Need help ( railings ) - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 04:53 PM

I am currently installing railings on a porch I built.. The top rail is about 4" wide X 2.75" tall....I t has a 1/8 channel plowed under it to recieve my 2x2 square ballusters.. The bottom rail is made of 2 parts #1-a 1x2 fillet (spelling?), and #2-two pieces of "base board" kind of looks like colonial base board from HD.. the two bases sandwich the fillet, and the bottom of my ballusters sit on the fillet.. any good Ideas for attaching the bottoms of my ballusters? toe nail? I tried laying out my ballusters and attaching them through the bottom, but I cant get my top rail on correctly (its a real pain to stand up a railing system only attached on the bottom).. so I figured I have to do my ballusters last..

sorry if this is hard to understand..

Tom R · 08-01-2007, 04:59 PM

Can't say I'm really picturing exactly what kind of railing you're talking about, - - but the bottom 'filet' strip usually gets cut into little (sized) pieces and they go between your balusters to lock them in place . . .

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 05:22 PM

I am aware of that, BUT there technicaly there isnt any botoom rail.. the fillet IS the bottom rail.. I will try to sketch something up ..brb

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 05:28 PM

here is a sketch in powerpoint

thanks

Tom R · 08-01-2007, 05:50 PM

Sorry, ecooke, - - I don't know how to get that to come through.

Guess I'm not helpin' you much here, - - maybe you can make a 'sub-strip' to fit in between and still cut filet's??

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 05:57 PM

Were you not able to see my powerpoint sketch?

How would you attach ballusters to a flat(no fillet) bottom rail, If I lay the ballusters down, nail/screw through the underside of the bottom rail, I cant stand up all the ballusters to sit my top rail on.. they tip forward/backward and pull themselves off of my nails. I am probably making a rookie mistake. sorry

wink · 08-01-2007, 06:05 PM

can you attach the top rail with them laying on there side? then raise it in one unit

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wink

can you attach the top rail with them laying on there side? then raise it in one unit

I tried...they "wiggle" around and I cant get my top rail to "sit" on the ballusters.. because there is a lip on ther underside of my top rail the ballusters have to "fit" into... its a wrestling match back and forth...

Tom R · 08-01-2007, 06:08 PM

No, not able to see the sketch, - - but once you have the bottoms all attached, - - why don't you take two narrow strips of plywood (about the length of your railing) and 'sandwich' the tops of your balusters between them??

Screw the strips of plywood to 'each other' (with 2 1/2" screws or so), - - not to the balusters themselves, - - this will allow you to pick up the whole set-up and put it in position without everything trying to lean in every direction. The strips will act like a clamp.

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 06:17 PM

if I lay them on their side , stand it up method method..it becomes tricky to set my top rail on them...it "teetor totters" back and forth.. its a VERY frustrating process...
the plywood "sounds" like a good idea, but if they ballusters are not in a DEAD straight line..they wont fit into the under side of the top rail..

mickeyco · 08-01-2007, 06:22 PM

You can buy a bottom rail with a relief for the balusters, I usually use a 2 piece top and bottom rail so you see no nails or screws. If you're going to assmble the railing prior to install make a jig to locate the balusters. Here's a picture of something different I found:

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyco

You can buy a bottom rail with a relief for the balusters, I usually use a 2 piece top and bottom rail so you see no nails or screws. If you're going to assmble the railing prior to install make a jig to locate the balusters. Here's a picture of something different I found:

I would love to use something like that.. I have in the past.. the top rail, and bottom rail have already been milled.. I am stuck with what I have

mickeyco · 08-01-2007, 07:04 PM

Not exactly sure what you are talking about, here's a picture of my 2 piece railing, the bottom, bottom rail is installed between the posts, then the balusters are nailed and screwed from below to the top piece of the bottom rail prior (pre-assembled) to being placed on top of the attached bottom rail. Another idea, since I'm not sure exactly what you're doing would be using dowels.

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyco

Not exactly sure what you are talking about, here's a picture of my 2 piece railing, the bottom, bottom rail is installed between the posts, then the balusters are nailed and screwed from below to the top piece of the bottom rail prior (pre-assembled) to being placed on top of the attached bottom rail. Another idea, since I'm not sure exactly what you're doing would be using dowels.

I have done many rails almost exactly like that... But my bottom rail is flat..no groove for anything... basically its a 1x2xrailing length, nailed up to the ballusters..BUT I cant get all the ballusters to line up to sit my top rail on after I stand the preassembled unit up...

Tom R · 08-01-2007, 08:07 PM

Why don't you make a thin strip that will fit into the plow of your top rail, but then attach it to the tops of the balusters first, and then put it all into your top rail together as a single 'unit'??

Then you can attach it 'upward' (into your top rail) right through that same strip.

Jeremy E · 08-01-2007, 08:21 PM

I'm still a little confused about the whole conifulation. How are the ballusters going to attach to the top rail?

Tom R · 08-01-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy E

I'm still a little confused about the whole conifulation. How are the ballusters going to attach to the top rail?

Good word, Jer, - - I'm takin' notes . . .

ecooke21 · 08-01-2007, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy E

I'm still a little confused about the whole conifulation. How are the ballusters going to attach to the top rail?

The way the top rail is milled, i can neil through the "side" at ab angle..almost toe nailing..but downward.. it fastens pretty well

Tom, I may have to try just that.. I thought of that, but I am hoping there was a different way.. thanks for all the suggestions so far.. keep'm coming

mickeyco · 08-01-2007, 08:56 PM

I think I'm starting to get the idea, not sure. Why not lay the railing on its side and nail the fillet strip to the top of all of the ballusters and slide it (assemled rail including ballusters and bottom rail) into the recess in the top rail.

Jeremy E · 08-01-2007, 08:56 PM

I'm missing something. It seems like the whole thing can be assembled on the ground then stood up into place.

Eventhough I don't understand the problem, I think the best solutions have already been posted. Nevertheless, I'll throw pocket screws w/ plugs to attach the bottom rail out there just for kicks.