Making a stair post (gluing)

[monica]

Hi!

I'm going to make 3 stair posts and I'm wondering if I've made a bad decision. Is it possible to glue it up like this?:

 

[monica]

my question is will the expansion/contraction cause a split in the wood when I've glued it up like that?

 

[Chris Knight]

Monica,
If the wood has been allowed to acclimatise to the humidity of your house and the overall size of your post is around 100mm square, then you should be OK.

Clamping up such a job will require a fair few good clamps and cauls (pressure pads of wood not being glued - wax them to stop them sticking accidentally, to spread the load and protect the surface of the glued wood from indentations). I recommend a dry run first.

 

[monica]

The size is 100mm square. I want to use the wood leftovers we have lying around here, so that's why I was wondering if it's possible to glue the posts like that.

Thanks!

 

[dirtydeeds]

glued up laminations are more stable than solid timber

 

[Paul Chapman]

As you will be using 14 pieces of wood for each post, you might find it easier to glue it up in stages, starting with the inner four pieces and then adding the outer pieces. It might also be an idea to use biscuits, dowels or loose tongues for location of the pieces - wood can slip about quite a bit once there is glue on it and you tighten up the cramps.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[steve tighe]

glued up laminations are more stable than solid timber

hmmm....

I think it's pretty safe to assume a newel glued up in two pieces will be pretty stable.


Monica,work out how much it'd cost if you went & bought in timber for the posts,if it's softwood then you can get unsorted Ex 4 X 4's & you'd probably be allowed to select what you want.Using s/wood it can be an idea to glue up two bits of Ex 2",the thicker the timber the more defects you'll come across.

If it's hardwood,then again work out the cost of new timber in 2" thick boards & in both cases compare the prices against how long it'd take to knock up the posts the way you've shown against timber cost & time involved to make them from new.

Try it your way first since you've the timber already there,but keep an open mind about ditching it & going for new stuff if it turns out to be more aggro then it's worth.