Problem: Your staircase has no rail and poses a safety risk.
Solution: You can install a hand rail using premanufactured products.
Materials list:
compound miter saw
power sander
sanding block with sandpaper
drill with driver bit, spade bit, countersink bit, and drill bits for wood and masonry
clamps
measuring tape
ratchet and socket set
flat-head screwdriver
dust mask
safety glasses
rail materials including rail, gooseneck, up-easy, brackets and decorative rosettes.
* A rosette is the architectural ornament that the mounting bracket is attached to.
* The gooseneck and up-easy are used for extending rails around corners.
- Center the mounting bracket on a rosette and mark the locations for the screws on the wall. Then mark the locations for the toggle bolts.
- Use a countersink bit to drill holes for the toggle bolts, and drill pilot holes for the bracket screws.
- Create a template to establish the positions of the brackets.
* Attach a bracket to one rosette and attach a short test piece of rail to the bracket.
* Position the template so that the top of the rail is 32" from the front of the step.
* Mark the location of the rosette.
* If the walls are concrete, use another rosette as a guide to start the pilot hole. Use a small masonry bit first, and finish with a larger bit.
- Secure all the rosettes to the wall using toggle bolts or lag screws, as appropriate. The supports should be placed no more than 4' apart.
- Attach the rail bracket to the rosette with wood screws.
- If you're going around a corner, you'll need to use a gooseneck and up-easy, which are connected using wood glue and combination lag bolt/machine screws.
* Create a template using a thin slice of rail with a hole drilled in the center approximately 1" from the bottom. Mark the ends you plan to join and drill a 1/4" hole in one piece and a 3/8" hole in the other piece.
* On the piece with the smaller hole, center a 15/16" spade bit on the bottom of the rail, 15/16" from the end, and drill a hole 1-1/2" deep.
* Secure two nuts on the machine end of the lag screw and use the socket wrench to screw the lag end into the 3/8" hole. Apply wood glue on the surfaces being joined. Remove the nuts and slide the bolt into the other piece. Thread on the washer and nut, then use a screwdriver to tighten the nut (the nut has slots that allow you to tighten it with a screwdriver).
- Assemble the remaining pieces of the rail and install it on the brackets.
* Before you make your final assembly, dry-fit the rail to be sure it fits properly. You may need an assistant to help you with both the dry-fit and the final assembly.
- Use a power sander to sand the edges of the rail. Finish up using a block sander with fine-grit sandpaper.
- After the rail is in place, you can paint or stain it.
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