How to Make Industrial Stair Railings

We built all our handrails ourselves using iron pipe that can be generally found at most hardware stores. This general process also works for towel bars and hanger bars (like in our Master Closet Room).

Type of materials you’ll need (make sure all your sizes match):

• Generally, this is the stuff you’ll need: Home Depot
• Pipe in varying lengths: Home Depot
• Flange: Home Depot
• Elbow: Home Depot
• T-join: Home Depot
• Connector: Home Depot (I couldn’t find the right size, but is the piece)
• Hex-head lag bolts: Home Depot (Note: it’s usually 4 bolts per flange, but you’ll probably only get two bolts in a stud. For the bolts that went into drywall, we bought shorter lag bolts since they’re just decorative but should match the real bolts.)
• Matte black spray paint for metal: Home Depot
• Stud finder: Home Depot
• Drill & impact driver: Home Depot

You’ll also need some metal paint to seals it:

• Metal paint: Home Depot (can) | Home Depot (spray)

The assembly of a single railing section (or towel bar) goes like this:

1. Flange (and bolts)
2. Connector
3. Elbow
4. Rod (threaded on both ends)
5. Elbow
6. Connector
7. Flange (and bolts)

If you have to have a break in the middle of your railing section (as we always did), then it goes like this:

1. Flange (and bolts)
2. Connector
3. Elbow
4. Rod (threaded on both ends)
5. T-join + Connector + Flange (and bolts)
6. Rod (threaded on both ends)
7. Elbow
8. Connector
9. Flange (and bolts)

The assembly of a hanger bar goes like this:

1. Flange (and bolts)
2. Rod (threaded on both ends)
3. Flange (and bolts)

How to build:

1. Read the building code in your area and/or talk to your inspector. You may have to use more support pieces, or a certain thickness of pipe. Better to figure this out beforehand!
2. Locate the studs on your wall and mark the studs you will fasten to (not all your bolts will go into studs, but each flange must be able to get 2 bolts into a stud). You’ll also want a T-join every 4′ ish.
3. Figure out how many support pieces (T-joins + connector + flange combos) you’ll need to make your railing sturdy, and how many end pieces (elbow + connector + flange combo) you’ll need.
4. Assemble all the necessary support and end piece combos and attach them to the wall where they’ll go with one small screw just to temporarily hold them in place. Make sure the flanges are rotated so that two holes are over a stud!
5. Measure how long a rod you’ll need between each of your combo pieces. Make sure the T-joins and elbows are aligned! Count on 3/4″ of extra length on each end of each pipe for where it will screw in.
6. Cut and thread all your rods to length (you need a threading machine – some hardware stores that sell this piping have it, or you can contact local trades who work with this material). You shouldn’t need more than 1/2″ of threading for each end.
7. Clean all the rods (they’re often greasy) with rags, sand them with 150 grit, then clean them again. Don’t forget to smooth out the teethmarks where the threading machine held the rods.
8. Take everything down from the walls and fully assemble your railing.
9. Spray paint it with a metal paint if you choose. Spray paint all the hex-head bolts too. A trick is to screw them into something disposal (we used a piece of scrap drywall) so they are standing up straight – this makes sure you spray all sides of the heads.
10. Once dry, screw the whole railing to the wall with the same small screw as before just to hold it in place. Once the railing is attached to the wall, step back and check it! This is your last chance to change the angle or placement.
11. When you are happy with the placement, screw in the bolts! While you can use a socket wrench, I highly recommend buying a small bit for your handheld drill or impact driver which fits the 1/2″ hex heads. It makes it much easier!

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