Q. Anchoring a railing to stone.(design)(Brief article)(Column)

I need to secure the base of a wrought-iron handrail to an exterior granite landing. My plan is to drill holes into the stone and use anchors. What's the best way to do this without cracking the stone, and what should I use for anchors? I am concerned that wedge anchors might cause cracks.

A. Bruce Zaretsky, a landscape designer and contractor who lives near Rochester, N.Y., responds: I agree that you should think twice about using wedge-type or masonry anchors in this kind of stone. When you drill and anchor so close to an edge (as you will when installing a railing), there is a good possibility that you'll crack the stone or break off a section.

Instead of …