When browsing our website, you’ll find that there is an Abbott-Wade newel post cap to suit every type of staircase, in every style of home. Our extensive range of bespoke products allows us to offer our customers a stair newel post cap to suit any requirement, whatever design they have in mind!

As we can provide and install everything from glass staircases to the finest spindles for wooden staircases, hardwoods to handrails and newel posts to newel caps, it’s easy to see why the masses turn to Abbott-Wade when it comes to ensuring that they receive a unique staircase that is the perfect fit for their needs and wants.

Here we’ll provide some information about each style of newel post cap, along with images of each type in use in a staircase that has been designed and installed by the expert team here at Abbott-Wade.

What is a newel post cap?

The posts at the top and bottom of a flight of stairs are called newel posts, and the decorative elements that adorn the tops of these posts are known as newel caps.

Whilst not essential to the function of a staircase, newel caps are an attractive addition to your staircase that will complete the look you’re going for.

In the majority of cases, the newel cap and newel post are manufactured from the same type of wood, but this is not a necessity. Newel posts are available in a wide range of styles and materials and are an affordable way to personalise your staircase, creating either a classic or unique look.

At Abbott-Wade, our broad service allows us to offer a large selection of newel post caps in addition to our range of handrail and balustrade styles. These are available in a range of hardwoods or painted finishes to suit both modern staircase ideas and those that are a little more traditional.

There are many factors that add an individual touch to our bespoke staircase installations. By offering our customers different styles, colours and materials for our many stair parts we can ensure that every staircase we install fits perfectly into its surroundings.

How many newel post caps do I need?

Newel posts are necessary on a staircase each time it changes direction, and you’ll need a newel post cap for each post. This means that the number of newel posts and caps you need will vary significantly depending on the design of your staircase. To comply with health and safety regulations, newel posts are also required on balconies of eight feet or longer. So, for example, if your balcony is 16 feet long, you will need three newel posts. On the other hand, if your balcony is 18 feet long, you’ll need four newel posts – if only three were used then the distance between each would be more than eight feet.

If you’re constructing your staircase yourself, you should also check local building codes for any additional requirements. However, if you choose the experts at Abbott Wade to install your staircase, we’ll ensure that all aspects of your staircase design comply with building regulations.

Different types of newel post caps

At Abbott Wade, we have many varieties of newel post caps to complement an array of staircase designs. Here are some examples of the ones we have available:

Flat Bullnose Newel Caps

Simple yet perfect for the modern staircase, our most popular newel post cap is the flat bullnose cap which pairs beautifully with our square and contemporary twisted newel posts. Our bespoke service means we’ll make sure the cap fits – even if you opt for an oversized newel!

      

Pyramid Newel Caps

Our beautifully crafted pyramid newel post caps add elegant detail to the newel top and compliment addition features such as the subtly bevelled edges of our stop chamfered newels which soften the sharper joins between two faces of the post.

       

Ball Newel Top

A more traditional stair post cap found in many period homes is the ball cap. This classic newel top is most commonly found atop turned newel posts.

        

Acorn Newel Cap

Appearing as the name would suggest, acorn newel tops are typically combined with traditionally turned newel posts in classically styled period homes.

turned oak renovation turned newels

Shaped Newel Posts

One option is to do away with a newel cap altogether and have a bespoke shaped top on the newel.

 

Continuous Handrail

A continuous handrail eliminates the need for stair post caps as the handrail flows continuously and uninterrupted over spindles and posts from the bottom to the top with a series of curved components often ending in a flourish called a volute.

   

Stainless Steel Balustrades

As with a continuous handrailsteel staircase balustrades do not require newel post caps and the rails continue over the top of the baluster posts and therefore no capping is required to decorate the posts.

No Newel Post

New flights with a frameless glass balustrade also do not require a newel cap option as the absence of newel posts make them redundant. While newel posts are a structural component in a standard staircase, our bespoke staircases can be custom manufactured without the need for you to see them by opting for a new flight with frameless glass or our continuous handrail as pictured below!

  

Square Newel Post

Our square stair post cap options are a contemporary style of newel with clean defined edges which pair beautifully with flat newel caps and contemporary glass balustrades.

      

Stop Chamfered Newel Post

The chamfered edges of these newel post caps soften the sharp corners of a square newel by creating a transition between in the faces which narrows as it meets the arris. Stop chamfered newel posts bridge the gap of a modern square newel post cap and the turned newels popular in more traditional staircases. They are finished best with an Abbott-Wade pyramid newel cap and look equally at home when paired with glass or stop chamfered spindles.

     

Turned Newel Post

Turned newel posts are most commonly associated with traditional staircases in period homes. They are often finished with a traditional ball cap or as a component in a continuous handrail as shown in the darker sapele and painted examples below.

       

Grooved Newel Post

Our square bespoke newel post caps can be customised with a single or double horizontal groove to add individual flair. This can works beautifully with almost any balustrade from glass to steel or even with matching grooved spindles.

Fluted Newel Post

In addition to our grooved newels, we also offer bespoke fluting with vertical grooves in both newel posts and spindles which can be suited to various styles. The images below feature both oak and painted newels paired with timber and forged steel. Read More.

Twisted & Sleek Newel Post

For an ultra-modern newel post consider our Sleek and Sleek-Twist newels which are available in oak or painted timber. This stair post cap can be paired with a range of balustrades but often look at their finest with matching Sleek or Sleek-Twist spindles.

Open-tread with twisted newel Sleek oak newel & spindles Sleek spindles with bespoke tapered newels tapered skeel newel post with pyramid cap

Steel Baluster Post

Steel staircases have become increasingly popular in recent years with homeowners looking for a very contemporary style. Abbott-Wade offers stainless steel baluster posts and rails in both polished and brushed finishes as pictured below. These are often mounted onto a timber stub-newel (see the black staircase pictured below) but can also be mounted to the side of the outer stringer as pictured in the walnut & glass staircase (below).

Painted & Stained Newel Post

As well as being available in a range of hardwood such as oak, walnut, sapele, ash and maple, all our newels are also available in a range of bespoke stained and painted finishes. Choose from one of our range of carefully selected colours or take advantage of our bespoke colour compliment service.

      

Round Newel Post

Our bespoke staircase service means that we always endeavour to create the perfect staircases for our customers. These round newels were custom manufactured for this bespoke helical staircase to meet the customer’s bespoke design specification.

Newel Post Construction

The Abbott-Wade M8 newel post is our favoured newel and coveted by our competitors because the 8mm precision mitred faces provide 4 perfect oak faces without any visible joins which are evident in the laminated 2-piece newels used by other staircase companies.

What’s more, this is not what you’ll hear others describe as a ‘wrapped post’ because such substantial pieces oak surround the oak core meaning there is no risk of the mitred joints separating.

Most importantly, however, this specially engineered post is the most environmentally sustainable solid oak post we’ve found.

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Customers understandably prefer the appearance of oak comprised of lighter grains with fewer blemishes. Oak however is a natural product and tones, grains and colouring can vary considerably. Standard 2-piece laminated newels cannot use these parts of the oak tree for aesthetic reasons despite having the same properties as the rest of the tree and are therefore rejected meaning large quantities of the slow growing oak hardwood are wasted. Our M8 newels use this part of the oak within its core where it provides the structural integrity and strength required while encased by the most handsome oak producing a more aesthetically pleasing, solid oak post with less wasted oak. It is just another aspect of our environmental commitment as a responsible and ethical family business.

More Bespoke Options

Because we offer a bespoke service, from time to time customers come to us with a distinctive idea in mind for their stair post caps such as shaped newel tops or a stainless steel cap. We’re always happy to accommodate these ideas as best. So if you have a style in mind you like elsewhere, even if you’ve not seen it in our standard range – just get in touch with our team today to find out more!

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