The oak stair parts we offer and what to consider when buying oak parts
Oak is a hardwood, which means it’s extremely tough and resistant to dents and scratches. The distinctive tiger-stripe on oak makes it instantly recognisable. Oak staircase parts can add character and warmth to your staircase.
Read our guide to the oak stair parts we offer, including things to consider about caring for and replacing oak stair parts.
Read a guide to the stair parts we offer in oak and things to consider when choosing different white oak stair parts.
A guide to caring for your oak stair parts, with recommended finishing products for oak.
How much you can expect to pay when replacing oak stair parts.
The benefits of white oak and how it compares to other woods.
What bespoke oak stair parts are and how our bespoke woodturning service can help you.
Read a guide to the popular Richard Burbidge range and where you can shop Richard Burbidge.
A traditional oak staircase
Stair parts made from oak
Oak spindles
White oak is a popular choice for wooden spindles, and there are many designs to choose from. At Jacksons, we supply oak stair spindles in the following sizes:
You can see the different designs available for oak spindles here.
Things to consider when buying oak spindles
You should take into consideration whether your staircase is closed string or cut string. The strings on a staircase are the sides which the treads and risers are housed into. In a closed string staircase, the spindles are fixed to a base rail at the bottom and a handrail at the top. In a closed string staircase, the edges of the steps will be hidden.
In a cut or open string staircase, the side profile of the steps will be visible or even overhang the string. As the stair treads and are risers exposed, the spindle sits directly on the stair tread. For this style, you will need two spindles on each tread. The front spindle should be 900mm long and the back spindle 1100mm.
If your staircase diminishes, you should bear in mind that the spindles will begin to shorten in size as the spindles hit the ceiling line.
Recommended products:
Oak Barley Twist Spindle
Oak Double Twist Spindle
You can read more about the different types of spindles in our Guide to spindles.
Oak newel posts
We have a range of oak newel posts in various designs to suit your preferences. You need to consider the conjunction of your stairs when buying or replacing newel post, as you may need half newel posts or continuous newel posts. You also need to know whether you’re replacing the newel post completely or keeping the existing newel base and attaching a new newel post on top.
You can read about how to attach a newel post to a newel base or replace a newel post completely here.
What are half newel posts?
Half newel posts are used to attach a balustrade to a landing wall. They also provide an attractive finish to the balustrade and help to tie-in the overall look of the staircase.
What is a continuous newel post?
A continuous newel post is used in conjunction with a handrail and handrail fittings, which allows the handrail to flow over the top of the newel post.
Recommended products:
Oak Barley Twist Continuous Newel Post
Immix White Oak Complete Newel
You can find more information about newel posts here.
Oak newel caps
Oak newel caps provide a traditional style and put the final touch to your staircase.
Recommended products:
Oak Pyramid Cap
Oak Acorn Cap
If you are replacing your oak newel cap, you can read our guide How to replace newel caps.
Oak and metal newel caps
If you are looking to replace a newel cap, you may also want to consider white oak and metal newel caps. View our oak and chrome newel caps range and oak and nickel caps range.
View our full range of newel caps here.
Recommended products:
Axxys Solo Oak / Chrome Cap
Solution White Oak & Brushed Nickel Cap
Oak handrails and base rails
Before purchasing a handrail or base rail, you should consider the design of your staircase and the type of handrail and base rail you need. You can choose between the following types of oak handrails and base rails:
- Glass grooved oak handrails and base rails have a deep channel which is designed for the glass panels to slotted.
Recommended products:
Elements White Oak Handrail- Glass Style
Elements White Oak Base rail- Glass Style
- Ungrooved oak handrails are better suited to metal spindles or glass brackets and panels, as the bracket/clamps or spindle foot screw directly into the rail.
Recommended products:
Oak Ungrooved Cottage Loaf Handrail
Oak Ungrooved Base Rail
- Grooved handrails have a groove running through the centre of the rail into which spindles easily slot. Handrails designed for metal spindles have a smaller groove to allow them to fit accurately, such as the iron handrail featured below.
Recommended products:
Oak HR Handrail with Infill
Oak MD Iron Handrail
- Shop our full range of oak handrails and base rails.
Wall-mounted handrails
We have both mopstick and pigs ear handrails available in oak.
Oak mopstick handrails and pigs ear moulded handrails are designed to be mounted on a wall. You can combine oak mopstick with metal brackets and end caps to complete the look. You can attach your handrail brackets to our white oak wall patrice.
Pigs ear handrails can be screwed directly onto the wall, and screw holes can be filled in with cross-grain pellets.
Recommended products:
Oak Round Mopstick Handrail
Oak Pigs Ear Moulded Handrail
You can read our guide to base rails and guide to handrails for more information on each.
Bullnose steps
Bullnose steps sit at the edge of your staircase and create that final finishing touch to your stairs. Our bullnose oak steps are made to order, and we have left-hand and right-hand bullnose steps.
Shop the left-hand and right-hand white oak bullnose steps
Cross-grain pellets
Cross-grain pellets are used in many forms of joinery and are primarily designed to hide screws or bolt heads. They also help finish off the joined timber to a smooth, uninterrupted surface, concealing the joint.
How to care for your new oak staircase
Oak stair parts come unfinished and can be finished by painting, varnishing or waxing. Ensure you polish the wood as often as possible with a soft, non-abrasive cloth to keep the rich colour and shine looking perfect. You can often buff or very carefully sand out a superficial scratch or chip on hardwood. You should also always ensure you keep extra supplies of your chosen varnish or other finish to cover up the results of any area that has needed to be buffed or sanded.
Finishings
You can view our range of staircase finishings and fillings here.Our recommended product:
Buy the Treatex Hardwax Clear Gloss Oil now
- Just two coats of our Clear Hardwax Oil will protect and enhance wooden surfaces
- Provides a hard-wearing and attractive finish
- Quick-drying and easy to maintain
How much does it cost to replace oak stair parts?
You can read about the prices you can expect to pay when replacing oak stair parts in our stair parts price list.
Why are white oak stair parts so popular?
White oak is very sturdy and durable. Grown in the east of America, it is a popular option as it a strong hardwood that takes stains and polishes very well. White oak is also generally heavier and more wear-resistant than softwoods. It also has a luxurious, natural appearance that creates a classic look.
What are bespoke oak stair parts?
Having bespoke staircase parts allows you to re-create a stair part with the exact measurements and design you have in mind. We offer a bespoke woodturning service and can copy existing or damaged spindles, newel posts and bases. You can read more about our bespoke woodturning service here.
Oak stair parts in the Richard Burbidge range
We stock the brand’s hugely popular Fusion, Elements and Immix ranges, which effortlessly mix traditional staircase styles with modern elements.
You can read more about the full Richard Burbidge staircase parts range here.
How to combine oak with other materials
When buying oak stair parts, you should also consider whether you want to combine oak with other materials such as metal and glass. Here are some guides on how to combine oak with different materials and the parts you need:
Combining oak and glass stair parts
Oak and glass go particularly well together and are commonly used to combine modern and traditional themes. Combining glass and oak requires either glass grooved handrails and base rails, or glass panels can be attached to a non-grooved handrail with glass clamps.
You can read more about glass panels here.
From the Elements with Glass range, this staircase features white oak handrails with glass brackets and glass panels.
You can shop our full range of glass stair parts here.
Combining oak and metal stair parts
Wood is often combined with various metal spindles, creating an eye-catching staircase. You can connect metal spindles to ungrooved oak handrails, as a spindle foot can screw directly into the rail. Metal spindles can also be connected to grooved handrails designed for metal, which have a smaller groove. Metal spindles can be attached using infill. We offer metal spindles in nickel, chrome, and wrought iron.
You can shop our full range of metal stair parts and specifically metal stair spindles here.
From the Elements range, this staircase features a combination of oak and black metal