Measuring Stair Rods
Our recommendations for made to measure stair rods, including finials:
Premier, Crystal, Vision, Country, Tudor, Blacksmith Flat and Ball should be 4" over the width of the carpet runner (2" each side)
Royale and Blacksmith Spear should be 6" over the width of the carpet runner (3" each side)
We suggest fitting a stair rod on the bottom step to balance the look of the stair case.
Installing Stair Rods
The bracket should sit on the stair case itself, directly alongside the carpet. Make bradawl guide holes for the screws and then screw the bottom half of the bracket to the stair. Do the same on the other side and then lay the stair rod in the brackets and screw the top half of the bracket to the bottom, ensuring the rod is protruding an equal amount on each end.
On no account should the top and bottom of each hinged bracket be mixed as they are a set, they cannot be interchanged with the other brackets, so we recommend not mixing the bracket components when preparing them for fitting.
Note: stair rods are for decorative use only, the carpet must be secured by another means.
Winder solutions with Stair Rods
Fitting stair rods onto turning stairs (winders) is very easy to do. We can supply our Universal Bracket for most of our ranges - this is an extremely simple bracket that is fitted with only one screw.
This bracket can also be used to fit stair rods on Fully Fitted (full width) carpets.
Curving Stair Rods
The following ranges can be bent, to suit curved stairs:
Premier (excluding Hanover), Country (PLAIN rods only), Vision, Crystal and Blacksmith.
Stair Rods FAQ's
Will our stair rods need polishing?
Our brass stair rods have a clear lacquer that prevents them from tarnishing. To clean, simply wipe with a damp cloth. DO NOT use metal cleaning products as this will damage the lacquer, causing tarnishing and damage to any finish you may have chosen.
Can stair rods be altered once ordered?
No. It is vital to carefully measure the rods before ordering to ensure the lengths are correct as they cannot be altered once they have been made.
Can the rods be used as the sole means of securing the carpet?
No, we strongly recommend that the carpet is installed by other means. Fitting the carpet correctly increases its lifespan and improves the safety of the stair case.
Cleaning and Maintenance for Premier Trims & Posh Trims
Polished Brass and Satin Brass: Trims can be left to age (oxidize) for a natural finish. To keep the brass like new and protect it from oxidation simply polish every few months using a very light acid treatment, like distilled malt vinegar, which contains only 5% acetic acid. It is worth noting that the longer stains are left unpolished, the more difficult stains are to remove. For highly tarnished Satin Brass and Polished Brass trims, try using the Salt and Lemon Method. The combination of lemon juice and salt can also break down oxidation, due to the intense combination of citric acid and sodium chloride. Simply cut a lemon in half, sprinkle salt on the moist surface and scrub the entire brass surface. Rub as hard as you can to slowly remove the tarnish.
Antique Brass and Antique Bronze: These finishes will darken with age and add to the aged effect. The ageing process is dependent upon several factors including installation location and atmospherics. To remove finger marks, as an example, use distilled malt vinegar as described above. We would certainly recommend avoiding use of any water based cleaning agents as this is very likely to accelerate tarnishing and can lead to staining and corrosion.
Chrome, Brushed Chrome, Satin Nickel, Polished Nickel and Pewter: Use distilled malt vinegar as described above.