We are the fourth owners of this house, so every painted surface has at least four coats of paint, some of it kind of blobby. I started paring away the paint puddled at the base of the balusters, so they’d have nice crisp corners again before we repaint.
My husband thinks that this is a mistake, because now he can jiggle them a bit–although it’s not enough movement to see or hear.
Are balusters supposed to be glued rigidly in place, or do they need some freedom of movement because of wood expansion/contraction?
Janet
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Chances are, the new paintjob will lock the balusters back in place, but if any of them rattle later, a brad toenailed in would take care of it.
The house I grew up in was built just after the Civil War, and there was so much paint on the woodwork that it was hard to tell what shape some of the moldings were supposed to be. Another amusing thing, in the summer the interior doors would swing open, and in the winter they'd swing shut.
good luck.
If you want your balusters to look really tidy, and you have the time, patience and a lathe- take the whole thing apart. But first, take a close look at how it was all put together to avoid breaking any parts. Clean up the balusters on the lathe with a scraper and sandpaper then give them the first coat while still mounted. 10 minutes each, maybe. now the areas around the holes are clear for easier scraping and painting and the rail itself can be taken down to the workbench and cleaned up. I think you don't want any movement in the connections.
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