So after a quick search I found some similar postings but they were not helpful for my situation.

I have a second floor hallway where I will be pulling up the carpet to install 3/4" thick oak hardwood. The problem is, there is an existing rounded edge railing/baluster base plate and since I have an "open" staircase on one side and an "open" foyer on the other, it leaves me with two rounded base plates in one section of the hall. I have attached photos for clarification. I have read about running tight against one side but this doesn't seem to be an option in my circumstance. Because of the overall size of my hallway and having several turns, I would rather not rip out the existing railing setup.

Also, this is going to be my first hardwood install!

Thanks for any help.

So my question wasn't very clear, what do i do around the rounded base plate? Do I leave an expansion gap and put some type of molding (maybe T-type)? The railing base plate seems to also be about 3/4".

How about shoe molding? The same treatment that's used at the bottom of room baseboards when you don't want to remove the baseboard before installing hardwood flooring.

I can't see anyone placing moldings in these areas. All jobs I've been involved with were net fit all around, but I've never been involved in a wide plank install scenario. Nobody would accept it otherwise. This job would bug the heck out of me just seeing those round overs as nothing is going to look right in it's current state.

That's a real thinker. Hopefully others have ideas and may have dealt with such a situation. Maybe the base plate can be squared off to give a better overall appearance. Straight edge and circular saw? If the saw can get past the newel posts. Not a DIY project in my opinion as straightness is paramount.

If the flooring runs perpendicular you'll get nill expansion, but there isn't one dimension in those photos.

Hey guys, thanks for the help so far. I will be using 2-1/4 width hardwood, 3/4" thick.

The joists would run perpendicular to the boards in the area with baluster base plates on are on each side (first photo). In the rest of the hall, there is a baluster base plate only on one side and dry wall on the other.

Could I run tight against the baluster base boards everywhere and just leave an expansion gap along the wall where available? Or am I still running the risk of expansion in the area with baluster base boards on each side?

I agree Ken, straight cut would probably be best but there's not much room to get a saw in with the posts.

Any other thoughts would be appreciated.

I also did a 2 1/4" X 3/4" t&g red oak install. The manufacturer's directions called for expansion gap on obstructions parallel to floor boards and said no expansion gap necessary perpendicular to floor boards. Check your manufacturer's install instructions......may be the same as mine. If I understand correctly your flooring will be perpendicular to the ballusters in the area with ballusters on both sides. If that is true and your manufacturer doesn't need expansion gap then you could do a net fit between the ballusters. I'm a DIYer and most of the responses I got from pros asking about doing net fit flooring said it would be tedious and difficult and I'd probably have to rip the bottom tongue off boards to get them to fit. I did it and it wasn't bad at all and no bottom tongues were lost in the process. I had to cut boards to exact lengths and re-cut end grooves with a slot cutting bit on a router table but everything is nice and tight. If you need to do undercutting try an oscillating multi tool.

Another thought...if you're going to net fit to the rounded baseplates what about a cove cut on the end of the floor boards to match the round over on the baseplates? Or how about a router mounted to a wide base that you could push along the floor to square off the baseplate? Or router mounted to a wide base and use a rabbeting bit or slot cutting bit to undercut the baseplate so the floor could fit under the baseplate?

just finish right up to it..it will be fine..no need for expansion gaps..its oak molding as well..all will expand together..been up agains this many times and looks fine when done..The roundover is only on the edge..

you can always cut a slight bevel on starter and closing boards but you will see its not necessary.

JIMMIEM - That is correct, the flooring will be perpendicular to the ballusters in the area with ballusters on both sides.

Thanks for the router idea, I may try that if it looks strange during mock-up.

JamesTRD- Thanks for the advice based on your experience.

I will take some photos when I pull up the carpet and place a few boards next to the baseplate.

Good idea. If the top of a floor board meets the baseplate at a vertical spot on the baseplate then you're good to net fit. The baseplate looks to be 3/4" thick??? If so your flooring will be level with the top. But you'll know for sure when you pull up some carpet.

It's going to look bad if you butt up to it with those rounded edges.
I have seen people use a t-molding there.
However I would take out the spindles and install the new flooring under them. I usually install the spindles right into the flooring it gives it a clean look I think.
To do it correctly that's what I would do.

I can see where James is coming from there, but I'm thinking it's probably going to be far more than just a slight bevel to cover. Then we haven't even considered how flat that area is. One high floor joist...and...well... you'll get the idea as you go along. Those little things always get to me.

What about putting a cove on the end of the floor board that will fit the baseplate bevel? That way the floor board will butt the baseplate with no gap.

I'm I the only one that that if it were my house, would take out the balusters and the base plate and install with a stairnose on the edges, then reinstall the balusters directly to the wood flooring??

As the other poster suggest, the base plate is just another piece of wood, if you go flush net to the base plate, there will be no harm as long as your wood is at your regions average moisture content levels(don't acclimate during the heating season, unless for some odd reason the wood is really wet)

Another maybe option, once you get the carpet up, is to see if the base plate is shimmed up(many built around here are) If you lay the wood flooring up next to it there is a difference in height. If so, you can undercut the base plate.