U.S. General Services Administration
Technical Procedures Disclaimer
Prior to inclusion in GSA’s library of procedures, documents are reviewed by one or more qualified preservation specialists for general consistency with the Secretary of Interior Standards for rehabilitating historic buildings as understood at the time the procedure is added to the library. All specifications require project-specific editing and professional judgement regarding the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers are to serve as a general guideline and do not constitute a federal endorsement or determination that a product or method is the best or most current alternative, remains available, or is compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards. The library of procedures is intended to serve as a resource, not a substitute, for specification development by a qualified preservation professional.
Rewrite
We’ve reviewed these procedures for general consistency with federal standards for rehabilitating historic buildings and provide them only as a reference. Specifications should only be applied under the guidance of a qualified preservation professional who can assess the applicability of a procedure to a particular building, project or location. References to products and suppliers serve as general guidelines and do not constitute a federal endorsement nor a determination that a product or method is the best alternative or compliant with current environmental regulations and safety standards.
PART 1–GENERAL
1.01 SUMMARY
- This procedure includes guidance on repairing a separated seam in a wood handrail.
- See 01100-07-S for general project guidelines to be reviewed along with this procedure. These guidelines cover the following sections:
- Safety Precautions
- Historic Structures Precautions
- Submittals
- Quality Assurance
- Delivery, Storage and Handling
- Project/Site Conditions
- Sequencing and Scheduling
- General Protection (Surface and Surrounding)
These guidelines should be reviewed prior to performing this procedure and should be followed, when applicable, along with recommendations from the Regional Historic Preservation Officer (RHPO).
PART 2–PRODUCTS
2.01 MATERIALS
- Wood glue
2.02 EQUIPMENT
- Screwdriver
- Nailset
- Chisel
PART 3–EXECUTION
3.01 ERECTION, INSTALLATION, APPLICATION
- A separation in the seam between pieces of handrail is usually caused by a loose rail bolt. The tightening of a rail bolt can be accomplished in place.
- To disassemble the joint, unplug access hole to star nut.
- Loosen star nut by tapping a screwdriver or nailset held against the edge of nut.
- Pull joint apart enough to insert chisel. Remove all old glue and varnish with chisel.
- Re-glue joint, especially the dowel.
- Clamp joint by tightening the rail bolt and replace plug into access hole.