Need ideas for a removable newl post
reinvent
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I have a client that has a short section of railing (abought 3′) that goes from a wall to a small turned newel. It needs to be rebuilt because it’s ready to come apart.
I suggested rebuilding it in such a way as to be removable so that large furniture could be more easily moved up and down the stairs.
How would you attach the newel to the floor so that it was nice and solid without having ugly angle iron supporting it. Do you think using a threaded rod going up through the center of the newel and tightened down with a nut and washer would be sufficient? I would put it under a removable turned cap.
Any clever ideas are welcome. If you have pics of something you have already built, even better!
Replies
I would think the threaded rod would work real well. Tom Silva of "This Old House" does it that way and it looked pretty sturdy.
I did one a few years ago on a landing for a set of "scissor" stairs. I bolted through the bottom of the newel in two directions, recessed the heads on the bolts and covered them with ornamental metal covers. The bolts held it all tight.
If you are concerned about the look of exposed angle, try to find a way to route it into the bottom of the newel and cover it with a piece of wood that matches the newel.
Good luck
Don K.
EJG Homes Renovations - New Construction - Rentals
There is a kit available around here. Real simple, but used it last year and it worked well on a 4x4 newel on top of fir flooring.
Basically a bolt, app. 6" long, half of it being a 1/2" lag, the other a standard 1/2 threaded machine bolt. Washers and nuts, of course.
Drill for the lag, double nut and screw it into (preferably) a beam or joist. I think that if you weren't on solid wood, I'd just use ready-rod through a reinforcing, say a 2by or 4x4 if you can get at the underside.
Drill up through the base of the newel, and through the side of the same. The hole through the side is about 2". Big enough to turn a box wrench. The plug was cut from similar wood with a hole saw.
Luck
Alan
I would use the threaded rod method. There are a few methods to use. It seems like it might be a good idea to have the rod removable so it is not in the way. If you have solid framing below the post use the 1/2" hanger bolt Alan mentioned and put a sleeve nut (coupling nut? I don't know what they call them) on the hanger bolt to join the threaded rod to the hanger bolt.
There is another option for securing the threaded rod to the floor with a steel plate but it would require putting the plate below the finished floor. Either flush with the underlayment if the floor is carpeted or flush with the subfloor if it's hardwood. E-mail me if you need more info., life's too busy to spend as much time here as I'd like.
Woody