A parish I know of removed the altar rails and used parts of then as the bases for a main altar in the church, as well as a smaller altar in a daily Mass chapel.  Once the wood was stripped and varnished, it was gorgeous.  When the church was built a hundred years or so ago, it had a separate daily Mass chapel dedicated to St Anne.  At some time in the 40's it had been turned into a sacristy.  About 25 years ago it was turned back into a daily Mass chapel again and the new altar was placed there.