Replies

1. 
   calvin | Dec 05, 2010 06:33pm | #1

   The posts are the key

   While you can secure each end to the wall, the fastening of the newells will be the critical part.  I'd take the posts through the floor and anchor to joists or blocking between the joists.  This will require perhaps a longer newel.  If the depot can get that-and the rest-welcome gift card.  A gate system might also be chore to figure out-hardware and latch might take some hunting-I suppose using the top and bottom rails.

   As for any fhb issues involving a balcony type rail/newel, beats me.  Have you tried a search on one of the other fhbweb pages?  Searching the issues used to be an option I believe.  Hopefully you don't have to be a web member to get the info.

2. 
   DanH | Dec 05, 2010 07:15pm | #2

   At least it sounds like this is flat floor on both sides -- not a stair rail or a balcony rail -- so safety isn't as big an issue and one need not be concerned as much about the thing collapsing (or simply becoming wobbly from people leaning on it).  This reduces the amount of anchorage needed significantly.

   The main point of concern would be the gate area -- a gate will put a lot of stress on whatever it's anchored to.  Ideally one would anchor the hinge side of the gate to a wall, but that's probably not what the customer would prefer.

1. 
   calvin | Dec 05, 2010 07:58pm | #3

   What do you mean no concern for wobble.

   You think the homowner is not going to be pissed if this rail/gate apparatus wobbles?

   Or if uncle george dings his back up when it goes over when the drunken overweight lout plants his large rear on it?

   You can't just toenail the posts to the floor and expect to be paid for your efforts.  This isn't a guardrail application but the end result sure wouldn't be wrong if it was built that way.

1. 
   DanH | Dec 05, 2010 08:13pm | #4

   I didn't say that toenailing was sufficient. 

   True, you can overbuild it for the given requirements.  But the important thing is that there are no serious life safety issues, so belt-and-suspenders isn't required, just one or the other.

   Yes, you can come up with some scenario where someone might get hurt under the wrong circumstances, but you can do the same with just about anything in a house.

1. 
   calvin | Dec 05, 2010 08:24pm | #5

   Belt OR suspenders dan.

   Not both, but the one that works the best.

   You know the way people think-if it's there we can sit on it, lean on it or in the case of newlyweds, ..............................

   I don't think taking the posts down through the floor to secure anchorage to the framing is the wrong approach.  While post bases will work, in several houses I've worked on where the family room/kitchen separation was accomplished with the same sort of rail/post system (sans gate), many aggravated the homeowners over time as they loosened up. 

   "Can you make this more secure?"

   Sure, and it should have been done in the first place, no?