How to fit a newel post to a staircase
This advice is fairly basic as there are many different situations and locations for newel posts that can effect what needs to be done, the bottom of a stair, the return of a stair to a wall where a half post is required, open tread stairs etc etc.
A newel post is the more chunky vertical timber section that the handrails are fitted to.
This is more a job for a carpenter than a diy enthusiast but extra research on the internet may make things easier for you to understand.
- This advice is variable depending on whether you.....
- Use a newel post fixing plate as described below.....
- Dowel the new post in to the top of an existing and previously prepared newel post or.....
- Half check (rebate) the new post to an existing stair stringer or floor joist but read on.....
- Prepare the newel to your desired height.
- To secure the newel post on the floor, attach a metal mounting plate to its base. The metal mounting plate should be slightly larger than the base of the post and have four corner screw-holes which allow the post to be attached to the floor. Drill a hole in the middle of the post at the bottom. Make sure that the plate is square with the post, drill holes into the four corner holes, and screw in the mounting plate.
- With a carpenter's square, align an edge of the square to the edge of the staircase.
- Fill in the gaps between the floor and the mounting plate with thin wedges of wood (shim it) and glue the edges of the mounting plate.
- Drive screws into the floor through the mounting plate screw holes to fix the post to the floor.
Read our main Blog page or see our specific balustrade Blog for more directly related info.
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