Building a Log Home in Maine

It was in February of this year that I installed the main railing posts and handrail on the staircase and loft. The balusters just never seemed that important, and after some frustration with the materials I had originally had on hand--square section pine stock that had warped from storage--I postponed the job, though at the time we had ordered some new pre-manufactured beech balusters, which had been on hand and in storage since.

Finally, this weekend I installed the balusters. I began on the staircase; this went rather quickly, actually, since I could pre-cut the balusters to two pre-determined lengths (two balusters per stair tread, except around existing posts). Installation was quick with a finish nail gun.

I thought the straight-cut balusters along the loft railing would be even easier, but after I pre-cut a number to a set length that I measured in the first section, I discovered to my annoyance that even though the railing was level, the floor apparently was not, and I ended up needing to recut many of the balusters to fit, since they were either too long or two short.

Eventually, this ended up meaning that I had to measure cut each one separately--not so bad in and of itself, but my saw was in the basement, two flights down, and though it was tempting to bring it up to the loft with me, it simply would have made too much of a dusty mess throughout the house, so instead I trudged back and forth for each cut.

Anyway, it was done! I was pleased with the look: simple and straightforward, like the other joinery in the house.