Newel Posts are UP...and the Staircase is Almost in Service!

Let's go ahead and talk about the status of our staircase.  Like I said before, our friend Jared is the main carpenter behind all of this work.  My initial goal was to write about the entire process from the demo, to the building, to the staining and finishing.  WELL, that's not going to happen unfortunately.  The building was a way larger project than I can even comprehend.  I tried my hardest to keep up with Jared and figure out what he is measuring and cutting and why...but I couldn't.  So basically, the idea that I had that I could become a carpenter during the demo was completely shot down when we (I mean Jared) started building.  BUT, Tony and I were able to do the staining and sanding and finishing!!  So we can say that we did contribute in some small way. 

Below is the last picture that you saw on the progress of the stairs.

I do remember some of the basic steps that happened and will talk about those....there's like a total of 3.  Now that the demo is done, it's time to first put up the newel posts that Tony and I had decided on.  I knew that I wanted to go with the thicker, boxier ones because I like the country look to it.  Now some people may think that the look isn't "country," but I am just saying that I do.  The modern-country feel is what we are trying to go for during this process of turning our house into a "home."

Before Jared could place the first newel post he needed to cut some of the laminate wood floor.  As you can see below by his trace marks, the newel post is thicker than the space where the half wall was.  Obviously if he didn't cut back the floor then the newel post would be crooked.  

  After the wood was cut back, then the first newel post was placed!

The first newel post was the easiest to place compared to the other 2.  The cutting and measuring that needed to be done for the last 2 was where I got lost.  The only thing that I really remember is that to make the railing to "code" it needs to be between 34-38 inches high.  We decided on the 36 inches high.  

I do have some picture of the process, I just can't explain what the heck he was doing.  So below are pictures of Jared working hard and me unfortunately watching because I was lost after step 3...  

 Jared and the awesome suspender tool belt of course!

Below is a picture of the other two newel posts.  We ordered 3 total newel posts.  Jared measured the third newel post and a bunch of different angles on the wall so he could cut that one down to size so it would be flush against the wall.

All the newel posts are officially up!....

Also, if you're looking at the above picture and wondering why he made the top 2 newel posts go down along the wall and not cut that piece off, well it's because of me.  I wanted a thick border below the staircase because I thought it would give it a more modern country look.  Below is a picture of the border ...

 I really like the look that it adds.  Jared has done such an amazing job so far!  Now, the work that needs to be done is work that Tony and I are actually doing ourselves!  And it's our first time doing it!  Tomorrow I will be talking about the staining and finishing process with the polyurethane.  We have already screwed it up once so lets hope we don't screw it up again...Stay tuned....

Here's a little bonus too...  This adorable picture I took of our malshi, Biggs, the day we screwed up our one job Jared gave us during this whole project.   

 ...that little spec to the left, that's Biggs running down his hill in his yard.  As frustrated as I was that day, this image right here brings me back and reminds me why we wanted to buy a house.  Makes me think, if I can love this animal sooo much, I can't even comprehend the love I am going to have for our future children...