Stair rails are an essential safety measure.
Stair railings are for more than just decoration; they provide stability for those traveling up and down the stairs. After years of use, many wood stairwells begin to come loose. The railing may feel wobbly or just seem slightly loose when force is placed on it. Such conditions will worsen over time and can become quite expensive to repair. As with many household projects, maintenance is the best option. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Understand the various components of a stair railing. The newel post is the main post at the bottom of the stair rail. Spindles are the rods between the stairs and the banister railing. Stair stringer is the wooden framework at the bottom of the railing. Stair brackets are the spaces for each spindle on the stair stringer. Dowels are small pieces of wood that are shaped like a pin and fit through the spindle's and stair stringer's holes to hold them securely in place.
2. Determine whether the rail is screwed into the wall's studs by running a stud finder against the wall. Whenever the stud finder beeps, a stud is behind the wall. If the railing is not screwed into the studs, attach the railing to each stud by drilling a lead hole with a drill, followed by a wood screw, through the railing into the wall.
3. Check each individual spindle and the newel post to verify a sturdy fit. If the newel post is loose, remove the bottom tread from the stairwell, drill a hole diagonally through the bottom of the stair stringer into the newel post and drive two 6-inch wood screws into the post. For a regular spindle, drill the hole straight into the spindle and use a 4-inch wood screw.
Tags: newel post, stair stringer, bottom stair, drill hole, into wall, railing Stair
