ᐅ Closing metal railings with drywall (?) – looking for advice!
Created on: 19 Mar 2026 19:30
C
chris2026C
chris202619 Mar 2026 19:30Hello everyone,
We have bought a house and now want to visually modernize the old metal staircase. I am planning two main tasks to do myself:
Railing cladding: The current metal railing (see photo) will be fully enclosed to create a smooth wall-like appearance. The steps and the open gaps (open staircase) should remain exactly as they are. The remaining metal framework will only be painted.
Drywall partition on the ground floor: The transition from the room to the staircase will be completely closed off with a drywall partition on the ground floor. The staircase going up will remain open, but the stairway down to the basement will have a door.
I am handy, but I have no experience with staircase cladding.
What is the best way to fix the stud frame to the metal without compromising stability?
How should I connect the cladding to the steps to make it look neat but allow for movement/prevent cracking?
I appreciate any tips beyond the questions asked, recommendations on materials, and especially warnings about common mistakes!
Thank you very much!
We have bought a house and now want to visually modernize the old metal staircase. I am planning two main tasks to do myself:
Railing cladding: The current metal railing (see photo) will be fully enclosed to create a smooth wall-like appearance. The steps and the open gaps (open staircase) should remain exactly as they are. The remaining metal framework will only be painted.
Drywall partition on the ground floor: The transition from the room to the staircase will be completely closed off with a drywall partition on the ground floor. The staircase going up will remain open, but the stairway down to the basement will have a door.
I am handy, but I have no experience with staircase cladding.
What is the best way to fix the stud frame to the metal without compromising stability?
How should I connect the cladding to the steps to make it look neat but allow for movement/prevent cracking?
I appreciate any tips beyond the questions asked, recommendations on materials, and especially warnings about common mistakes!
Thank you very much!
N
nordanney19 Mar 2026 21:36No idea how you could solve that. My gut feeling says it’s not feasible (possible on the ground floor, but the stair railing won’t work). Sorry.
Although, maybe welding braces—like with pre-wall bathroom elements—could work. But I can’t imagine it would turn out well or be stable.
Although, maybe welding braces—like with pre-wall bathroom elements—could work. But I can’t imagine it would turn out well or be stable.
J
Jesse Custer20 Mar 2026 07:40Oh – this will be challenging. My concerns:
- For the cladding of the railing, you have very little material to attach the thin rods to – in addition, the prominent corners lack rods, which would likely make the whole section unstable. In the end, you will basically have no choice but to first create a metal sheet that is welded to the top and bottom pipes. This can then be clad quite solidly. However, please keep in mind: you need a handrail – so if you want to create a “wall-like appearance,” you will now have to screw one to the wall...
- I didn’t quite understand the situation with the door. Will it then be exposed to open air? In other words, can you look around the corner behind it? Or is the stair railing supposed to be completely closed off toward the top, meaning the wall would extend all the way up?
We heard about a similar idea from our neighbors, who laughed at us during the construction phase because we had a solid staircase installed – but in the end, they gave up on it due to the effort involved...
- For the cladding of the railing, you have very little material to attach the thin rods to – in addition, the prominent corners lack rods, which would likely make the whole section unstable. In the end, you will basically have no choice but to first create a metal sheet that is welded to the top and bottom pipes. This can then be clad quite solidly. However, please keep in mind: you need a handrail – so if you want to create a “wall-like appearance,” you will now have to screw one to the wall...
- I didn’t quite understand the situation with the door. Will it then be exposed to open air? In other words, can you look around the corner behind it? Or is the stair railing supposed to be completely closed off toward the top, meaning the wall would extend all the way up?
We heard about a similar idea from our neighbors, who laughed at us during the construction phase because we had a solid staircase installed – but in the end, they gave up on it due to the effort involved...
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