Is a Wood or Metal Railing More Expensive?

For balusters, simple iron is usually cheaper than wood: our plain iron balusters start under $2, while wood balusters run about $4 to $25 each. Decorative iron styles cost more, from about $11 to $70 each. The handrail and newel posts cost about the same either way, since most iron railings still use a wood handrail.

By Douglas Lovin, owner of Cheap Stair Parts, 20+ years in stair parts · Updated 10/22/26

Baluster Prices: Wood vs. Iron

Real prices from our store as of October 2026:

Baluster	Price each
Simple iron: twist, knuckle, plain bar	About $2 to $5
Decorative iron: Tuscan Hammered, Heights, Linéa	About $11 to $18
Premium iron: Wentworth, SoHo, scrolls	About $40 to $70
Wood, plain square	From $3.96
Wood, classic turned	From $6.03
Wood, large 1-3/4″ turned	$24.56

For a typical staircase with 39 balusters, see the full breakdown in the cost to replace wood balusters with iron.

Wood vs. Iron: Pros and Cons

	Iron balusters	Wood balusters
Look	Modern, thin, lots of styles	Classic, traditional
Strength	Steel, thin but very strong	Thicker to be as strong
Finish	Powder coated, no painting needed	Needs paint or stain, and touch-ups
Durability	Doesn’t dent, crack or chip easily	Can dent, split or get scuffed
Matching	Pairs with any wood handrail	Can be stained to match the handrail

Which Is Better?

For most homes today, iron. It’s stronger, it doesn’t need painting, and it’s the most popular look. Wood still makes sense if you want a fully traditional staircase, or you’re matching existing wood balusters. Either way, the handrail is usually wood. Shop iron balusters or wood balusters.