DIY Interior Railing

Mark the position of the handrail on the wall by making a small mark on the wall every 12 inches at the correct height. The handrail should be the same height as the banister of handrail along the opposite wall. If there's no railing on the other wall, follow local building codes for determining the height.

Snap a chalk line along the marks to mark the position of the handrail onto the wall.

Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs inside the wall, and mark their location along the chalk line.

Hold the brackets for the handrails on the wall where you will install them over the studs. Drill pilot holes into the wall through the screw holes on the brackets.

Measure the handrail and cut it to the correct length with a circular saw.

Place a handrail into a miter box and cut the end at a 45-degree angle. Repeat for the other end.

Cut two small pieces of handrail out of the leftover railing. You will use these as returns. Cut one end of each return at a 45-degree angle with the miter box. The returns will run between the wall and the end of the handrail.

Apply carpenter's glue to the end of the handrail and place the return onto it to form a right angle. Drive two finishing nails through the return and into the handrail. Repeat this with the other end of the railing, wiping away any excess glue. Allow the glue to set per the manufacturer's instructions.

Finish the surface of the handrail. You can either apply a coat of primer and paint it or apply stain. Allow the surface to dry.

Attach the mounting brackets by screwing them to the wall through the pilot holes.

Attach the railing to the brackets. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the hardware you purchased, but generally you'll place the handrail in position on top of the brackets, then place the fasteners on the bottom edge of the handrail over the brackets and drive screws into the bottom of the handrail through holes in the fasteners. You may want an assistant's help with this step.