Perfectly dismal weather outside, so I finally got started on replacing the balustrade at the top of our stairs. We have been meaning to replace our painted wood one with a natural oak one to match our floors that we put in about 5 yr. ago. I've had the millwork parts sitting around for over a year, but just never got around to it. Today, I began with building up the oak parts and removing the old one. It was going really well until it the half-newel came of the wall. Of course, it was glued to the drywall, so when it came off, it did some damage to the wall. I hadn't planned to have to do drywall repair, but, so be it. Now, we have put up a temporary blockade for a couple of days until the wall is fixed and we can put up the new balustrade.
It's a start, mike bayerl..... How will you anchor the post at this end of your pic? (at the top step) How did your parts do after sitting for a year? Nothing twisted up I hope?
I was planning to use this method. Stair Parts 3-1/2 in. Unfinished Red Oak Newel Attachment Kit-9400K-312-0000L - The Home Depot Do you have any better ideas? Also looking for ideas for rail to newel connections? I have the hardware for the standard bold system, but I open to other/better ideas.
Will you cap over the exposed area with a nosing or lay base rail straight to it? In other words, the mounting system in the link you provided appears to require some nice meat under it..... Now, the op shows a squared out notch in the OSB subfloor- were you planning on dropping the newel back in it?
I wasn't planning to put the newel through the bbottom board. It will be solid oak, 3/4" thick and 6" wide. Probably just Liquid Nails it to OSB subfloor
Ok. That's good. So the newel bracket kit will attach to this oak. Great. I might choose to attach that new oak board with something more than LN.... Some hidden fastening would greatly prolong the life of your new work.
Not a formal kit. The millwork shop that milled my flooring (HorstCraft Millworks, Richfield, PA), put together the pieces and parts for me, base board, full newel post, 1/2 newel post, spindles, hardware. He knows I can do the rest. They included the L-bracket newel post mounting hardware and standard hidden bolt hardware for the rails. As you said, I'm not wedded to the hardware they provided. I'm more about doing right, so it lasts the rest of my lifetime.
Finally got the railing and handrail mostly finished and installed. Still have to finish the moldings at the base of the newels. That's why they look so pale. schlot and Eric VW I wound up using the L-brackets and a hidden anchor system with a hefty bolt that happened to line up perfectly to anchor into the joist below. It's pretty dang solid! Got lucky with the half-newel and laggd it into a stud, too.
