Advice on fixing landing to existing floor

[John Joseph]

Hi,

Hoping to get a bit of advice on fixing landing stair parts to an existing floor.

First question to get out the way - does the base rail need to be mortised into the two newel posts? (Pic 1)

Second - how is best to fix the base rail to the floor boards? Or is it only fixed to the newels? (Pic 2)

Third - looking at the pics below, how is best to fix that newel post .. Am I better lifting the floorboards and seeing if I can fix it to something underneath, or will fixing it to that string be sturdy enough (and also what best fixings to use) ?

The last pic is a kind of proposed placement of the newel.

Many thanks.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Personally I'd think in terms of lifting a small section of floor to see how big the trimmer is that the stairs actually sit on before deciding on how I'd fix the newel. If possible I'd look to grooving the newel so that it straddles the end of the stringer (thus resembling a newel which has been made at the end of the stairs and attached with a mortise and tenon joint) but continues through into the floor void where it can ideally be bolted through the trimmer to hold it in place. Until you investigate what's beneath the floor it won't be possible to decide the best approach IMHO

 

[John Joseph]

Cheers for the reply mate. With regards to the newel post position - I'm really restricted in placement due to the newel post at the other end - the maximum I could straddle that string is by about 6mm due to the base rail needing to run from these into the centre of the newel post at the other end. Here's a pic of the other end which might explain it bit better :

I would prefer to straddle the string but thought it would look odd only 6mm over?

 

[chappers]

I would notch the newel centrally over the flat part at the top of the string and dowel it, and as JandK says have a look under the floor and see if you can continue it down and find a fixing under the floor too.
Then I would line up you're half newel at the other end, on that nib and then mitre a short piece of the base and handrail at 90 degrees to the long run of base and handrail, running into the top newel and then start your first spindle alongside the newel at the head of the stairs.

The base rail just needs butting up to the newel, fix it down with pins.