We’ve finished the top portion of the over-the-Post rail for now. For this section, we will just drill holes and, after painting and staining, we will add the iron balusters.

This section is an example of why finish work is sought after: it’s both beautiful and difficult to get right. There’s so much that can go wrong. You have to figure out the correct newel height (I have a system that worked perfectly each time) and then you have to cut the curved peices to fit perfectly to the straight part - then make sure it fits perfectly on the top and the bottom.

This is why I love being a finish guy! At the end of the day, this is functional art!

Tomorrow, GT and I will show you the downstairs rails, so stay tuned. Thanks again to Bryan Janes Construction for bringing my team in on such a beautiful staircase.