Railing Spindle Spacing Calculator

Enter values and press the "Calculate" button to calculate the factors. Tolerance allows you to see whether a small violation in spindle spacing would save a spindle. Units are assumed to be in inches, but could be in any units if the decimal reulsts box is checked.

Fractions must be entered as decimal numbers (i.e. 3/4" = 0.75)

A nice calculator with images showing the calculations is available here: www.decks.com/calculators/baluster-spacing. The decks.com calculator can also calculate steps, where the spacing along the railing is increased by the cosine of the stair angle.

• Setting "Tolerance" greater than zero allows a violation in spindle spacing at the edges. For example, setting tolerance to 0.25 will allow a space from post to first spindle of 4.25 inches before adding another spindle.
• "Post to First Spindle Space" is the distance from the post to the edge of the first spindle.
• "Distance to Center Spindle" is the distance from the post to the edge of the center spindle. If there is an even number of spindles this is the edge of the spindle immediately right of center.

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