Replies

1. 
   PaulParadis | Jan 14, 2004 08:29am | #1

   I just measure the posts taking into account their placement.   I have seen a sheet of plywood cut to "x" (probably ends up around 26"?)and about 36" long.  The plywood sits on top of the treads at a height that allows the rail to sit on top of it the achieve the desired rail height.  Just besure to use a level to check the plumb line and measure off the nosing to besure the rail height is correct. 

   We become by effort primarily what we end up becoming

    - Zig Ziglar

2. 
   Woodbutcher | Jan 25, 2004 10:15pm | #2

   For interior handrails:

   If you are using  the standard ol' stair rail brackets that most folks use, (Most brands are pretty much the same size and shape unless you get into unusually ornate and $$$$ stuff that is only availeble special order.)  Here is the method I use: 

   Just take your framing square and lay it flat against the wall with the short end spanning across the stair tead nosings and the long end pointing up perpendicular to the plane of the stairs.  move it up or down the plane of the stairs and while using your electronic stud finder to locate the stud , get it so that the very end of the square is over the stud. Mark that point.  That will be where you put the screw for the bottom hole of the stair rail bracket.  do this once on the top of the stairs and once at the bottom , tack a nail or screw in each of those marks and run a stringline between the two, locate studs for the other brackets and mark where the string crosses the stud in those locations. I usually have 4 or 5 brackets on a normal straight stairway. 

   Now install the brackets putting the bottom screw on the marks then eyeballing them upright and putting the two top screws in. 

   This method will put the top of the handrail at about 35"-36" above the nosing of the step.  We build to the regular nat. codes that most everyone else has which requires the handrail to be 34"-38" so mine falls right about in the middle. 

    This is a very quick and easy method and has the added benefit of making the handrail perfectly straight without any tweaking.  If my directions were too convoluted or hard to visualize, send me an e-mail and I will send you a scetch or two of what I am talking about.  Sorry, I can't figure out how to post stuff like that to this board,  I just barely have the ability to turn this stupid computer on and off.