u/Stevesy_Zissou

I recently finished the railing for our attic bedroom stairwell as part of a larger reno project and wanted to share. The previous railing was circa early 1900s and not safe.

Quarter sawn white oak sourced from a single tree in Pennsylvania (via my local hardwood shop). I bought it rough sawn, milled everything myself in the garage. I love that the color and grain stay consistent across the whole thing.

Joinery and hardware:

- Balusters joined to the top and shoe rails with floating tenons (two per baluster to resist twisting)

- Zipbolts system connecting the rails to the newels

- Newels anchored into the floor joists with Zipbolts system

I went for a simple Craftsman look: square balusters, flat rail, no caps or turnings. I wanted to keep it clean and let the oak grain shine. The finish is a simple hard wax oil to keep the natural look.

Not a carpenter per se, more of a woodworker, but felt like this project took things to a carpentry level.

Before anyone calls out a missing handrail on the steps, I know. It’s the next thing.

Hello Reddit masonry experts. Seeking some additional perspectives from the community on this foundation issue we discovered during the building inspection on a home I am considering buying.

The vertical crack stems from the window corner to floor. And is visible in both interior and exterior walls. Inspector thinks it has likely been there for some time and result of typical settling. He didn’t seem super concerned, and can be common, suggesting I work with a local contractor to see if it can be patched with an epoxy injection or similar remediation solution.

For more context, the house is mid 1930s, and this was the only crack discovered. Inspector mentioned that there was no bowing or movement in or out, no additional horizontal cracking, etc which would be more cause for concern. Also, despite the inspection taking place during a rainy day, no water or dampness seemed to be coming through.

Obviously buying a home is a huge decision, and I’ve heard foundation issues can be deal breakers. I’d appreciate some second opinions if anyone has seen or dealt with similar situations in the past. Thank you!