Loose Handrail Joints Can Be Frustrating To Fix and Unsafe To Use.

Loose joints on a handrail can be a safety hazard. Railings need to be firm and solid so you can grab them as guides and to prevent falls.

So a knowledge of how the parts go together can be very useful when trying to fix a railing. Also when railings are installed they go together in a sequence, so it may not be possible or practical to disassemble the railing to get the loose point apart to re assemble it correctly. Sometimes a compromise may have to be made and a screw or two added that may not end up as invisible as you would like.

In the video below you will see how to fix one common problem that ends up better than new.

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Steps:

1. Carefully pry out the bung underneath the end cap with a flathead screwdriver.

2. Loosen the stair railing nut from the bolt using the screwdriver and remove the end cap from the stair railing.

3. At the thickest part of the end cap, measure to find the center of the railing end cap and mark it about ⅜” from the top of the end cap.

4. Drill a small starter hole into the end cap on the mark.

5. Hammer the nail into the hole and cut most of the end off with the pliers so the nail has a sharp point.

6. Measure the stair railing to find the same point as the end cap and mark it with a pencil.

7. Drill another small hole into the railing on the mark.

8. Apply some polyurethane glue to the railing bolt and also to the end grain of the end cap.

9. Carefully attach the end cap back on the stair railing. It might be difficult to get the nut back on the railing bolt, but the screwdriver can be used to hold it into place.

10. Tighten the nut back on the railing bolt with the screwdriver and a hammer.

11. Fit the bung back in the hole.

If you are lucky you too will  have an easy fix like this.