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fiberglass columns

Moncla | Posted in Construction Techniques on September 18, 2005 05:16am

I’m not a big fan of plastic houses but I’m building one right now.  There’s a lot of porch on this house and ,since the whole house is vinyl, I decided to use vinyl hand rails.  The handrails come with their own stainless steel screws and the columns that they will be mounted to are fiberglass. 

My vinyl guy said that he wanted to install the handrail for me and after he attempted to hang one section, he called me and said, “I can’t make no money on this job, screws keep snappin’ off”.  Aggravated, I told him I would do it and he could go on his merry way; this not being the first time he’s dissappointed me.

Before I start doing this myself I thought I’d ask for some advice.  I’ve built many wooden handrails over the years but have never messed with the vinyl ones.  These fiberglass columns seem to be particularly hard.  Is it just a matter of getting the perfect pilot hole size?  The vinyl guy said he tried different sized holes.  Also, he left me with a few holes nicely plugged with snapped off bits of stainless steel screws that I have to deal with.  Happy days!!

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  1. Notchman | Sep 18, 2005 05:59pm | #1

    Personally, I really like F/G structural columns.  (In the most recent home I built, the hollow columns provided a chase within which to hide the gutter downspouts.)

    I attach rails to the columns with a combination of screws and a polyurethane caulk/adhesive (I use 921 Vulkem, mostly because it's a great flexible sealant but also because it's a good adhesive....but there are other brands).

    I predrill the rails at an angle at what will be the bottom of the rail, then clamp a block to the column at what will be the top of the rail, have a helper hold the rail in position, then drill a pilot through the already-drilled rail into the column, using a bit sized for the threads of the screws.

    Then clean up all the surfaces, apply the caulk, and run in the screws.

    You can also prebuild the rail and ballister units and do, essentially, the same thing, but you'll probably have to screw from the top or sides.

    Some rail systems have mounting hardware as an option, which you'd mount to the columns and then drop the rail unit into the mounting brackets.  I've never used them, so can't offer any help there.

    BTW, sounds like your vinyl guy should stay with the vinyl until he learns about screwing.

    1. Moncla | Sep 18, 2005 06:08pm | #2

      I really like the fiberglass columns too.  Any idea for dealing with the snapped off screws.  Should I just try drilling them out and replacing them with a bigger screw or fill the new holes with epoxy and drill them out again?

      1. Notchman | Sep 18, 2005 06:20pm | #4

        If you have a roto-zip type tool or a dremel or a drill motor, you can run a bit in a couple of spots along side the screw to relieve it, then punch it on through with a nail punch....it shouldn't be in a visible spot, but if it is, you can spackle over it with something like Ben Moores vinyl Ext/Interior spackle.  The spackle is sandable and F/G columns are to be painted anyway, so defects can be made to disappear.

  2. Piffin | Sep 18, 2005 06:14pm | #3

    Caution

    All the FG or composite columns I have ever used had specific instructions and warnings about how to drill and what not to fasten to them. My memory is that the goal ios to have NO stress from structural fastening on the material. It is like glass to the degree that a stress point can develope into a crack that spreads, or even an exploding column. I have indeed had one column explode on me from stressing it, a $230 dollar OOPS. If already installed, I suspect the cost would be higher.

    so the idea was to drill an oversized hole and use a toggler type or plastic insert type screw wedge. This is to hold it in place while the adhesive sets, so the adhesive is doing more of the work while the screw holds the metal angle itself inwared.

    I used PL Premium but I have no doubt the Vulcum would do ti too.

    So plan carefully and seat all the metal angle brackets first so they can cure up overnight.

     

     

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