Victorian banister meeting wall straight on, keeps cracking plaster

[rrafluap]

Hey,

I've recently had the walls in my hallway skimmed and have an issue where the old bannister meets the wall, it may have originally had a fixing inside, but if it has, it's failed. As there is some movement (at least 5mm), if someone pulls on the bannister, which just to the right is a post, so very likely, it pulls the handrail from the wall and cracks the plaster. I've tried a few things but at this point, I can only see an awful L shaped bracket doing the job.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Image attached and video linked.

Thanks, Paul.

 

[jacko555]

Whats on the other side of the wall? I had similar issue luckily it was internal wall. Used a long screw and washer from the other side

 

[KenGMac]

How about??

Fit a "dummy" post, fitted to the wall with Dowels into the handrail [unseen]

Careful positioning of the dowels preferably 2 [as above] then slide the post on to the wall then fix the post to the wall.

Post could "look like" a balustrade, or a similar profile as the handrail?

Ken.

 

[rrafluap]

Whats on the other side of the wall? I had similar issue luckily it was internal wall. Used a long screw and washer from the other side

They would have been a good idea but it's an outside wall unfortunately. More precisely it's in the lady next doors house Thanks though.

How about??

Fit a "dummy" post, fitted to the wall with Dowels into the handrail [unseen]

Careful positioning of the dowels preferably 2 [as above] then slide the post on to the wall then fix the post to the wall.

Post could "look like" a balustrade, or a similar profile as the handrail?

Ken.

That's not a bad idea either, but might need to be a last ditch effort as if imagine getting hold of a matching one or having one made could be problematic?


I could live with the movement as it's still very sturdy, but id have to find a way of preventing the filler from sticking to the wood? I've been sticking masking tape on it to apply? Perhaps I'm not letting it dry fully?

 

[KenGMac]

OK Understood.

How about a block of timber to match the handrail, but the block could be fairly short in length with a profiled end . the bottom of the block ?

Ken.

 

[JohnD]

you can get a "half" newel post for this kind of application.

 

[big-all]

worth looking under the handrail in case theres a handrail bolt that can be tightened with a spanner or screwdriver ??
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffsb&q=handrail+bolt&atb=v227-1&ia=web

 

[Chivas69]

You could try sinking an L bracket underneath the banister into the wall and then filling over the bracket and painting. If you've got a bit of time you could also sink the L in the banister too and fill with wood filler and re stain the banister!

 

[rrafluap]

Thanks everyone, will be able to work something out from the great suggestions. I appreciate it.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Tosh screw a screw from under the hand rail going through the hand rail at an angle and into the wall. You would need to pre drill the hole and could sink it into the hand rail.

Something like this, but you only need one.

https://www.toolstation.com/forgefast-timber-fixing-screw/p38111

Andy

 

[opps]

You could sink the L bracket in to the wall?

Or perhaps dig away some of the plaster on the underside and drive a screw/plug upwards at 45 or less degrees (difficult though because . Or hack away some of the plaster and back fill with epoxy resin to glue the rail to the wall?