How do I repair my stair bannister?

Question

My stairs bannister are made of small wood posts nailed to the ramp. The whole thing have always been quite fragile. After 10 years, a couple posts came loose and most show a gap between the posts and ramp.

I know how to use a screwdriver and screw, but I've never done any woodworking with nails. I only have basic equipment (hammer, various screws, screwdriver).

• What would be the simplest fix?
• What nails do I need?
• What tools should I use to solidify the whole ramp?

Answer 1

Those wooden circles are plugs that will pry out of the holes in the balusters. Under that would be a pre-drilled hole for a screw (typically). I would have never used nails on this in the first place.

The correct fix is going to be to remove the nails and replace them with screws that fit into the existing holes snugly. If there is really just a nail hole, you may want to pre-drill a larger hole (sized appropriately for the screws you choose) and then drive in screws. An electric driver is going to be the best for this unless you only have a few to repair. A manual screw driver is going to get tiring and hard to use very quickly.

Once they are screwed into place, the wooden plugs can be tapped (maybe with some glue) back into place.

Answer 2

A few tips on this, in addition to JPhi's answer

1. The plugs shouldn't be glued in. They're tapered so they can be tapped into the hole and pried back out. I keep a narrow head flat screwdriver (like this one) for this reason. Tap your narrow head (using a hammer) against the bottom of the plug and you should be able pry it out. Even if it causes damage to the wood, it will be minimal and somewhat obscured.
2. They used cheap penny nails to secure the railing. It's not surprising it failed (especially if you have kids, who will shake the tar out of that rail). Screws are the gold standard here, as they are far less prone to pulling out. They've finally become popular thanks to the wide availability of power screwdrivers and drills.
3. There's only one attachment point per rail. If I were you, I'd want two. It would better secure the rails so they never come out again. Bad news is that means drilling more holes, but the wood plugs should be readily available for purchase. You might need to remove the rails to add new pocket holes as well.