Many people wonder if you can actually buy quality stair parts at a big box store. If you are only given the option of a yes or no answer the answer is no. The problem with big box stores is that they order a lot of their products in bulk from countries such as China.  The problem with this is that the quality control leaves much to be desired and you are getting products that have been shipped halfway across the world.  You can imagine the problem of shipping wood for weeks across the sea.  The greatest issue with this is the change in humidity which causes wood components to expand and contract causing cracking and warping.  In addition wrought iron stair parts often begin to form microscopic areas of rust which can lead to problems later on.

The greatest issue with box store stair parts, however, is not the quality but the selection.  Visit the stair parts isle in any of your local home improvement stores and you will see one or two handrail profiles, a very limited selection of balusters and posts and typically in one or two wood species.  So going this route virtually guarantees a cheap railing system that will very closely resemble everyone else’s balustrade who buys from these locations.  A professional installer, designer or homebuilder can very easily identify a “store-bought” system both by the quality and the design.

The best way to buy stair parts is to find a reliable dealer here in the USA.  The leading online retailer of stair parts in the United States is www.woodstairs.com.  Owned and operated by United Wood Products, WoodStairs.com is dedicated to the highest quality products and services.  All products are backed by our commitment to you the consumer.  You can find everything from a cherry baluster to any of the installation tools needed to complete your project.  You can also find out everything you need to know for your project from design through installation.  Wood stair parts in all available wood species a huge number of standard turnings and custom stair parts are no problem.  In addition, their wrought iron balusters selection numbers in the hundreds with a variety of powder coat color options.  You will be working with a company that has been living stair installation and stair parts for more than 30 years.  This kind of experience is unmatched anywhere else online or offline.  Try finding this kind of experience at a big box store.