# Trimwork  - HELP!!!



## cannic (Dec 29, 2016)

New member here...have a major dilemma.  Need some input.

I have a 1974 House...great bones just needs quite a bit of updating.  The previous owners had a love affair with dark stained trim.  It is driving me nuts.  We have just purchased new carpet to get installed for the entire upstairs and staircase and now I'm thinking about the trim because I'd like to make sure the stair case is done before the new carpet gets put in case I wanted to do the trim at a later date.  But I'm torn on if I should do white trim or a lighter stained trim and should I replace or buy new.  The problem is trying to match the downstairs which has dark stained bead board and to match the brand new flooring the previous owners had put in.  HELP!!!!


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## nealtw (Dec 29, 2016)

Have you been looking around to see what you might like.
What does pop out is the distance between the spindles is more than it should be.


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## cannic (Dec 29, 2016)

nealtw said:


> Have you been looking around to see what you might like.
> What does pop out is the distance between the spindles is more than it should be.



According to home inspector spindles are up to code...realtor had thought the same thing.  I just can't decide if white is the better option or restaining lighter oak.


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## nealtw (Dec 29, 2016)

cannic said:


> According to home inspector spindles are up to code...realtor had thought the same thing.  I just can't decide if white is the better option or restaining lighter oak.



Yeah that's a personal choice. The close up of some of your trim looks like mahogany so that might limit how light you can go.

Max spread of spindles is 4", and 3 3/4" in some places.
Is it hard to get furniture up those stairs, the landing should be 36" and that is a fairly easy fix by building a box at the same height as the first step.

What your inspector was saying is it was up to code when the house was built and as such is grandfathered in.


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## Mastercarpenty (Jan 2, 2017)

Today's codes for stair and deck railings requires that a 4" sphere not be able to pass through a railing anywhere and that a 6" sphere not be able to pass anywhere between a stair tread/riser area and the railing. And yes, inspectors do have calibrated spheres available to check this with though they usually just use a tape measure. 

Grandfathered in or not, most home insurers will want these brought up to today's code standards.

Phil


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## slownsteady (Jan 7, 2017)

Moved the thread because the question has little to do with carpentry.


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