handrailstairswood
My house has 3 stories, and from the first floor to the second it has spindles.
My issue with them is that they seem very rickety, and don't support any weight what so ever.
Is it possible to secure them?
The top set seem to be much worse than the bottom.
When renting a victorian back in the day we did the same thing, we draped a sheet over the stair case to trap the cold air above. So...I think your curtain idea is perfect. Shouldn't be that hard to install, isn't permanent, but should be plenty to block the cold air from escaping.
A more permanent enhancement to that system would be to place a ceiling fan upstairs to help move the air around even more. For now, a floor fan may be enough to help.
Metal studs are great for framing walls. They are super light, easy to work with, straight. But you've discovered one drawback...they don't have nearly the strength of a wooden 2x4 for mounting things to it.
Metal studs do come in different gauges though. The heavier, the better. But it sounds like yours are fairly lightweight.
Some options:
Best Answer
Stair hand rails are primarily supported at the top and bottom by the newel posts. While some additional support is needed in a span over 5 or 6 feet, the handrail does not need dozens of braces. You will often see an inside wall handrail with attachments that are several feet apart. The spindles are primarily intended for safety, to prevent someone from slipping under the handrail on an open staircase.
No spindles on a full handrail run would allow the rail to flex too much, so they are necessary. But if a number of them are loose, there is little likelihood of risk unless the attachment at the newels is also compromised.
Having said that, it makes sense to firm up the spindles. Driving 1 1/2 or 2" finish nails on an angle, pinning the tops and bottoms of the spindles to the handrail and the base should probably do it (much easier with a nailgun).