Four years after building our home on an acreage outside of Edmonton, Alberta I am finally ready to install rails in the loft. A forge/blacksmith has traded stucco (My trade) for metal hand wrought rail panels. I wish to cap the panels top and bottom with Lodgepole pine. My worries revolve around design ideas, cracking of fresh product (we have a lumber mill nearby), bark removal and finishing, newel post design, tie in of panels to newel posts.
The panels are bracketed with 1/4″ by 1″ flatbar. I will be facing with Lexan to avoid building code issues in the area.
My thought of dadoing a groove in a 4″-5″ round straight pole is as far as my mind has taken me. Might not look so good on the bottom of panel though. Any feedback appreciated.
Replies
Get the poles home while green and bark them, then take the back for kiln drying.
When you get them back saw split them (or have the mill do it) down the middle and finish the flats and route your lexan slots in the curved side.
SamT
bump