Newel Post Questions for New Balustrade

[Spinny]

We are looking to get a new balustrade fitted on the staircase. I am not sure of the ramifications regarding the Newel posts at bottom and top of the stairs. As we are looking at oak handrail and black spindles it would be best to have new oak Newel Posts, otherwise we would presumably have to paint the whole post white or something.

 

Are the Newel posts normally fixed to anything else other than the stringer and stairs themselves ? e.g. into Floor joists. (1930's Semi)

I get the impression they gain their rigidity just by virtue of being fixed to the stringer and stair - is that right ?

 

The top Newel Post upstairs runs all the way down to the ground floor. Therefore it seems necessary to cut it off regardless to fit a new top piece onto it from just above the stringer.

 

Not quite sure how you achieve new oak newel posts in practice and whether it is likely to destablilise anything ?