The Best Way to Attach a Wood Stair Post

Newel posts must be sturdy.

A wooden stair post, or newel post, must be firmly attached to the floor. The newel post is the foundation of the stair rail system, providing the structural rigidity required for all handrails.

Newel posts are attached to the floor using a newel post rod. The rod has machine threads on one end and wood threads--like those of a lag bolt--on the other. The wood threads must be threaded into solid blocking or framing lumber below.

Things You'll Need

• Newel post
• Newel post rod and nut
• Ruler
• 3/4-inch wrench
• Electric drill
• 3/8-inch drill bit
• 1/2-inch drill bit
• 1 ½-inch drill bit
• 1 ½-inch wooden hole plug
• Wood glue
• Safety glasses or goggles

Instructions

1. Locate where you want the center of the newel post. Make a mark here, and drill a pilot hole using the 3/8-inch drill bit.

2. Screw the newel post rod into the pilot hole by stacking two nuts at the top of the machine thread and turning with the ¾-inch wrench. Remove the two nuts.

3. Mark the center of the newel post by drawing diagonal lines from corner to corner on the bottom; the center is where these lines intersect.

4. Place the 1/2-inch bit in the drill, and drill a hole at least 4 inches deep at the center mark.

5. Make a mark at the center of the newel post, 3 inches up from the bottom. This is where you'll drill the 1 1/2-inch hole.

6. Place the 1 ½-inch bit in the drill, and drill a 2 ½-inch-deep hole, intersecting the previously drilled hole. Take care not to drill all the way through the newel post.

7. Slide the newel post over the threaded rod. Add the nut through the 1 ½-inch hole and tighten with the wrench.

8. Glue the plug in place over the 1 ½-inch hole, taking care to align the plug's grain with that of the newel post.

Tips & Warnings

• If there isn't solid backing to screw the newel post rod into, you can angle the rod slightly (up to 15 degrees) to enable you to hit solid backing. Use a length of pipe as a lever to bend the rod back to vertical.

• Always wear eye protection when using power tools.

References

• "Basic Stairbuilding"; Scott Schuttner; 1990