A handrail wreath is a curved connecting piece in a staircase that joins two strings or two lengths of handrail at a change of direction, without a break. It sits where a stair turns at a landing, or where the handrail runs from one flight into the next.
In Dutch stair joinery two versions are distinguished, differing in the direction of the grain:
| Component (Dutch) | Grain direction | Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Kuipstuk | Vertical, like the staves of a barrel | Top and bottom faces are end grain |
| Wrongstuk | Follows the pitch of the stair | Stronger along the length of the handrail |
The choice is structural rather than decorative: timber is far stronger along the grain than across it. A curved piece that is loaded along the curve is therefore best made with the grain following the curve.
Where it is used
Wreaths belong to the better class of stair joinery:
- Half-landing stairs — where the strings of two flights have to meet in a curve
- Continuous handrails — so that the rail runs on without interruption; this also helps accessibility, because the hand does not have to be lifted off
- Restoration — where a broken curved section of a historic stair has to be copied exactly
Practical points
- Laminate rather than cut from the solid — several thin laminations glued around a former will crack less and move less than a piece cut across the grain
- Match the species — use the same timber as the rest of the stair, or the colour will differ visibly once it is finished
- Seal the end grain — end grain absorbs varnish and stain strongly and will otherwise finish darker than the surrounding surface
- Sand with the grain — on a curve the grain direction changes constantly, and cross-grain scratches only show up after finishing
Related terms
- Half-landing stair
- String
- Handrail
- End grain
- Laminating
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