bowed kwila hand rails

[Rubber]

I have just gone to install my kwila handrails (ladies waist 68 x 68m) after storing them (flat) for 6 months and 3 of the 4 lengths are bowed. (2 x 3.2m and 1 x 1.8m). They are the type with no bottom groove. They are bowed in the vertical (when installed) direction.

The 1.8m length I have against my retaining wall with 2 blocks (simply supported) and have used a jack to push the bow by the same amount in the other direction, maxbe 30mm.

The 3.2m lengths I have placed large concrete weights on them as they are more flexible.

Is this the right thing to do? Should I be pouring boiling water on them or similar? How long do you think this will take?

[mic-d]

You'll never get the bow out of them that way. What are you using under the handrails? eg dowels for balusters, wire, lattice etc. You might be able to install the longer ones and pull them down flat onto dowels and nail, but if you need to use a jack to straighten the 1800 one, I doubt you'll be able to fix it flat. If you don't have something to fix them down straight onto I think you're buggered... and there's no saying new timber won't bow after its fixed in place too.

Cheers
Michael

[Rubber]

Bugger. At $16/m I don't want to throw them away.

The balustrades are pine slats. I think they are 68 x 19mm or whatever the standard is with a mid rail and the centre 2 slats going up to the kwila handrail as a feature.

I didn't think skew nail or screwing would pull it down. I might have to do something smart like screw down through the handrail into the balustrade into an encapsulated dowel nut in the balustrade. (Like you see in a lot of self assemble furniture to avoid screwing into end grain.) Then do the same between the deck and the balustrade. Then gap fill the lot.

I will the handrails a few days under the jack/concrete weights first and advise the progress.

[mic-d]

I suppose you could route some deep housings in the rails for the centre slats and then dowel into the side of the rail right thru the slat. Glue them too. Might work.

Cheers
Michael

[Bodgy]

This may be a bit gross, but it does work if the bow is in the vertical plane. Get some angle iron (or T section) and route/cut a slot for one face into and up from the base of the rail to take one plane of the angle iron. Epoxy it in, and for good measure, drill a few holes at 300 centres and screw the proud face into the kwila.

Strong as buggery and your bows gone. Most rail will have a recessed 'slot' on the bottom face to hide the joints to ballustrade etc, Should be invisible and cheaper than buying new rails (which could well warp anyway)