Staircase Remodeling in Delaware County and the Main Line
In many homes the staircase is the first thing you see from the front door, and in a two-story foyer it is seen from both floors. LM Legacy Remodeling remodels staircases and railings in Delaware County, the Main Line, and nearby Pennsylvania communities, including balusters, handrails, newel posts, treads, risers, and the paneling on the walls around the stairs.
Many homes in the area still have the original builder staircase: painted or oak wood spindles, a thin newel, and carpet over the treads. A remodel can change the look of the whole entry while keeping the existing stair structure in place.
Recent Project: Staircase Remodel and Board and Batten
This project combined a staircase remodel with board and batten in a two-story foyer. The finished staircase has painted box newel posts, a stained oak handrail, black iron balusters with a mix of plain and twisted bars, stained treads with painted risers, and a rounded starting step. The railing continues along the upstairs balcony, where the balusters sit on an oak shoe rail and the handrail ends at the hallway wall.
Board and batten runs through the foyer, up the stair wall, and across the wall under the stairs. The panels on the stair side are angled to follow the rake of the stairs and the landing.
What a Staircase Remodel Can Include
- Baluster Replacement: Wood spindles replaced with iron balusters, or new wood balusters to suit the house.
- Handrail Installation: New handrails on the stairs, landings, and balconies, including returns and wall terminations.
- Newel Post Installation: Box newel posts or turned newels at the starting step, landings, and the top of the stairs.
- Treads and Risers: Hardwood treads with painted or stained risers, including replacing carpeted stairs.
- Balcony and Landing Railings: Overlook railings along upstairs hallways, set on a shoe rail or directly into the floor.
- Stair Wall Paneling: Board and batten, wainscoting, or applied molding on the stair wall and the wall under the stairs.
Choosing Balusters, Handrails and Newel Posts
Iron balusters come in plain, twisted, knuckle, and basket styles, and many staircases mix two styles in a repeating pattern, like the plain and twisted bars on the project above. Wood balusters can be painted to match the trim or stained to match the rail. Box newel posts suit painted trim and paneled walls, while turned newels suit a more traditional staircase.
The handrail profile, stain color, and newel style are chosen together so the railing works with the floors, treads, and trim in the rest of the house. Samples are reviewed at the estimate before anything is ordered.
On a closed stair wall, the wall-mounted handrail can be replaced as well. A square black rail with returns into the wall at both ends gives the stairs a cleaner, more modern look than a standard round rail on brackets.
Square black wall-mounted handrail with returns at both ends
Board and Batten on Stair Walls
Stair walls are a common place to add board and batten or wainscoting. The layout has to account for the stair angle, the landing, the handrail height, switches, outlets, and door casings, so the panel spacing is calculated for each wall before material is cut. Doing the paneling and the staircase as one project lets the newel posts, skirt, and wall panels be planned together.
Our Staircase Process
- Walkthrough & measurement: We look at the existing stairs, rail, newels, and walls, and check how the current railing is attached.
- Design & selections: Baluster style and pattern, handrail profile, newel style, tread finish, and any wall paneling are chosen together.
- Removal: The existing balusters, rail, newels, or carpet are removed as the scope requires, with floors and nearby rooms protected.
- Installation: Newels are anchored, the rail is set, and balusters are spaced and fastened at each tread and along the rail.
- Finish prep & walkthrough: Nail holes and seams are filled and caulked for paint, the work area is cleaned, and the finished staircase is reviewed with you.
Common Staircase Questions
Can wood spindles be replaced with iron balusters without replacing the handrail?
Often, yes. If the handrail and newel posts are solid and the rail suits the new balusters, the old spindles can be removed and iron balusters installed in the existing rail. The rail, treads, and newels are checked at the estimate before that decision is made.
Can carpeted stairs be changed to hardwood treads?
Yes. The carpet and pad are removed and new hardwood treads and risers are installed. The approach depends on how the existing stairs were built, which is checked at the estimate.
Can board and batten be installed on the stair wall at the same time?
Yes. On the project above, the foyer, stair wall, and wall under the stairs were paneled along with the staircase work.
Does an older railing need to be brought up to current code?
When a railing is replaced, the rail height and baluster spacing are measured against current residential code requirements, and anything that does not meet them is discussed at the estimate.
Areas We Serve
We remodel staircases and railings throughout Delaware County, the Main Line, and surrounding communities: