Building A Deck Stair Railing

Composite decking and railings.

Building a deck stair railing.

The posts extra height above the railing is just for looks. An important step in building deck step railing is to stiffen up posts at the bottom of outdoor stairs or deck railings by bolting them on three sides. Outside mounted rails rail post attachment baluster spac. Or more above grade.

Learn the details in how to build a deck. Before building and installing deck stair railings we have to attach the deck posts on the deck surface. How to install deck stair railings guardrails must be provided on the open side of a stair where it is more than 30 above the floor or grade. The railing posts for this deck are cut from 4 x 4 lumber.

Measure relative to an existing deck structure for the most accuracy. Stair rails must be at least 34 high measured from the nosing of the stair treads. Start by dividing the spacing of the posts to create equal distances for each rail section. The bottom post is the toughest post to make solid when you build outdoor stair railings.

Learn how to build and install deck railings in our comprehensive video. An inch or two higher than the railing will look nice. Mount posts on the inside of the rim joist if you plan to upgrade to vinyl railings later. Mix thirty two 60 pound bags of concrete in a portable power mixer for this step.

Consequently according to the structure of your deck you can either anchor the posts on the floor using post anchors or you can fasten them to the deck joists using lag screws. Deck stairs are typically made from 2 x 12 stringers spaced about 12 to 16 inches apart. Topics include inside vs. Most building codes require deck railings to be between 36 inches 91 cm and 42 inches 110 cm high.

After building the main deck platform locate the footings for the stair landings and pad. They rest on a solid foundation and are attached to the deck with hangers. Most building codes require railings for decks over 24 inches in height and most codes require these railings to be at least 42 inches high. Building codes define the minimum height and strength of the railing system as well as the size of gaps in the railing they must be small enough that a small child cannot slip through.

You ll need enough length hanging below the surface of the deck to attach the posts securely to the supports. To learn how to mount the posts on the on the inside of the rim joists see how to build a deck.