S&L Spindles Blog

Spindles and Balusters - What's the Difference?

Submitted by admin on Thu, 12/05/2019 - 11:07am

unfinished wood spindles

An architect, carpenter, or contractor may refer to “balusters” while designing and building a staircase or outdoor patio deck. You might ask, “What’s a baluster?” Americans interchange the words “baluster” and “spindle”, although the industry-specific term for the decorative supports within a staircase is technically called a “baluster”.

The average homeowner may not know the difference between a baluster, spindle , upright, or picket. Essentially, all of these terms refer to the thin vertical posts within a...Read more

Category: 
General Information

How to Choose Wood Porch Columns For Your Home

Submitted by admin on Wed, 06/06/2018 - 9:42am

home exterior with porch columns

Whether you're buying them for a new home or replacing existing ones, wood porch columns have the power to transform your home's exterior. That said, it's important to pick the right type of wood and the right style to best complement your home. Keep reading for some helpful tips for choosing wood porch columns for your home.

Choosing a Type of Wood When it comes to choosing the right kind of wood for your porch columns, be sure to pick a wood that is pressure treated and KDAT (kiln dried after treated). Pressure treated and KDAT lumber are better options than regular wood, as their...Read more
Category: 
Inspiring Ideas

The Value of Finials

Submitted by admin on Mon, 04/16/2018 - 3:39pm

acorn top finial

Wood fence post finials serve an important function that is often overlooked: protecting the top of a post. Most of us don’t realize how important it is to do so because we assume that if wood is treated, it will last a long time.

The problem is, with a round post, the wood is treated when it is green and freshly sawn, but it’s hard to treat green wood. The treatment protects the outside of the post, but the inside is still susceptible to rotting, especially if water gets into the ends of the post. This can cause the...Read more

Category: 
General Information

Why Deck Railing Paint Fails (And How to Prevent It)

Submitted by Elam Stoltzfus on Sat, 08/29/2015 - 4:31pm

Painting wood deck spindles

Deck railing paint can fail prematurely. Luckily, there are several ways to prevent that from happening and increase the longevity of your paint. The following identifies some common reasons that deck railing paint fails, and some remedies to avoid it.

1. Wood was wet when it was painted.

Painting wood when it is wet or saturated may cause the paint to not adhere properly to the wood. To prevent this, make sure the wood is completely dry before applying paint. If only the surface of the wood is wet, then only one sunny day is usually needed for drying prior to painting. If the wood...Read more

Category: 
Staining and Painting