Hand Rail In Place

This is big news! It means I shall now be safe climbing and descending the stairs. Neal and Lloyd from Redeemer Lutheran Church phoned yesterday to ask if it was a good time for them to come and help install one of our much needed handrails. Of course I said yes... but Richard wasn't quite ready as his plans were to make a big pot of chili... Ah! the best laid plans!

Neal and Lloyd arrived soon after and the work commenced. Actually the questions came first.

"How high do you want the rail?"
And that's where I came in; "As close to the same height as the main rail."
"Do you want it to end at the same point or more towards the window?"
"I believe it's better for me to have railing past the top step so I no longer have to grasp the window ledge."
"What about at the bottom of the stairs? You probably don't want it past the last step!"

The decision was made and about 10 inches was cut off of the new rail. Then it was time to find studs. Now remember this house was built in 1912 therefore the walls were plaster not gyproc board; but renovations have been made; insulation and gyproc have been added over the original walls. The studs were not easy to find. The top bracket was placed and then the bottom bracket. Now did we want one or two more brackets?

Two were decided upon but we could not find studs evenly placed in order to make the brackets look esthetically pleasing. We decided that plugs would be used to insure the other two brackets looked well placed and would hold. This all took several hours. What did I do other than answer questions? I went up and down the stairs checking that the railing was placed just right for my use.

So there you are the new railing is placed so I will not fall on the stairs. Thanks to Neal, Lloyd and Richard for looking out for my safety.