Curved work....its all about stock selection!

[Peter Quinn]

We had the front steps rebuilt this fall, time to add some hand rails. My first choice was iron, but quotes for this curved stair were well above our budget. I'm a wood worker, curved rails will be way more cost effective! My plan is to use the posts as the bending forms in the spring, too cold to glue up out there now, I needed something for the winter. I considered segmenting them around the middle post with some angled standoffs behind the rail.....but that won't be necessary. While shopping at my local borg for the PT posts, I found this lovely PT 2X4! I sighted it, almost perfect for the roughly 120" radius of this steps curve. I was going to go to my local pro yard for the posts, because their lumber is generally very straight and well stored outdoors under cover....but I would never find a good curved handrail there. Score! Try nailing this one down to your deck.

In fairness I should note I found a very straight and nearly clear 10' 4X4....had to do a little digging (who keeps 10' 4X4 PT posts 5' in the air on the second tier? Makes it fun to sort...)

IN the spring I'm going to slice up some mahogany drops Ive been saving, bend and shape some classic hand rails, iron balusters, etc. Too bad the borg doesn't sell mahogany, could save me a lot of time!

[Keith Weber]

I make those all the time. It's quite easy. You just pick up a nice, straight one at HD/Menards, take it back to the shop, and then go away for a couple of weeks. When I come back, I have a nice curved hand rail just like yours. I can even make them occasionally with a 45° twist along the length, as well.

[Peter Quinn]

I make those all the time. It's quite easy. You just pick up a nice, straight one at HD/Menards, take it back to the shop, and then go away for a couple of weeks. When I come back, I have a nice curved hand rail just like yours. I can even make them occasionally with a 45° twist along the length, as well.

Those would be perfect for a stair that is turning and rising like winders! In my case it's a simple curve with no twist, and they saved me a couple of weeks....no extra charge!

[Frederick Skelly]

Now that's a clever solution. Did the BORG give you a discount because it wasn't straight. ;) (Actually, I'm only half kidding - I think it's audacious of them to charge you for a board like that, though I know they do so all the time.)

In all seriousness Peter, it would be neat to see some pictures after you get the real railing up later in the year.

Fred

[Scott Underwood]

I used to work at the orange one. A lot of times the PT lumber came so wet to us you could pull the forklift on top of a board and squeeze liquid out. No way that is going to stay straight drying inside. The other major problem is they would put about 6 layers of boards before they put a sticker between for air flow.

[Eric Schmid]

I have found the key with PT is to buy it wet and get it installed quick, especially stair stringers. Otherwise it turns into what you have. The log selection for smaller dimension must be terrible. You can get cup, twist and bow all in the same piece; just leave it in the sun for a few hours in the summer. I have cut stair stringers in the summer that turn into spirals before I can install blocking.

I love seeing both the center of the tree and the outer sap wood in a single 2x6! You could make an octagon without having to make a single cut. I guess you have found the key to dealing with the poor softwood timber stock available; sculpture.

[Max Neu]

The problem with installing it wet,is it will shrink big time!I have seen decks with 1/2" gaps or more between the decking boards from excess shrinkage.Building anything out of treated lumber is a losing battle.I remember building decks in the past,being very particular making everything fit just perfect,then look at it a year later,and it looked like it was built by a 5th grader,very depressing.