Wood Identification Bannister Railing

[DaveHuber]

   

Greetings.

I am trying to determine what species wood this is.

Unfortunately, it is finished.

It is in a house built in Illinois in approximately the 1930s

I'll need to turn a little button to cover the bolt hole.  the original went missing.

Does anyone know the likely answer?

Thanks for your help.

Dave

[jteneyck]

When I look in the hole the wood looks light, and you can see what looks to be stain around the top of the hole.  If that's correct I'd guess the wood is poplar or hemlock.  

John

[Turner52]

Traditionally a lot of them were made of beech. From the picture, I think that is highly likely. Due to the age and patina i believe maple or birch would also work. What ever you use there will have to be a stain match done on a sample of the wood used. If you do not have anything you can take to a professional paint store it will be extremely hard to duplicate. Even some of the true paint stores today do not have a real expert able to match stain. Too many rely on holding the sample up to a scanner and letting it do the work. Very hit or miss in stain matching in my experience. Good luck

[DaveHuber]

Thanks. I have some birch, poplar and beech available. I think I’ll give it a whirl and see if we can get the stain close. Perhaps we can stumble upon something that is sufficiently matched.

Thanks for the expertise!!!

[jteneyck]

Thanks.  I have some birch, poplar and beech available.  I think I’ll give it a whirl and see if we can get the stain close.  Perhaps we can stumble upon something that is sufficiently matched.

Thanks for the expertise!!!

For that little button you don't necessarily have to use the same species of wood.  Anything that looks like it after it has been dyed or stained will be fine.  And if you can't get a color match you are satisfied with make it darker, intentionally, like you wanted it to be that way.  

John

[Ninefingers_grapes]

Isn't this period when American Chestnut was being killed by the "virus, plague, disease"???  

A look at a longer length would also aid to identify.  
My parents home in NJ has all the baseboard and moulding made out ot American chestnut, and, they were all "painted"!


I striped lots of these baseboards (with the now removed(prohibited) aluminumchloride pain striper) (10 + 12 inches wide) for early woodwork.

I myself would make a button out of walnut, finished with NO stain and only varnish 

guess you can tell, I hate paint!  four years in the USCG painting white ships does that to a fellow!

[Bob Vaughan]

"If you can't hide it, point to it", as the saying goes.
Make a button out of contrasting burl or other fancy wood.  It will show up as an ornamental detail.  Its hard to duplicate the patina that age gives wood and finish.

[Stwood_]

Looks to be walnut stain on whatizit wood. Either go with walnut and clear finish, or some whatever scrap you have with walnut stain.

[Woodenfish]

Would a old silver dollar fill that hole? Might be cool to have one from the year the home was built.

[Stwood_]

Would a old silver dollar fill that hole? Might be cool to have one from the year the home was built.

  I'd forgot about stuff like that. I have some shotgun brass in our newel posts.