Thread: How to join timber handrail to post - advice needed please.

House them in and skew nail.

Others mileage may vary.

Ok so you mean cut / chisel out the end posts so that the handrail fits into it before skew nailing?

Yes, I've seen it done that way.

With that said... water eventually got in (after ~20-25 years) between the post and end of the rail - and the end of the rail rotted back a little bit! These were Jarrah 100 x 100 posts with 50 x 100 rails outdoors in the weather on my verandah in a 1200 mm annual rain fall area.

Someone else may have a better solution.

Because the housing out and rail fitment was a little rough and ready they caulked/filled the joint with a filler and painted over it which worked well enough for the 20 odd years.

In retrospect - had I cleaned the joints and re caulked them and repainted it to water proof the joints better at say year 10 - it may well have lasted far longer.

By ~25 years the skewed nails were rusting out & with the end rot on the rails some of the railings could slide sideways out of their housing if you leaned against it which wasn't a good thing...

I should have fitted new rails, re nailed and re - painted, but bye then I sold up & moved - so it became someone else problem!

Had we stayed it was on my "to do" list.

How long are you wanting this to last?

Originally Posted by Timless Timber

How long are you wanting this to last?

Oh about 20 years . Sounds like a reasonable solution as these are good sized hardwood timbers and will have cover from the elements (at least superficially). I'm going to oil them so wont be painted, but will make sure that I get plenty of oil in there. first. Nothing lasts forever, if I'm here in 20yrs I'll deal with it then .

Firstly, you want to seal any end grain whether it be the handrail or any checkouts. Joins trap water if it is able to get in in the first place. This can be done with exterior primer, mastic, etc,etc.

Secondly, use gal or stainless fixings and fastners.

I did stairs for many years and tried to avoid checked in details as much as possible. In place I'd skew fix with battern or hex head screws and plug the holes.

Craig

Originally Posted by CMB

Firstly, you want to seal any end grain whether it be the handrail or any checkouts. Joins trap water if it is able to get in in the first place. This can be done with exterior primer, mastic, etc,etc.

Secondly, use gal or stainless fixings and fastners.

I did stairs for many years and tried to avoid checked in details as much as possible. In place I'd skew fix with battern or hex head screws and plug the holes.

Craig

Thanks Craig. I'll use some of the stainless steel decking screws I have and I'll get some of that mastic (just looked it up). I'll try to find one that isn't too visible on the timber since it's not being painted over. If I check it in, coat with mastic and skew fix with stainless screws it should hold nicely.

I guess an alternative might be to thru bolt in both directions with say an 2 x 2 aluminium or galv steel angle underneath?.

You still have end grain on the hand rails but no checking in the posts...

Probably doesn't look as neat but MIGHT last longer, depending if the bolts are say cup head galvanized.

Just an alternative... maybe.

Originally Posted by a-bris-z

Thanks Craig. I'll use some of the stainless steel decking screws I have and I'll get some of that mastic (just looked it up). I'll try to find one that isn't too visible on the timber since it's not being painted over. If I check it in, coat with mastic and skew fix with stainless screws it should hold nicely.

Just squeeze a little on and spread it around and out to the edges with a spatula or similar. Don't need a big thick layer, just an even one that hides all the end grain. Good luck.

Craig