DeWALT has announced Stan Foster from Paxton, Ill., as the winner of the Top 17 Finish Carpenters competition. Foster received the most online votes for his project.   

Foster built a dual stairway for his Top 17 finish carpentry project. Each section of the stairway turns 90 degrees and has curved handrails that connect the two stairways as they begin at the basement level and extend to the second level of the building. His final project can be viewed atwww.DEWALT.com/Top17.    

More than 150 finish carpenters nationwide entered the contest as a way to showcase their precision, craftsmanship and woodworking skills. Participants submitted a plan to build a project in one of three categories: mantles, built-in cabinets or custom stairs. Entrants also had to submit three images of prior work in their chosen category. A panel of DeWALT judges selected the Top 17 Finish Carpenters, each of whom received a tool package of new DeWALT woodworking tools.   

During the second phase of the contest, the final 17 used the tool package to complete their projects and posted their progress online. Visitors voted for their favorite project.    

A 20-year veteran in the industry, Foster is the owner and operator of Stan's Stair Shop in Paxton, where he specializes in custom curved stairways.