How to attach verandah railings using tenons?

Question

Hi, I see the traditional method for attaching veranda railings to a post are these small tenons: 32mm Dowel Hardwood 10 Pack I/N: 8493564.

Does anyone have any experience with them? When installed correctly, do you feel safe when a person leans against the railing or puts all their weight on it? Are there other techniques you prefer? Thanks!

mjqld · Answer

Thanks for the reply and the photo of the instructions - much appreciated. The skew nails are the trick to feeling more secure about the railings. The Qld Timber technical sheet just said "follow manufacturer instructions" and I was overly influenced by the classic book "Building of the Queensland House" which says don't use nails, just hardwood tenons. Your instructions make for a way better connection, and safer than the rusty undersized mending brackets the previous homeowner used. Cheers!

JacobZ · Answer

Hi @mjqld,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it's great to have you join us.

It's important to note that these hardwood dowels aren't intended to be used in isolation. Their primary purpose is to provide a solid bearing surface for the handrail or rail to sit on, rather than relying entirely on screws or nails to support the load. The mechanical fixings then secure the rail in place.

I grabbed a photo of the installation instructions which show how this is done.

When installed correctly as part of a complete balustrade system, they create a very rigid connection. This method has been used for many years and, when combined with the appropriate fixings and constructed to the relevant building requirements, provides a strong and reliable assembly.

You might also like to check out the following discussion where this topic is discussed and some solutions are recommended.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/275686/how-to-fix-timber-handrail-to-timber-post

Let me know what you think.

Jacob