Hello all….any help would be appreciated.
I need to put in a straight, 9′ railing (2.25″ oak rail, pickets into floor) that is anchored at one end (to a wall), but not anchored at the other end. You walk from the second floor along the railing, pivot 180 degrees around the un-anchored end to a set of stairs leading down.
A few questions….
1) I feel i should use a 5″ newel post properly secured to the rim joist for the upstairs landing rather than a 3.5″……the smaller one just seems like it would be unequal to the task (kids swinging around it to go downstairs)…..do you agree?
2) I assume i need a middle newel (also fastened to the rim) in the 9′ run, does breaking that 9′ rail into 2 sections weaken its strength for people pushing against it? Is it common to put in a middle newel but NOT break the run? (dont even know how that would work lol)
3) Does the middle newel need to be the 5″ type? or do i use a 3.5″? Is it common to vary newel sizes at ends vs. in the middles.
thanks everyone…..hope that was clear, i appreciate it.
Replies
The strength of the newels depends on the anchorage not the size. If you think 3.5" is not adequate try bending a 4x4. Secure it to the rim joist and provide blocking to keep it from twisting and you will be fine. I see no reason for an intermediate newel. A 9' oak hand rail won't flex if it is secured on both ends. It is not common to mix newel sizes nor is it common to put newels in the middle of a hand rail.
Thanks so much for that.....it wasn't so much about "bending" a 4x4, i thought there would be a lot more "beef" with a 5" after notching it around the rim joist....
Appreciate it
If you keep the joist from twisting it will be fine