Date: 1/30/2010
Name: Bob McGovern
email: bobmcgov@wildblue.net
subject:Grab rail mounting
Are these wood, or polyethylene? Either way, through-bolting is really the wisest option. These rails are safety equipment and should support the shock load of a falling person. The bits of wood between the cutouts are "short-grained", meaning those parts will shear off VERY easily unless there is a thru bolt tying them to the continuous wooden bar above them. I guess you could use very long wood screws or lag bolts, long enough to reach all the way into the top bar.... But really, thru bolting is the best way to go. If they are teak or mahogany, you can fake it with oak face-grain plugs. Not ideal, but good enough.I advise putting a dab of 4200 or similar under the machine screw head before installing, plugging, and varnishing; that way, if you ever need to remove the grab rails for refinishing, rebedding, or deck recore, the screw won't spin under its plug when you put a wrench on the nut belowdecks. You shouldn't need to drill out your plugs to remove & reinstall the rails. Good luck!
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