Job: Capping your iron railing with a wood handrail
Difficulty: Medium to Easy depending on skill level
Tools: Chop Saw, Tape Measure, Hammer, Drill, Screws, Titebond Glue

Adding wood handrail to a full wrought iron balustrade can dramatically increase the look of your railing system without the expense of replacing the entire banister.  Wood handrails are typically larger, warmer to the touch and the eye and more comfortable in your hand.  This is one simple and inexpensive way to perform a stair makeover of an existing full iron banister.

Over the last 30 years or so, what was once two separate railing styles are now often combined.  Wood and wrought iron balustrades allow you to have the warmth and comfort of wood and the versatility of wrought iron balusters.  Wood stair treads, newel posts, handrails and moldings are generally larger and tie in better with the other wood features of the home such as base, doors, moldings and furniture.  Wrought iron balusters, on the other hand, are far more versatile.  Rather than repeating a single baluster over the entire balustrade, multiple wrought iron balusters are combined to create patterns within the larger pattern of the banister.  Relatively new advancements (say in the last 20-30 years) in wrought iron balusters have made this merger possible.  Doweled tops for installation into wood handrail instead of having to be welded to an iron rail and baluster shoes that conceal the holes in the landing tread are the two most prominent of these.

Still, you may have a perfectly good fully wrought iron balustrade but lacks a little something.  You can, of course, replace the entire system or you could just add a wood rail on top of the existing wrought iron rail.  This is especially easy if your top rail is square or rectangular with a flat surface, in which case the new handrail can be screwed directly on top of it.   If you have a more detailed profile handrail the wood handrail can be plowed so that the iron rail recesses into the wood handrail, thus concealing it.  Most wood handrails are available plowed to several standard dimensions; however, you may need a custom width or depth to fit your particular situation.  Woodstairs.com can custom plow any of our wood handrails at no additional charge.  You might also consider several other methods of enhancing your existing balustrade in addition to simply adding a wood rail as described.  For example adding stair treads, newel posts, or painting.  Feel free to mix and match as well.  There are often a variety of ways to get a beautiful system out of what you already have without having to start from scratch and replace everything.

If you have decided that capping your original iron stairway is the best and most affordable option.  Here are the steps you need to take to make it happen:

1. Measure the width and length of your current iron handrail. Look on Woodstairs.com and find a wood handrail style that you like, that is at minimum .5” wider than your current iron rail.
2. If your iron handrail is flat, then most wood handrails will work and no plow is needed, but can still be added if wanted for aesthetic reasons.
3. If your iron handrail is curved or has a detail on top, measure the depth of the detail and the overall width of the handrail and this is what size plow you will need in the bottom of the wood rail to cover that rail. We recommend a ¼” wider and deeper than the irons exact size, to allow easier installing.
4. Once you have measured your iron handrail lengths you want to cover, found the wood handrail that you like and measured for the plow, you can place the order. If the standard plow options do not work for your metal rail to be covered adequately, put what plow size you need in the notes of the order and we will custom plow the wood rail for your stairs.
5. Once you receive the new wood handrails. You simply pre-drill a few holes down the iron handrail you plan on capping (every 24” minimum, more if desired for strength, put some titebond adhesive or liquid nails in the plow (if rail is plowed, if not, just put some glue where the wood rail will touch the iron rail), do not use to much as you will have to clean any up that overflows out of the plow or space.  Then from underneath, screw through your iron pilot holes and into the wood rail (make sure your screws are the right size and will not come out the top of your new rail).
6. You may need to touch up any spots on the wood handrail that got bumped or dented on the install. And then you are ready to tape off the iron rail and balusters and stain the new wood handrail. And you are done!