OldTools Archive
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276027 | Erik Levin | 2022‑07‑30 | wood for outdoor handrail |
Due to local code and an upcoming inspection (new garage to replace the partially collapsed structure there now), I need to put a handrail on my entry stair. Singular. The landing is less than 8 inches above grade and does not need a rail, but to make it look not terribly horrid, I will have about 3 feet of rail overall. I don't want to do the off-the-shelf pressure-treated crap, and was wondering what you would use on your porch (get it? nudge nudge wink wink) as the material and finish. Detail: The wood will be about 1" thick and 2-1/2" wide on top of wrought iron flat, so pretty much anything is in play. I am looking for appearance and durable over time, not strength in and of itself. (the cross section is compliant with the code as grabbable and the design is compliant as structurally sound to prevent fall. There is no practical way to go to all-wood due to existing conditions) Ideas? *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address |
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276028 | Don Schwartz <dks@t...> | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
White oak? Don On 2022-07-30 3:44 p.m., Erik Levin via groups.io wrote: > Due to local code and an upcoming inspection (new garage to replace the partially collapsed structure there now), I need to put a handrail on my entry stair. Singular. The landing is less than 8 inches above grade and does not need a rail, but to make it look not terribly horrid, I will have about 3 feet of rail overall. I don't want to do the off-the-shelf pressure-treated crap, and was wondering what you would use on your porch (get it? nudge nudge wink wink) as the material and finish. > > Detail: The wood will be about 1" thick and 2-1/2" wide on top of wrought iron flat, so pretty much anything is in play. I am looking for appearance and durable over time, not strength in and of itself. (the cross section is compliant with the code as grabbable and the design is compliant as structurally sound to prevent fall. There is no practical way to go to all-wood due to existing conditions) > > Ideas? > > *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address > > > > > -- God's away on business - Tom Waits "...it's just a humpty dumpty world" - Ry Cooder |
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276029 | Phil Schempf <philschempf@g...> | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
5/4 ipe or galvanized pipe? |
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276030 | Bill Ghio | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
I used Cypress hand rail from the lumber yard for my porch steps. Painted to match the rest of the porch. For the handrail on the bridge over the creek (drainage ditch) that divides our property I used Sapele finished with a marine varnish. It won’t be overwhelming to refresh every year or so. Bill |
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276031 | Spike <spikethebike@c...> | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Ebony would add a touch of class…. Best, Spike Sent from the seat of my pants |
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276032 | the_tinker <tinker@z...> | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Locust. It will outlast the concrete sidewalk. |
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276033 | Erik Levin | 2022‑07‑30 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
White oak is one good thought, definitely, but what finish? Lots of sun and weather. The price is right, and it is tough enough for many years of hand grab. Ebony? Classy for sure, and it would be a good match for the iron, but that would be about $US500, which is a bit much for my pocket. Galv pipe? Sacrilege! Ipe, maybe. I spent too much of my work life with galv pipe rails, stanchions, steps, and and so on. Not at my home. I don't like sapele for a handrail. It is too allergenic for direct hand contact for my taste, no matter how rich the and warm it looks in many other applications. Cypress, is in the running. Finish for it? The piece will be the top inch or so with direct exposure to all elements. If you are wondering WHY I am going this way, I have the iron on hand, can fabricate it easily to meet the strength requirements without needing to do much other than build and mount, and the material I have gives me the opportunity for hand-formed wood cap over the iron for a nice contrast with a little class. Full wood will be a LOT more time, money, and difficulty to mount and meet strength. Much more obtrusive, as well. Thanks for the ideas so far. I need to start the fab of the iron tomorrow, so I can get it mounted before mid-week (initial site inspection may be that soon, or may not be. They don't tell me, since it isn't inside), but I should have a couple weeks before the wood cap goes on to make it compliant as a `grab', so I have the time to do a good finish. *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address On Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 06:09:07 PM EDT, Don Schwartz |
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276034 | gary allan may | 2022‑07‑31 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
A boat repair yard will have small pieces of teak, well around here, they will. Much teak comes off old boats and isn't seaworthy any longer-- gluck widdat----gm in OlyWA How horrible it is to have so many people killed!---And what a blessing one cares for none of them! Jane Austen On Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 04:35:57 PM PDT, Erik Levin via groups.io |
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276035 | Michael Blair <branson2@s...> | 2022‑07‑31 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Agreed! It's black locust that will "outlast the concrete" but honey locust is also durable, and a pleasant wood to work with. And it is commercially available, though the locust I have is stuff I've harvested myself. Mike in Woodland |
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276036 | Richard Wilson <yorkshireman@y...> | 2022‑07‑31 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
I haven’t seen larch or cedar mentioned. Good for outdoors, readily available, and with an oil or marine varnish on the right piece of timber they can look good. Richard Wilson > On 30 Jul 2022, at 22:44, Erik Levin via groups.io |
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276044 | Phil E. <pedgerton66@g...> | 2022‑08‑01 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Here in the Appalachians they used rived locust a lot for fence posts. They said to leave a fist sized stone on top of the post. "And when the stone rots, it's time to replace the post." Believe it! (or not). Phil E. |
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276046 | Kirk Eppler | 2022‑08‑01 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
White oak would be my 1st thought, then ipe as a second. Ipe has been a bit splintery in some applications, but the ironwood nickname fits. Redwood is nice, but wears quickly, as does cedar, so guess it depends on how long before you expect to replace it. The redwood is nicer on the hand than the cedar. Kirk in Half Moon Bay, CA, digging a path through the incomplete projects in the garage. On Sat, Jul 30, 2022 at 2:44 PM Erik Levin via groups.io |
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276048 | Patrick Olguin <paddychulo@g...> | 2022‑08‑01 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Erik is wondering about exterior wood handrails... Where are the boat people and mahogany? Did I miss it? You can let it weather, sand it-and-oil-it when it starts to fade (you said it's kind of an eensy weensy railing, yes?), hit it with spar varnish here and there to keep it looking ship-shape (see what I did there?). I don't know what the likelihood of finding it is, but q-sawn *anything* will cut way down on the splintering, regardless of the species (I'm also on board with the teak recommendations.. more nautical puns, this one unintentional). Best, Paddy - looking outside and noticing that it's time for the annual freshening-up of the faux-teak patio furniture. |
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276049 | gary allan may | 2022‑08‑02 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Hi Phil! Out here in Western Washington there are often rows of huge black locusts planted exactly as far apart as fence posts ought to be, which is completely unsurprising once you learn that they were set as fence posts fifty or a hundred years ago and bloomed into life in the spring after they were planted. I have never worked with the stuff, but I hope to, someday. best to all galoots, everywhere; gam in OlyWA How horrible it is to have so many people killed!---And what a blessing one cares for none of them! Jane Austen On Monday, August 1, 2022 at 09:52:30 AM PDT, Phil E. |
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276051 | Andrew Heybey <ath@h...> | 2022‑08‑02 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
On Aug 1, 2022, at 9:36 PM, gary allan may via groups.io |
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276052 | galoot@l... | 2022‑08‑02 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
You might be surprised at how well fresh green locust can root. Also how fast you get beanpoles from a four foot tall stump... Esther at pennsic checking in on the world. Quoting Andrew Heybey |
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276053 | Adam R. Maxwell | 2022‑08‑02 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
> On Aug 1, 2022, at 18:36 , gary allan may via groups.io |
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276054 | Claudio DeLorenzi <claudio@d...> | 2022‑08‑02 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Agree with Black Locust. Lasts over 100 years as fence posts around here. -- Claudio On Sat., Jul. 30, 2022, 7:12 p.m. the_tinker, |
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276061 | the_tinker <tinker@z...> | 2022‑08‑03 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Ok. Here's my Black Locust story- Years ago my wife said she would like a genuine stacked rail fence to border our rustic backyard. I had a friend who was building a few houses in a new development on former farmland (US suburban eyesore, Jeff). Every property had locust trees on it. He had the excavators save the trunks in random lengths and my friend and I would split them with wedges and sledges and haul them to my place and start stacking. Took all summer but my wife got exactly what she wanted. Gained a whole new respect for Abe Lincoln that summer. The only maintenance I do is every few years I lift the corners with a spud bar and slide a new sandstone rock underneath because the winter freeze/thaw and the weight of the fence pushes them into the ground. The rock stacks have to be near the frost line now because the fence is almost 30 years old. Lots of moss and lichen on it but the wood is as dense and solid as it ever was. https://mega.nz/file/cIsCwAwL#5Xytk0a9L-vYXnYmhhd4CTBDeYwMOFsIXHmIn6Q_bC4 -JP |
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276062 | Erik Levin | 2022‑08‑04 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
Thanks for all of the suggestions. I have a local source for sapele, and may go with that, but have a slight worry about skin sensitivity. Black locust sounds like a wonderful option, and I will need to see if a local source has availability and do some pricing. Ipe is a third choice, as I have no good source locally and the difficult workability. Any concern for any of these in large area contact with wrought iron? Are any of these impractical to work with hand planes for shaping, hollows and rounds for detail? The rail is iron (flat top) and the wood will be applied to the top for appearance and surface feel. (progress is a bit behind as the concrete I am mounting to is has quartz, or similar, aggregate and will require wet abrasive boring, and I got called back to work, so fitup is now spare time if I can find any, once I call in a favour to bore for mounting studs. Oh well) *** This message was sent from a convenience email service, and the reply address(es) may not match the originating address |
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276063 | Bill Ghio | 2022‑08‑04 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
> On Aug 4, 2022, at 5:01 PM, Erik Levin via groups.io |
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276064 | Bill Kasper <dragon01list@g...> | 2022‑08‑04 | Re: wood for outdoor handrail |
i built a 22'x22' deck with an ipe surface, and it certainly prefers stainless screws (otherwise it will stain). however, you MUST predrill every hole. even paraffined screws would spin off their heads if the hole wasn't predrilled. if you're going to use any wood on iron that has been wrought (i hope you wouldn't hide actual wrought iron), be sure to hit the contact surface of the metal with a good coat of oil-based metal paint, after appropriately treating the metal to an etchant. water WILL get through to the mating surface, and you want to do what you can to keep it from rusting. best, bill felton, ca On Thu, Aug 4, 2022 at 2:52 PM Bill Ghio via groups.io |
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