Zipbolt13.610 Railbolt - Staircase Handrail to Fittings Connector - 1 Pack

Remodeling our stairs, removed the old newel post and handrail and installed a new box newel post at the bottom and a new handrail. I'm a seasoned DIY'er but first time installing a box newel post and handrail. The zipbolts made the handrail installation such an easy task. It took me a while to measure and layout where I needed to install the zipbolts and cut the holes in the handrails, only because I didn't want to cut something wrong and have to purchase another expensive handrail that has to be sanded, stained and poly coated again. The zipbolts hold the handrail very securely, much better than I thought they might. They were easy to use and came with good instructions and dimensions to make the layout of the holes. Everything worked as advertised. These zipbolts are worth much more than the actual cost because of how easy they are to use and how well they secure the handrail to the newel posts.

I’m a big fan of Zipbolt connectors, as they can be used for many different applications. I used these UT Railbolts to secure newel posts to the floor on a staircase renovation - and not for attaching handrails as intended. Note that in this case, the newel posts lapped down the stair riser and were also secured by big screws. The included red oak plugs are only useful if you have red oak stair components - otherwise it’s best to use a 1” plug cutter and cut your own plugs that match the wood and finish you’re using. FYI, you can purchase these Zipbolts for much less from commercial hardware suppliers like Richelieu. Sometimes though, time is of the essence, and convenience becomes more important than price.

Strong and I didn’t have any of the stripping problems others did. You have to be accurate on your drilling.

I used the Zipbolt to connect a 2 straight rails to an S rail. I tried to use the connecting bolt that came with the S rail and it looked terrible. Searched online for a tool that would tighten the existing bolt and ended up finding the Zipbolt instead. The price was right even with shipping costs. When I got the Zipbolt I took the rails apart ended up cutting the ends off to start with a clean piece of wood. WOW what a difference from the manufacturers bolts! The gear driven nut was extremely easy to tighten with a T5 head and made for a nice tight clean joint. Dry fit then took apart glued it up and sanded smooth. Looks great! I'm handy but by no means am a finish carpenter and this joint looks just as good as my other staircase which was installed by a pro. Great product and super easy to use with professional results.

One bolt snapped as I tightened it. The other worked well. For hardwood I would try to find something stronger