Stair Baluster Installation with Wooden Spindles

For this stair baluster installation, I worked on the landing section at the top of the staircase first. This is easier as the wooden spindles are installed first, then the handrail is placed on top. It’s a process of stacking parts. The angled baluster sections are more complicated because the handrail is already installed.
See the playlist of all the videos in this staircase makeover project - • Staircase Makeover
When I moved on to the angled sections, the most challenging part was determining the length of the balusters when they were plumb. I ended up making an extendable baluster jig that I could put in place, make sure it was plumb, and then lock it to length. I then transferred this jig to a spindle to draw my cut lines. The jig needs to be centered on the spindle, so by adding measurements on each end, it became easy to center the spindle.
Once I had the stair balusters cut, I could put them in place with a wooden fillet strip in between each one. This let me see how the start and end of the run looked so I could get equal spacing between the spindles and the newel posts. Once I cut my starter fillet strip, I was ready to install the run for stair spindles. I glued them in place with carpenter’s glue and if the spindle wasn't a snug fit, I also drove a finishing nail through the spindle into the handrail.
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