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Move It Outside, Pt. 5: Spiral Staircase, WEB-EXTRA Information Additional instructional information from The Iron Shop on the spiral staircase installation. From "Move It Outside" episode DMIO-105

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Spiral Staircase Installation — Supplementary Information, continued

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1. Once the last riser is in place, drill a pilot hole into the concrete to secure the poles starting pad into place using lag bolts.

2. Next it is time to install the handrail. Start by drilling out the small hole in the top of all the handrail brackets using a 7/32" bit.

3. Remove the protective plastic from the handrail coil. Enlarge the diameter of the coil to 6" larger than the stair diameter, by standing it up on edge and gently and uniformly pulling it away from the center as someone holds the other side. Continue all around the coil.

4. Determine if you stair installation is left or right hand up. (Left hand, when your left hand would hold on to the handrail as you walk up the stairway. Right hand, when your right hand would hold onto the handrail as you walk up the stairway)

5. If your stairway is right hand up (like ours): With the coil standing on the edge (coil ends up) grasp, with your right hand, the end of the coil that allows the thumb of your right hand to be next to the end of the rail. Your helper should face you on the other side of the coil. Your helper should grasp the other end of the rail with their right hand, so that the coil end is next to their right thumb. (Do the exact opposite for a left hand up rail.)

6. Walk slowly away from each other, stretching the coil uniformly into a large spring like shape. This is accomplished by pulling outward and upward with the end of the coil. It is important that you do not pull the coil apart at one point only, as this will cause the coil to kink. As you are pulling the coil apart, you must rotate the coil with yourself and your partner walking towards each other, meeting at the center of the coil.

7. Check the handrail for fit on the staircase and repeat the above procedure until the handrail fits reasonably well. Remember that as you attach the railing to the staircase, you can adjust the coil for a proper fit.
   Raise the handrail and let it rest on the spindle brackets.

8. Position the upper end of the handrail so that it overhands the top spindle by 6".

9. Fit the rail so that it seats into the top spindle bracket and lines up with the next two or three spindle brackets. (Tip: To keep the handrail in place during the drilling process, wrap masking tape around the handrail and the spindle brackets where they meet)

10. Set a 9/64" drill bit into the chuck, so that it protrudes by only one inch. (This will prevent the drill bit from denting or cutting through the top of the handrail during the drilling) Drill a 9/64" pilot hole through the underside of the handrail only, using the bracket hole in the top spindle as a drill bit guide, making sure to drill at a 90 degree angle to the handrail. Check that the spindle is plumb and secure it to the handrail with a # 10 x ¾" pan head sheet metal screw.

11. Position the rail over the second and third spindles and secure using the same process as before. It may be necessary to move the handrail to seat the railing into each spindle bracket. This can best be done by moving several steps down and using leverage while your assistant hold the completed area in place. Keep checking that the spindles remain plumb during the forming process. Repeat this process for the remaining spindles.

12. Using the hacksaw, cut off the excess handrail at the top and bottom so that it protrudes 2" past the spindle. Insert the end caps into both ends of the rail.

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