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Would you like to add information to this article? Interested in writing or submitting an article? Have a question about this article? Glue for Joining Handrail Pieces 
Question
Forum Responses
From contributor H: I have used Titebond yellow glue for many years without a problem. Be sure to apply glue to both parts. End grain is very absorbent. The rail bolt is the primary fastener holding the joint. Glue is secondary. And like contributor J said, don't squeeze it all out. From contributor R: I always use Titebond II - it's the best I've found for end grain to end grain gluing. From Professor Gene Wengert, Sawing and Drying Forum technical advisor: Almost all adhesives, especially TB and similar, will make a joint that is much stronger than the wood itself. So, if you have a failure, then you are not making the joint properly. Perhaps the wood is not active for gluing (water drop test will show this) because the saw heated the wood too hot or the surface is aged. Perhaps the surfaces are not just 20 minutes old, but have aged and changed MC, so they are no longer perfectly flat. Hard to say, but you really need to figure out what is wrong rather than trying a new adhesive. From contributor I: I scratch up the surface joints with an awl so that the glue doesn't all squeeze out. I think, however, you might make sure that all the newel posts are glued or bolted down and that all the balusters are as secure as you can possibly make them. I personally don't like surface-installed newel posts. I prefer to place them against risers or drop them through the floor if possible. Most problems associated with wiggly balustrades resulting in loose joints are a result of quickie installation. No amount of super-glue can fix that. Today's' smaller handrails and spindly posts and balusters don't help either. Newel posts used to be mortised and built into the whole stair structure, and handrail joints were always dowelled as well as glued and bolted (but that's another story). From contributor A: The key to a high quality handrail is that the fitting connection is a mechanical fastener such as a rail-bolt or Zip-bolt. LJ Smith publishes a great guide for installation of stair parts. Have you reviewed the related Knowledge Base areas below? 
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