Wooden stair rail
In addition to standard carpentry tools, the repair of staircase rails requires attention to detail. Furthermore, building codes require stair railings to rest at precise heights above the staircase, making accurate measurement and layout a necessity. Learn about the tools required to build a safe stair railing and choose the right ones for your project. Does this Spark an idea?
Tape Measure
A tape measure allows the stair rail repairman to measure and mark the location of the rail above the staircase, the location of stair rail brackets and the location of cuts on the replacement stair rail. For the purposes of stair rail repair, the tape measure's length must exceed the length of the stair rail.
Level
A carpenter's level, also called a "spirit level," allows the carpenter to determine the relative horizontal and vertical position of surfaces. The level consists of two basic parts: a thick, rectangular bar and a set of liquid-filled vials. Each liquid-filled vial contains an air bubble. As the bar turns, the bubble strives for equilibrium and indicates vertical or horizontal position relative to marks on the vial's surface. The level allows the carpenter to align a stair rail and brackets parallel to the slope of a stair case.
Chalk Snap Line
The chalk snap line lays out perfectly straight lines across distances, such as between separate stair rail brackets. The chalk snap line consists of two parts: a chalk-filled canisters and a string line. Coiled within the canister, the string line soaks up chalk. A carpenter and partner pull the line from the canister, pull it taut against a surface and snap the line to leave a chalk mark. When working on finished wall surfaces, such as the painted or wallpapered surfaces adjacent to a staircase, the canister may be filled with baby powder. Baby powder easily cleans from all types of wall finishes.
Power Drill
The average power drill pre-drills pilot holes for rail brackets and drives screws to fasten brackets. Equipped with a twist drill bit, the power drill bores through drywall, wood and metal. Equipped with a fastening bit, the power drill drives all types of screws through brackets and into pre-drilled holes.
Miter Saw
The miter saw, sometimes called a "chop saw," cuts stair railing to length. In addition to making straight cuts across a piece of stair railing, the miter saw cuts across railing at angle. Stair rail that stretches around corners requires angled or "miter" cuts to create smooth appearance. Powered by electricity, the miter saw spins a sharp-toothed, large-diameter blade to slice through wooden materials.
Tags: stair rail, rail brackets, power drill, stair rail, stair rail brackets
