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gladmonkey t1_j28eu9n wrote

But what are you nailing? Those things are so round and skinny at the top, is that the part you’re nailing?

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z1ggy16 OP t1_j28lrh0 wrote

Yeah I'm installing two of the white balusters into that open space on the tread. There's already holes in the tread and railing for the baluster to sit. I'll glue the bottom of them in because they are doweled, but the top part is skinny and there is a lot of play where the railing hole is, so it needs to be nailed in.

I can post a better pic if you need. The ones I pulled out that needed to be replaced were nailed in, and looked like 18ga nails but no idea if that's actually the best practice. This house has lots of short cuts done to it I'm finding. I need these to be really secure because I have a child and last thing I want is here to grab or shake these and they somehow came loose.

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davisyoung t1_j2av7fd wrote

Did you remove the balusters yourself? The ones I have dealt with where there is a dowel at the bottom, the top is trapped by two pieces of wood set in a groove on the underside of the hand rail.

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z1ggy16 OP t1_j2aw5qr wrote

Yes I did but these don't have the wooden spacers, these just go into the railing itself which has a hole drilled out for it.

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