How to Disassemble a Stair Banister

A banister is the most distinctive part of a staircase and a very prominent feature in usually a prime gathering space your home. The banister -- the hand rail and its posts on the open side of a staircase -- can add to your overall decor, or it can date your home and design scheme. You don't have to be stuck with a banister that you don't care for. You can remove a traditionally installed banister from a staircase, but it will require the removal of some adjacent corresponding parts.

Things You'll Need

Narrow hand saw
Chisel

Phillips screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Press the saw against the very bottom of each spindle, also known as a baluster, and saw each one away from the step. Make sure to get the saw as close to the base of the spindle as possible, and saw gently, in a straight line. The spindles are nailed to the step, so sawing them away from the tread will ensure their easy removal.
- 2
  Dislodge the filler, a dried putty, located between the top post and each spindle, with a chisel. Then tug the top spindle out of position with your hands. Often, spindles are glued to a banister, so exert some force to get them out of position.
- 3
  Repeat the process to remove every piece of filler and pull out every spindle. As you pull out each spindle, mark it sequentially to simply reinstallation.
- 4
  Saw each post away from the floor, then pull each post out of position. The posts hold the railing in place. Some posts are secured with L-brackets at the base; in that case, remove the screws from each L-bracket with a Phillips screwdriver, then just pull the loosened post from the floor.
- 5
  Unscrew the U-shaped straps on the underside of the banister from the brackets on the wall with a Phillips screwdriver. The banister is now uninstalled.

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