Trouble with renovating staircase

[sha256]

Hi Guys

So I am working on renovating my stair case. I am quite a competent diyer and have fitted bathrooms, plastered, done plumbing etc. However, I have never dealt with a staircase before so I would appreciate some guidance.

Right, so the objective of this project is to replace the newel posts, fit in a new baserail and handrail with spindles. The current setup consists of three newel posts, one from the bottom of the stairs to the top and then one on the wall which makes a balcony.

I have removed the current handrail and chipboard that slotted in between the base and the hand rails.

My first problem is the newel post. Instead of being seperate from the steps, it has been cut out to fit into the lowest step. See image below:

My question is, should I just yank it out ? Or shall I just cut it ? Also, I guess if I want to fit the new newel post I will have to cut it out in a similar fashion ? Is there any other way I can approach this ?

My second problem is the fact that the baserail is too wide. Below is the img for the existing rail and alongside it on the left is a plank of timber that is the same thickness/width as the new baserail. See:

Any advice on how to overcome these issues would be much appreciated.

Regards

 

[gregers]

dont think it will be a easy job removing the newel post as iirc the string/riser and tread are all housed into it.
i dont really understand your 2nd problem,are you intending to put the new timber directly on top of the string?

 

[sha256]

thanks for the reply.

Basically, the timber is the same size as the baserail, the rail is too long so I used the timber as an example. Basically, the rail would have to be nailed onto the string right ? If so, will I have to pad it up on the sides with some plywood or something ?

 

[paul_v]

screw the base rail into the stringer and then thicken the stringer up with matching timber. So if its an oak base rail and spindles thicken the stringer up with oak or if your going to paint it all just use mdf and paint that as well.

This is how we did our's and its been like that for 10 years, it works to thicken the stringer up as you said and as a decorative strip.

If you use a hardwood then counterbore the screws and use little wooden plugs rather than filler.

 

[IJWS15]

Had a similar issue when i changed our Newels. We have a bullnose (full semicircle) and ended up cutting this off to allow the newel to be replaced and then re-fixing this (a piece of 3/4 board under the step to re-inforce the joint. Looks like you will have to disassemble the bottom step.

If I understand correctly your string is thicker than the new base rail. If so it sounds like the string has been packed out to allow fitting of the panels you have removed. If this packing cannot be replaced you could fit a strip wider than both the string and the base rail between them which would show as a feature if you are staining, if painting you could make/get made a wider base rail.

 

[paul_v]

i thought he meant the base rail was wider than the stringer, thats what it looks like in the pic anyway

 

[sha256]

Thanks for the reply guys.

Yes, the base rail is wider than the stringer.