindle foot screw directly into the rail

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  • Grooved handrails have a groove running through the centre of the rail into which spindles easily slot. Handrails designed for metal spindles have a smaller groove to allow them to fit accurately, such as the iron handrail featured below.

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Wall-mounted handrails

We have both mopstick and pigs ear handrails available in oak.

Oak mopstick handrails and pigs ear moulded handrails are designed to be mounted on a wall. You can combine oak mopstick with metal brackets and end caps to complete the look. You can attach your handrail brackets to our white oak wall patrice.

Pigs ear handrails can be screwed directly onto the wall, and screw holes can be filled in with cross-grain pellets.

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You can read our guide to base rails and guide to handrails for more information on each.

Bullnose steps

Bullnose steps sit at the edge of your staircase and create that final finishing touch to your stairs. Our bullnose oak steps are made to order, and we have left-hand and right-hand bullnose steps.

Bullnose Steps

Shop the left-hand and right-hand white oak bullnose steps

Cross-grain pellets

Cross-grain pellets are used in many forms of joinery and are primarily designed to hide screws or bolt heads. They also help finish off the joined timber to a smooth, uninterrupted surface, concealing the joint.

Cross-grain pellets

Shop the Oak Cross-Grain Pellets - 10 pack

How to care for your new oak staircase

Oak stair parts come unfinished and can be finished by painting, varnishing or waxing. Ensure you polish the wood as often as possible with a soft, non-abrasive cloth to keep the rich colour and shine looking perfect.

Read our guide to the oak stair parts we offer here.

Finishings

You can view our range of staircase finishings and fillings here.

Our recommended product:

Treatex Hardwax Clear Gloss Oil

Buy the Treatex Hardwax Clear Gloss Oil now

  • • Just two coats of our Clear Hardwax Oil will protect and enhance wooden surfaces
  • • Provides a hard-wearing and attractive finish
  • • Quick-drying and easy to maintain

How to combine oak with other materials

When buying oak stair parts, you should also consider whether you want to combine oak with other materials such as metal and glass. Here are some guides on how to combine oak with different materials and the parts you need:

Combining oak and glass stair parts for a modern oak staircase

Oak and glass go particularly well together and are commonly used to combine modern and traditional themes. A white oak and glass staircase requires either glass grooved handrails and base rails, or glass panels can be attached to a non-grooved handrail with glass clamps.

You can read more about glass panels here.

Example of Elements with Glass Range Staircase

From the Elements with Glass range, this staircase features white oak handrails with glass brackets and glass panels.

You can shop our full range of glass stair parts here.

Combining oak and metal stair parts

Wood is often combined with various metal spindles, creating an eye-catching staircase. You can connect metal spindles to ungrooved oak handrails, as a spindle foot can screw directly into the rail. Metal spindles can also be connected to grooved handrails designed for metal, which have a smaller groove. Metal spindles can be attached using infill. We offer metal spindles in nickel, chrome, and wrought iron. You can shop our full range of metal spindles here.

Staircase with Umbrellas

From the Elements range, this staircase features a combination of oak and black metal

We also offer wood stair parts in pine, hemlock and walnut.

How much do oak stair parts cost?

Oak stair parts are typically more expensive than other types of wood, so they should be seen as an investment. You also have peace of mind that your stair parts will last you a long time, and won’t require too much maintenance. If, however, you are planning on moving on from your home fairly soon, you may not want to invest in one of the pricier woods, such as oak. It is wise to look at your budget and see whether a timber such as pine might be a better option for you. These less expensive choices can still look great but will cost less and might not be as long-lasting.

Shop our full range of oak stair parts to find out how much they typically test.

Frequently asked questions

How do you paint an oak handrail white?

It is possible to paint an oak handrail white, but sanding and preparing the wood is an essential part of this process. You will need to take extra care to make sure this is done to a high standard, to ensure that no colour comes through in the finished result.

What are bespoke oak stair parts?

We offer custom wood stair parts, in which we re-create stair parts with the exact measurements and design you have in mind. We offer a bespoke woodturning service and can copy existing or damaged wood spindles, newel posts and bases. You can read more about our bespoke woodturning service here.

How do you combine wood with oak?

Combining wood and glass can create an effective combination of modern and traditional themes. You can attach glass panels to grooved wooden handrails and base rails using infill.

You can shop our range of glass panels here.

Why are white oak stair parts so popular?

White oak is very sturdy and durable. Grown in the east of America, it is a popular option as it a strong hardwood that takes stains and polishes very well. White oak is also generally heavier and more wear-resistant than softwoods. It also has a luxurious, natural appearance that creates a classic look.

What are bespoke oak stair parts?

Having bespoke staircase parts allows you to re-create a stair part with the exact measurements and design you have in mind. We offer a bespoke woodturning service and can copy existing or damaged spindles, newel posts and bases. You can read more about our bespoke woodturning service here.

Related content

Options for designing modern glass staircases

Oak stair parts we offer

Oak vs other wooden handrails

Cleaning and treating oak handrails

Help choosing the best oak stair parts

Oak square newel posts