This project started as a hardwood replacement of existing carpet, however I am nowhere near ready to start on the hardwood!! I am in the midst of getting ready for the nosing around the existing stairway.

It turns out the original builder built the railings and newel posts on a 8" strip of plywood (1/2" I think) They used drywall screws and glue to connect the spindles and newl posts to the plywood, then they glued and screwed the assembly to the subfloor.

So far I have left the plywood on the bottom of the newel posts but stripped the rest off. It turns out that the newel posts line up with the floor truss so I was thinking of using a Sure-Tite Fastener , but it appears my newel post is made up of 2 pieces (vertical) and I am concerned about the central connection causing the post to split.

My plan is to use 5 1/4" nosing and put the spindles on top of the nosing, however for the newel posts I thinnk I'll have to leave the plywood and then cut and butt the nosing around them.

I'm not sure either yet how I'll affix the spindles to the nosing.

Any comments or suggestions?? (see photos in my gallery: Railing Nightmares)