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Discussion Forum

Small thin screws to repair balusters

TMagda | Posted in General Discussion on November 30, 2008 10:36am

Hi,

I have many loose balusters on my staircase. They appear to be just glued into place and the glue has let go on several. At first I thought I would either reglue them or toe nail through the bottom. Not sure regluing will work and sort of afraid to nail and risk splitting the baluster. Replacing a split one would be a much more involved repair. Would using screws be better? It seems to me that screwing the bottom of the baluster into the base trim would make a stronger more permanent repair. I thought I remembered seeing some very thin screws, like brads, made just for this purpose but I cannot find them anywhere. Any advise?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

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Replies

  1. User avater
    basswood | Nov 30, 2008 10:42pm | #1

    You may be thinking of "trim-head" screws. I prefer these:

    http://www.grkfasteners.com/en/TRIM_0_information.htm

    1. TMagda | Nov 30, 2008 10:47pm | #2

      Exactly, thank you very much.

  2. DanH | Nov 30, 2008 11:10pm | #3

    Yep, "trim-head" screws. Available under several brands with phillips or square-drive heads, and from GRK with the spline drive heads. The GRKs are more expensive but pretty much break-proof, whereas other brands may snap on you if driven into hardwood without a proper pilot hole.

    (Drill pilot holes in any case, to minimize wood splitting.)

    The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one. --Wilhelm Stekel
  3. Piffin | Dec 01, 2008 12:34am | #4

    GRK has screws down to #4 size or possibly less.
    But you still want to predrill for something like this.

    Myself, I would be more likely to try drilling to inject chairlok, epoxy, or another glue depending..... and see how that does first.

    How old is this stairset? The older ones were probably done with hide glue.

     

     

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    1. User avater
      Sphere | Dec 01, 2008 01:07am | #5

      Like minds think agreat..I was gonna suggest the various available cyanoacrylate ( super glues) as a repair medium. I dis like epoxy for the fix ( we've had this discussion once before here, not you and I , but another poster) due to the permanance of the repair. If and when it fails, it is so contaminated that a new repair is much harder to execute properly. Cyano is reversable by saturating with Acetone, and then reassembly is possible without the associated abrasion of removing the epoxy.

      I also think trim screws in an antique or other fine work is butchery. Yes, they WOULD have used them back then IF they had them, but they DIDN'T..so...follow what was done to begin with, maybe use a better grade adhesive( and clamps) and possibly a few brads.

      I'd much rather follow a semi bad repair that is FIXABLE, then some bozo that slobbered epoxy or PL and hardend screws.  Simply knowing that your work MAY have to be "Adjusted" in the future, dictates that you don't make it a do or die repair.

      I speak from old Phila. homes, circa 1700's that had rails and balusters that would make you drool. no offense intended to you or the OP.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

      Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

       

      They kill Prophets, for Profits.

       

       

      1. TMagda | Dec 01, 2008 01:36am | #6

        The house is only ~6 years old so it's not like I would be butchering anything rare. I guess I'll try the glue first - you guys know best!

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Dec 01, 2008 01:50am | #7

          Are the bottoms just cut at angle and nailed in to a groove that is filled between? Or Dowels into a rail?

          Glue and clamps, maybe a few 18Ga brads at a SWASTIKA type pattern. Lemme explain that...by nailing all four faces at a "toe" you are creating an upside down pyramid, right? By nailing at a swasticka angle, you have greater withdraw power ( when glued and clamped, don't rely on the nails to pull the joint tight)...due to the greater 'Spread' that the nails have , in relation to the PULL of a warped or spreading rail.

          Angle the gun and shoot both into the baluster and the rail at a compound angle, I.E. Tilt side ways as well as down, and work that around, two per facet.

          If its a round dowel, soak with glue and clamp, then toe with as few fastners as possible, and let the glue do the work.

          3M Pronto is a great cyano glue, the have thick and water thin, and "Zip Kicker" which is an accelerant to boost the glue almost instantly..moistenng the joint with water first is a boon to proper cure as well, other wise the zip kick will skin over, and you may unclamp prematurely.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

          Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

           

          They kill Prophets, for Profits.

           

           

          1. User avater
            McDesign | Dec 01, 2008 02:18am | #8

            Man, you are PUSHIN' it - you can't say Sw@stik@ here!  Maybe say "Greek Key" design or something.

            Sheesh.

            Forrest

          2. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 01, 2008 02:41am | #9

            son of a...

            see ya on the other side, I guess I'm whacked.

            Sphere~ can make a Greek Key joke that would shut this place down, for good.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

            Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations

             

            They kill Prophets, for Profits.

             

             

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