I agree with the other comments. If it were my railing I’d probably want to preserve the look so the project doesn’t get out of hand. Remaking the balusters to be just a hair thicker seems smart. They look thick in the side dimension so it’s not a big concern. But the advantage of remaking them yourself would be that you’d make the connection more secure to stop that kitten from knocking them out. I see little toenailed in nails and if a cat can knock those out it couldn’t been that secure. Not that it needed to be when they put it together. Short of it is, cutting new sticks, then deciding how to tenon them and if you can lift the railing up to get them in and seat them. Big project but at least they’re just rectangular sticks. Fiddling around cutting mortises in the top and bottom might take some real patience.
I think I am going to pull the railing and balusters out completely and install a new railing and wrought iron balusters. I was a little hesitant about that because the steps are irregular (the risers and treads aren't consistent). I figured out a way to get consistent spacing AND ensure that they are plumb. Lot's of the techniques I saw online didint give me a warm fuzzy regarding getting them plumb. I did find one video though that had it all figured out. I'm looking forward to making a video on it. I think I may try to boil it down to some shorter videos just showing the critical tips that I was unsure about. We'll see how it goes. I will start in a week or so.
@@PatrickParsonWorkshop I thought a round tenon would be easier by then a visuals transition from square to round at the ends might be weird looking. I don’t mind spending time and money when I plan on living here for the foreseeable future.
The balusters are there for two reasons one safety and these do not offer that. The other is looks, if it were mine I would turn new ones on a lathe they would be about 3/4 to an inch longer than the distance from the the top of the step to the bottom of the banister rail. I would drill a hole the diameter of the turned baluster in the step and the banister. The hole in banister would be deeper thus allowing me to slide baluster into banister first then positioning the baluster into the hole in the step. This would secure the baluster into the step as well as the banister. And of course I would glue it into place. 😁🛫
Solid approach! I am starting to dig into the RU-vid videos on this now. I'm thinking about going with wrought iron balusters (I did learn that they are called balusters, so put one in the win column there). Thanks for all the info.
@@PatrickParsonWorkshop Great we are all here to help others and forward our ideas to others. Asking for ideas for others could be difficult! You asked and I think that is great! Keep up the good work.😁🛫 If you go with wrought Iron balusters what is your concept of securing them? My thoughts the same approach as I suggested previously however this time using construction adhesive. Just a thought. Wood glue does not adhere to iron very well!
It sounds like you have a good idea🤔 of what you want to do. As for how badly they were installed such that a kitten can knock them out, all I can say is WOW! 😬
Haha...yeah, right? These stairs arent original to the house, so I am thinking a "handyman" probably did this work. Best I can tell, they were glued with a dab of wood glue, and then toenailed with brad nails. Some of them got knocked out over the years, and I am guessing when the house went up for sale (when we bought it) they were just set back in place, and weren't really connected. So...little Edith cat didnt have any trouble knocking them out.
