Building Deck Railing

Decks are a great spot in the house to hang out, work or just stare at the stars, with a coffee mug in your hand. But if there are kids in the house, then the deck might prove to be a potential risk in the absence of proper railings. It then becomes essential that when you build the deck or get the deck built, to affirm the safety of the deck. One of the things to make the deck safe is the deck railing. In case you were pondering over building deck railing, here is something you might be interested in.

Building a Deck Railing

Be prepared that this endeavor is going to take time and a bit of slogging too. If you are ready for sweating it out, then this is for you. Primarily you will need deck rail, carriage bolts, chop saw, 2 x 2 wood strips, 4 x 4 deck posts and 2 x 4 wood. This is basically what you will need to build a deck railing.

The Process
Now that the things required have been mentioned, we should get to work, right? The following is the method for building deck railing.

Point 1 - Understanding Deck Rail Basics
Starting off, understand and get to know the makeup of a deck railing. The railing is made up of a number of elements. It comprises posts, usually 4"x4" pressure treated wood, top and bottom railings, composed of 2"x4" wood and balusters - 2"x2" wood, composite material or metal poles. Some good deck building plans will be helpful in this regard.

Point 2 - Planning and Preparation
A bit of planning and giving a thought to the deck railing designs will further prove to be of help when you want to know how to build a deck. Length of the railing post, are you going to have stairs and the like are important factors in this project. Fix the location of the posts mentally before you begin and understand how to build a deck railing.

Point 3 - The Posts
Around the rim joists of the deck, mark the positions for the posts at 4 to 6 foot apart. These specifications might change according to the building codes for decks in your area. The important thing to remember here is that the installation of the posts should not conflict with the location of the joists and should create a uniform spacing around the perimeter of the deck. While you are installing the posts in connection with building deck railing, remember that all the posts will need to have a 1-1/2 inch x 7 inch notch removed from the bottom. This is because that the post has to rest partly on the deck surface and then flush against the rim joist. In addition to that, the lower portion of each post will also need to have a couple of 0.5 inch holes drilled through for accepting lag bolts in the course of installation.

Point 4 - Deck Surface and Posts Again
Just as you would prepare the posts for installation, the deck surface too will need to be prepared. See if the surface of the deck protrudes out over the rim joists. It will have to be trimmed back to the joist in the spots where the deck railing posts will be fixed. Once the deck surface is fixed, with regards to how to install deck railing you will now have to place the posts in their positions. While you do that, you have to affirm that they are plumb and square. The posts will have to be attached to the rim joists with the help of half inch galvanized lag bolts.

Coming to the end of building deck railing, you can now work with modules. Pre construction of railing modules make it easier to install a deck railing. Then you would have to measure the distance between posts and cut the railing accordingly. Using galvanized fasteners, fix balusters to top and bottom railing and ensure that the railing remains square. Even when you are looking to build a deck railing for stairs, this is important.

Finally, attach modules to the posts with the help of galvanized hangers or toe-nailing the modules in the post with the help of 3" galvanized fasteners. You are done! That's all about building deck railing! If this seems easier 'read' than done, then asking a professional to build the deck railing for you will be a good idea! Have a great time building the deck railing!