can anyone ID the wood in this vintage banister?

[Linnea Lahlum]

These banisters are in a house some friends bought. They asked me what wood it was, but I have not seen them in person, and I have a hard time judging from these. It looks like pine to me: but I've never SEEN banisters made of pine, only oak and hardwoods.




The house needs a lot of work; and they'll have to choose what needs replacement and what is worth keeping and refinishing. They are doing the work themselves, and there are only so many hours....




If they are just pine, I'll suggest replacing down the road once they get more important parts of the house done. If oak, maybe they can paint them or use a gel stain. Thanks for your help.

Sorry the photos are sideways. They were right side up on my computer.

[Jim Becker]

My initial guess would be heart pine.

[Bruce Page]

It looks like pine to me also.
Pine has been used in banisters and balusters for centuries.

[Scott Winners]

I agree it is too beat up to be oak, likely a pine but no idea which one. I lived in a 1912 build back east, decades ago. The oak (aniline dyed) bannister and balusters only went up to the first landing above the parlor. Everything up from there, including the up stairs window and door trims was all what looked to be eastern white pine. House was in Schenectady, New York.

[Bill Dufour]

Location might help with species choice,. It was probably local trees not imported from across the ocean unless you are on a island or a continent with few trees.
Aland islands?
Bill D.

[Howard Pollack]

Why does the species matter? If the owners like the banisters and they are not more beat up than they can tolerate why not just keep them? -Howard

[Mel Fulks]

I think a pic of the side would be helpful

[Mel Fulks]

I think it might be birch , lot of stair rail and newels are….

[Bill Dufour]

I would assume Linden or lime. Is this a trick question? Birch is common in Scandinavia.
Bill D.

[Charles Lent]

In the NE USA Beech is the common wood used for production railing parts and segments. In my last house, located in NY near the Hudson River, I purchased ready made rail, glued assembly turns, spindles, and ends from a better lumber yard and then installed the railing from 2nd floor to 1st floor myself. It wasn't easy, but turned out very well. I was told when I purchased it that it was Beech. It's very hard and a bit whiter in color than Birch, but I'm not certain about the rail in the photos. Mostly, it's that grain in the top center of the rail that makes me question what it is as that doesn't look like the Beech rail that I installed..

Charley