Hello everyone. I am trying to find out the best way to install 2 newell posts for a stair install. The first three and a half treads are open, and at the fourth tread the rails will terminate into blocks installed on interior walls. The framing has been done so that at this point the newell posts will be past the end of the treads. I am planning on installing some padding to bring the framing out further to compensate for this. Now my real question is, is it acceptable to install the newell post on top of the 1st tread? I think I have seen it done but can’t remember. The newell posts that were purchased by the GC (and already painted) aren’t tall enough to run from the finish floor and get the required 36″ handrail height. I hope I have provided enough info. Any pics of similar installs? Thanks!
Dustin
Replies
If you just need to make the pre-fab newels longer, why not box out a pedestal for it to sit on? Use a good finish material, step it out about 3/4" all around, and transition it with a basecap molding so it looks nice (not clunky).
Here's a photo showing the idea.
Would this approach be possible with what you've got to work with?
As far as putting the newel on the first tread, I'm not sure whether the jerks at the city would let you get away with it; Someone might get hurt, you know. <gag> Anyway, you'd need to look into that possibilty if it's inspected.
I like that... you build it?
The white-painted newel is original work. I did build the one in the photo below, however, and patterned the geometry largely after the painted newel. It's all floating panel construction, and fits over a structural 4x4 core. I'm really happy with the way it turned out.
Incidentally, I had the handrail custom milled from a profile in a 1910 catalog. The handrail has since become so popular that the lumberyard now carries it as a "stock" item. Too bad I can't get a royalty or something like that -- I had to shell out a couple of hundred bucks for the knives!
That's even purdier! Nice work!
Hate to hijack, but that is nice work!!. What kind of wood?ADH Carpentry & Woodwork
Quality, Craftsmanship, Detail
Thanks for the compliment! It's Douglas fir -- I set aside some of the old growth finish trim that I come across from time to time. It's a flat-grain cut that stains very nicely. The photo's a tad out of focus or something and doesn't really do justice to the beautiful figuring in the grain of the wood.
Drop dead gorgeous!
I've got an idea!
Why not let the GC who bought the wrong posts replace them with the right ones to do the job and get inspected? His miistake - his nickle to fix it.
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Thanks for the responses guys. I don't think the contractor will be into eating the materials, but I could put a call into the realtor fronting the money-and signing my check. However, I don't want to start any static, so I'll probably end up trying something along the lines of what ragnar has suggested. I think something like that may work. I probably have enough newell length to lag to existing stringers, notch tread to receive newells, and still be able to pad out the stringers to get enough length from the treads to catch the rails. More info to come.
Dustin