Truing A Post - Woodworking And Carpentry

When a construction worker or woodworker uses the term truing a post, it could mean two different things. We're going to focus on the method used for building handrails, but the other one is actually used, while making the post.

Stair Handrailing Problems

The picture above provides you with a view of two posts, if you're looking at them, from directly above. It's not uncommon to find a slight variation, over long distances or even smaller ones, when building anything.

If you install a wood newel post at the top and bottom of a six-foot long handrail and you're having problems with the posts, connecting squarely to the banister, you will need to true the posts.

How Do You True Two Posts?

There are different ways that you can make individual posts line up correctly, squarely and perfectly Straight with the other ones. The most effective way I found is to install the banister and then simply turn the newel post into its position.

However, this might making some adjustments at the bottom of the post. There's a good chance that you will need to readjust the structural connecting point, for the newel post, before you can continue building the rest of the handrail.

This isn't going to be easy and the difficulty for truing a post is going to depend upon how well you have assembled the stairway handrail system, up to this point. If you've done a great job and your newel posts are extremely sturdy, this could take some time.

Doing It Right The First Time

Make sure that they're perfectly Straight and line up, the first time. You can do this by using a Straight edge or a long level. Set the Straight edge next to the side of the newel post and make sure that they line up perfectly, before finishing any structural attachments, to the rest of the stairway.

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