We started the back room addition to our house back in the Spring of 2015, which was seven years ago. I remember showing the contractor the new front stair railing I had just built. I was so proud of it. His first comment was "Is it code?" "Code?" I asked? Yes, are the balusters spaced according to code?" Yikes I never thought of that. I just spaced them by eye. Turns out that the spacing is important so that children cannot get their heads through the spindles! Fortunately the spacing was OK. Whew! Well, it is seven years later and my handrail is rotting from the bottom up! When I bought the parts including the handrail, there was only one kind, made of hemlock. My failure, which I now know, was that when I fastened the bottom of the handrail to the newel post, I used a lag bolt that runs through the newel post. What I failed to do, was to use construction adhesive as well. That would have made that joint waterproof. Instead, the water seeped in the crack over time, even though it has two coats of paint. Then the water wicked up into the hemlock grain and started rotting the handrail, probably a year ago. So I have bought a new handrail, but this time it is red oak, and I will also use construction adhesive to seal the end grain. This time I will do it right!
3 comments:
You amaze me with your continuous projects and research. A little bit of it may be the Clarke gene and the rest is your ambition for perfection.
Joan
I would bet the typical carpenter does not prime, paint or apply glue to the end grain of wood handrails. And in your case, premature rot, I believe, has more to do with the quality of lumber coming from places like Lowes and Home Depot. Remember, "Tiny" at the Shelby, North Carolina lumber yard? I bet he would have supplied you with something that might last twenty five years or so (without priming, painting or gluing). They just don't make trees like they used to! That's my story and I'm sticking with it.
PS: I had the identical issue with the handrail on the front steps of our house after about fifteen years (the handrail was definitely not primed, painted or glued).
I do remember your project to replace the old handrail. It's too bad you have to redo it but you learned something in the meantime. Good luck on this project! betsey
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