Vintage Shelf Rail

Use a Brass Furniture Railing to add eye catching style to projects.

• Be sure to choose a railing style that your application can accommodate.
• There are 5 more railing styles: Brass Gallery Rail -- Modern Brass Railing -- Brass Cabinet Railing -- Retro Brass Railing -- Mid-century Modern Rail.
  Installation varies between railing styles.
• View various install-options for the different railing types

Vintage Shelf Rail Posts

• All brass railing installations should have an end, corner, or wall post on either end.
• Number of center posts varies according to overall length. Space posts equally across front.
• Position of posts is subjective. Typical spacing between posts, across front, is approximately 8” – 14” apart. This is a personal preference.
• Formula to Calculate amount of Center Posts:
  1. Divide railing length, by estimated distance between posts.
  2. Subtract 1, this equals the number of center posts.
  3. Add 2 end posts, wall posts or corner posts to finish
  4. If total number of center-posts is a fraction, then distance between posts will need to be adjusted to equal an even number of posts.
  
• If this furniture railing will be straight, without sides, use end posts or wall posts, on each end, depending upon application.
• If shelf rail will have sides, use corner posts and end posts
• Please note if using sides: side-spacing often differs from front-spacing
• Shelf Rail post-base diameter is 5/8”. Place posts a minimum of 3/8” from edge.

Brass Rod

• Brass Rod is available in 2 lengths: 36” and 72”
• If rod is not long enough, join two rods together within a post.
• If needed, brass rod is easily cut shorter with a hacksaw.
• To calculate length of rod needed: measure length of each straight run:
  If your design is a straight rail, with no sides, it is one run. However if it has multiple sides, such as an open 3 sided shelf, it will have 3 runs.
• Calculate number of rods needed once you know the length of each run. Rods are available in 3' and 6' lengths. Consider that you may have leftover rod from one run to satisfy another run.

Install Brass Furniture Railing: 3 attachment methods for Center Post

Machine-Screw Attachment Method for wood and stone

Best and easiest attachment method. Machine screw inserts through hole from underneath mounting surface and screws into bottom of post. Nickel colored machine screws included. Machine screw is slotted for both a flat-tipped or Philips screw driver.

• Drill hole through wood surface, insert screws from underneath of surface, through hole and thread into bottom of post.
• When using on stone, such as marble or granite, holes must be predrilled at post locations.  To mount insert machine screws though hole, from underside of stone, and screw up into base of post.
• If preferred: Brass Ball Head Screws or Brass Thumb Screws can be used, in place of standard machine screws, to attach posts. Use when screw head is visible. Sold separately.

Cap-Nut Attachment Method for wood, stone and tempered glass

This installation method provides an old-time appearance. as it displays a Brass Nut on underside of shelf. Use Threaded stem with brass cap nut in place of standard machine screw attachment method. It is sold separately.

• Drill hole through wood surface to accommodate a 3/8” diameter threaded stem.
• If used on marble, granite, or tempered glass: mounting-holes must be predrilled at post locations. 
• If post has brass-bushing in base: unscrew bushing and remove.
• Insert threaded stem from underneath surface, through hole and thread into bottom of post.
• Once installed, brass nut is seen on underside of shelf.

Adapter-Screw Attachment Method for wood surfaces

This installation method is difficult, requiring extra manipulation of rod and post head when inserting rod. Top mounting will not work if using with post attached to wall. If mounting from top we recommend using Cabinet Railing Posts, as these mount from the top to provide an easier application.

• Screw projects 3/8", from bottom of post, to screw down into top of wood surface.
• Cannot be used in conjunction with post mounted on wall.
• Cannot be used on stone surfaces.

• Install all posts.
• Cut and insert rods which fit easily.
• Tight fitting rods require extra attention: Cut rod slightly short. Slide rod into post. As rod is slightly short, additional clearance will be achieved when rod is slid into post. This added clearance provides space to insert rod into last post. If necessary: top of post can be slightly turned and rod can be gingerly bent to fit into post.

When ordering please check post-style to make sure they all match. Links for matching posts are on product pages.