If you're looking to find out how to fit stair rods, read on. Stair rods are available in brass, chrome, nickel, pewter and black finishes, and as plain, reeded or spiral rods. They can be used on runner carpet or fully fitted stair carpet. Finials come in many different designs to suit period interiors and indeed modern interiors too including acorns, pineapples, balls and spear shaped finials to name just a few. The solid stair rods are cut to your supplied dimensions - when supplying dimensions, these need to be tip to tip measurements, including the finial. For the budget stair rods which are not solid, these can be cut by you to your required size with a hacksaw.
Can you use antique stair rods safely?
You may find some unique and beautiful antique stair rods in an antique or bric-a-brack shops. There is no reason why you can't use antique stair rods in exactly the same way as you would use reproduction stair rods. If you find that the clips for the antique stair rods are missing or broken, don't dispair. You can purchase replacement stair rod clips to be used with your antique stair rods - just match the finish as best you can. Although there was no standardisation with regard to sizes of older stair rods, the reproduction clips come in various different sizes so you should be able to find one to fit.
When measuring for stair rods, we recommend that:
For all 1/2" (12.5mm) diameter rods, the stair rods should be 10cm over the width of the carpet (5cm each side)
For all 5/8" (16mm) diameter rods, the stair rods should be 12.5cm over the width of the carpet (6.25cm each side)
For all 3/4" (19mm) diameter rods, the stair rods should be 15cm over the width of the carpet (7.5cm each side)
Stair rods are made in brass and then coated with your chosen finish. They can be curved to fit curved steps but these would need to be custom made and bent in a workshop, once the shaped of the stairs has been specified in a drawing.
How are stair rods fixed in place?
Installation of stair rods is very easy even for an inexperienced DIYer – they simply need to be screwed to the stairs. Stair rods need very little maintenance apart from an occasional polish and dust and in fact ageing can improve their patina and make them look even more of the Victorian era.
Stair clips are another decorative device that can be used on stair runner carpet but these are not strictly Victorian and more of the early 20th century..
The expression Raining Stair Rods is a colloquial North of England expression which gives us some idea of the severity of wet weather in the North.
The Victorian Emporium sells the full range of beautiful Victorian stair runner carpet and hall runner carpets to complement your stair rods.
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