In message , Harry
Bloomfield writes
Stuart Noble explained :
wrote:
Hopefully this isn't a strange question, but the balusters on the
staircase in my house are boarded over on both sides with plywood. I
don't know when this when done (looks like it's been like that for
years), but what I'm wondering is if I strip the plywood boards off,
what will I find underneath? Will it be nice balusters from the late
1930's (when the house was built), that need sanding down and a lick
of paint, or could there actually just be a few supporting balusters
because the plywood was put on when the staircase was originally built
(i.e. it was the fashion back then).

In this area square balusters were all the rage in the 30s.

Ours is a 1940's semi and was covered. On removing the panels the
balusters were just plain square and unevenly spaced. So my thoughts
were that the hardboard was put on at the original time of build. It
was panelled over and then wood trim neatly installed over the top of
that.

Surely the finish (or not would indicate whether or not they were.

If painted, or like ours some sort of stain/varnish then it indicates
they were originally exposed
--
Chris French