How to extend stair post thingy

[Woodmonkey]

I will be building some understairs cupboards soon, the bit thats got me scratching my head is this short bit of post that's hanging in the way

(Is it called a newel post or did I make that up) I saw another thread ages ago but can't find it now where someone extended the post to the floor and then built the cupboards round it, how would I go about doing that? Just cutting the bottom of it square seems tricky...
Anyone done this?

 

[chippy1970]

Yeah that's a newel post. You can cut it square and butt the new extension under with maybe dowels to line it up.

Or you could do a half lap joint which would be better.

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[Woodmonkey]

Yeah I was thinking half lap... Can't see how you would use dowels as you wouldn't be able to get it on unless you had a gap at the bottom?

 

[chippy1970]

Yeah half lap would be better. Should be easy to cut by hand

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[deema]

Or cut it off flush with the stringer

 

[Woodmonkey]

What's a stringer?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The side piece of the stair.

 

[blackrodd]

God knows what's been done there, that's supposed to be the newel from the flight above, housed or notched into the trimmer, originally it would have the "Acorn" or turning that matched the top of the newel posts.
Probably best left alone but looks ok to cut off square at the bottom, but flush with the stair string.
Here's a link to a typical arrangement of the newel post fixed into the joisting and the stair string fitting into that.
Usually in older houses, which I presume you'rs is.
HTH Regards Rodders

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=how+t ... bY2odzM%3A

 

[deema]

I suspect the stringers have been nailed through from the back and the Newel post is also just nailed on. Looking at it I don't think there is any trimmer present! Who ever fitted it probably did the same course as the chap who fitted one I removed recently because it was all loose!

If I were putting an under stair cupboard in, I'd remove the back of the stairs and have a look at how there fixed first off.

 

[Woodmonkey]

The house is from the 1900's, other houses on my street have the same arrangement. When I moved in I assumed the post used to go to the floor and someone had cut it off!

 

[blackrodd]

There's a trimmer there alright otherwise you wouldn't have a stairwell to ascend.
But you maywell be right about the string nailing!
Rodders

 

[Woodmonkey]

What's a trimmer?

 

[blackrodd]

The house is from the 1900's, other houses on my street have the same arrangement. When I moved in I assumed the post used to go to the floor and someone had cut it off!

They were built pretty well in those days, sometimes one house being used a joinery shop, even making doors and windows on site.
They had the added advantage of really good timber back then and good joinery practices back then.
I wouldn't think you have a lot to worry about, you would hear loads of creaking and see movement if you had any probs.
As you say it looks as if it continued to the floor once upon a time, and now it's been cut off.
As you're proposing a understairs cupboard, you will support the area above by fitting the studwork in that area nice and "snug", Don't forget the DPC at floor juncture.
Regards Rodders

 

[blackrodd]

What's a trimmer?

We seem to mix these 3 up in different parts of the country.
At college, we were taught, There's Trimmer, Trimming, and Trimmed
When you ascend you're stairs, the Trimmer is on the right, it will likely be a double 2" joist, bolted or screwed or
nailed together or single 3", depending on the length and size of the area trimmed out.
The Trimming is also doubled up 2" or 3" single joist size and the head of the stairs will be sat and fixed to them.
The Trimming can be fitted and adjusted where the joist centre does not suit the stair stop and start.
And fitted into the wall in the same manner as the fitted joists, cut into the wall, or jiffy type masonry wall hangers.
The bulkhead, or sloping bulkhead, at the opposite end is studded out to form part of the stair well.
The Trimmed are all the joists cut and fixed to the length of the Trimmer, on the right.
There is talk of cripple studs and headers in some areas when floor trimming is discussed, but this really relates to studwork, especially load bearing studwork when I was a student.
Hope this helps.
Regards Rodders