Walnut Handrails (staples)

AlisonB

Hi All,

I recently got a new stairs installed. We opted for walnut steps and hand rails and then just red deal threads and spindles (to be painted white).

The walnut is a type that has little or no knots however the carpenter secured the hand rail to some of the spindles with staples. I would have thought an experienced carpenter wouldnt have needed staples.

Can someone tell me if this is standard as its pretty unsightly, will have to be filled etc.

The carpenter was supplied by the contractor building the house.

Any advice appreciated.

Bonzo Delaney

Usually you'd never use staples anyway are you sure they aren't pins
Did the carpenter nail through the handrail.?
Generally spindles are fixed to the handrail pins filled and usuall never seen every effort would be made to never fix through the handrail be it a pin or a plugged screw only the under side of the handrail is used for fixings

Maybe post a pic of staples.

AlisonB

Thanks this is the photo of the staples/pins

AlisonB

This is a photo of the horrible join between the floor and the stairs on the landing. Looks to be half a window sill board.

kadman

I dont want to see anymore...............my eyes. my eyes.

Calahonda52

Are you happy it is walnut handrail?
It also looks that its not one piece, is that what you wanted?

tabby aspreme

Rub a damp cloth on the handrail you have shown in the picture, it will let you see if there is an unacceptable difference in color between the upper and lower part of that piece of handrail.
the two holes are from a nail gun, don't fill them until you have the first coat of finish on the hand rail, then go a shade darker with the filler, they won't be as noticeable then , can you put up a pic of the full width of the stairs at the landing,

recipio

What the.......Is that melamine faced MDF and whats it doing there.? Staples and nails have no place in quality joinery.

AlisonB

Thanks all for the replies. The stairs was supplied then fitted by the builders carpenter. It's been in a year now and I can't do anything with it in this state.
I'm waiting for the builder to address it.

I have attached an image of the landing. I looked at the hand rail and it looks like it's in two pieces but it appears to be the cut of the wood whatever way it was produced there just seems to be a slight edge on it that's giving it the appearance of being two pieces.

kadman

Handrail is definitely 2 pieces. Whether properly laminated is another question.

Builder will just replace the nasty mdf, but thats it i reckon.

Is the stair solid enough at the newel posts??

tabby aspreme

AlisonB wrote: »

Hi All,

I recently got a new stairs installed. We opted for walnut steps and hand rails and then just red deal threads and spindles (to be painted white).

O P here's a crash course on stair terminology, the threads are the bits you stand on , the vertical pieces that connect the threads are risers and the two pieces either side that the threads and risers fit into are strings or stringers .
From the second picture you posted , the top stair thread leading onto the landing looks light in colour like red deal not walnut, and that dark cover strip around the top thread doesn't look great , I think you should get that changed too .

dathi

tabby aspreme wrote: »

O P.
From the second picture you posted , the top stair thread leading onto the landing that dark cover strip around the top thread doesn't look great , I think you should get that changed too .

no allowance was made for finished floor height when stairs was made so when the laminate flooring was put in it is higher than top thread. which makes the dark cover strip a trip hazard at the top of stairs .

Calahonda52

dathi wrote: »

no allowance was made for finished floor height when stairs was made so when the laminate flooring was put in it is higher than top thread. which makes the dark cover strip a trip hazard at the top of stairs .

Dathi, like Kadman I too am blinded by the light, however is the top thread not higher than laminate?
Am just asking
Yes its still a lethal cocktail but perhaps easier to fix, at least on the landing.

Bonzo Delaney

dathi wrote: »

no allowance was made for finished floor height when stairs was made so when the laminate flooring was put in it is higher than top thread. which makes the dark cover strip a trip hazard at the top of stairs .

What would you suggest to put in instead where a floating laminate floor meets the top step on a stairs while also allowing for expansion. Solid and semi solid floors are grand where a glued tounge or biscuits can be used. But the laminated floors are a nightmare to finish neatly unless those strips or similar are used.

Calahonda52

Bonzo Delaney wrote: »

What would you suggest to put in instead where a floating laminate floor meets the top step on a stairs while also allowing for expansion. Solid and semi solid floors are grand where a glued tounge or biscuits can be used. But the laminated floors are a nightmare to finish neatly unless those strips or similar are used.

My concern is the building regs for stairs, don't all threads/risers have to be the same?

tabby aspreme

In fairness it can be difficult to get the top thread and floor height identical , simply because when the stairs is being measured the house owner has not decided on the floor type, plywood and engineered flooring could be 30 mm , solid t&g 18 mm and so on .
To my eyes there is very little difference in the height of the final thread and the floor, it's just the colour and vinyl finish on the cover strip that looks wrong.