I’m installing a handrail on a staircase designed by a architech. From the landing up there is a turn-out, an up-easing, a run of stairs to a 180 degree double mitered return which ties into a upper balcony system. I wanted to put a post at the start of the second run for stability but was told it would clash with the round post. I’ve made the rail but it is pretty wobbly- any ideas as how to make it more stable. I’ve attached pics hope they come through
Edited 6/7/2007 11:29 pm ET by mathewson
Replies
a couple of thoughts.
1- I'm assuming you're going to throw a couple of wall rail brackets on there where it runs past the wall... that should help with the wobbly-ness problem.
2- I've run into this type of garbage before when an architect "designs" a rail that takes all sorts of jigs, jags, and jogs but thinks that it should somehow be just solid as an oak tree without any newells anywhere but the two ends. I guess he got his architects degree from hogworts acadamy. Now if only I had a magic wand to make something like that catually work.
You need to just be firm and expalin to him that regardless of what "look" he was going for, reality is reality and there needs to be a post there at the joint.
3- Hopefully somebody with more computer accumin than you and I will come along and re-size those photos so that we can actually view them. Not that I have any business critisizing you, I have no idea how to do that either.
mathewson,
Can you resize those pics. too big for many to open here.
Doug,
thank you .
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Mathewson
If the archy wants that type of rail then give it to him but tell him that you need to add some strength somewhere and as Mark mentioned, a rail to wall bracket of some sort would help take care of that problem.
Download Irfanview.com, works well to resize the pictures. Its free and real easy to use. I think there is a thread about this, if you need help just ask.
Doug
sorry about the size of the pics, they really are huge! Will asertain to make smaller in futher.
As for wall bracket, I already told architech he's going to have to live with it (you can see it in one of the pics). Thanks for the support
About all I can say is "Wow!" IMO, the best place for a wall bracket would be where the rail jogs in--I would have stuck that little "return" (90 degree change in direction) that's about a foot long right up against the wall and mounted it to the wall--who needs to get their hands behind it on that little piece!
Danno,
My Inspector.
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
Good answer--I guess he's the one who matters. One more case of the "letter of the law". That handrail is not graspable anyway, so I question the whole idea of having room between it and wall, but I'm not the inspector.
Nice work!
"...an open mind is a powerful thing. The ability to listen to others is invaluable."
Jim Blodgett