Codes are getting tougher on outdoor decks.
Best way to install deck railing posts.
A railing is one of the most visible parts of a deck but it s also a key safety feature.
Don t lag bolt a deck railing post to the outer band board that s nailed to the ends of the floor joists.
To learn how to mount the posts on the on the inside of the rim joists see how to build a deck.
The post will be the desired height of the railing and the width of the framing it is attached to minus the thickness of the cap that rests on top of the posts if any.
There are two ways to mount posts on the inside of the rim and end joists or on the outside as with this deck.
Choose lumber for example that is free of cracks and splinters.
Composite decking and railings.
After the railing is installed sand all the corners smooth.
They must be strong.
This article shows how to install posts with two bolts in order to create a very strong attachment.
Instead a bolting method similar to the one for interior posts should be used for posts attached to the outside of the frame.
Anyone who has experienced the ease and speed of installation eliminating notching of decking and tricky carpentry skills or all the hardware required for setting posts into joists knows this intimately.
The railing must be strong enough to resist the following loads.
The international residential code irc adopted by most us cities and towns requires 36 in high deck railings for decks more than 30 in.
The railing posts for this deck are cut from 4 x 4 lumber.
Critical railing post connections are simplified by using engineered framing hardware.
It s easy to connect deck railing posts to the floor joists of the deck.
Most states now require a specific bolted connection where deck rail posts attach to the floor frame with reinforcement for joists and blocking.
Back in the day most deck rail posts were notched attached to the outside of the deck frame and driven in with screws.
Deck railing posts are the foundation of a deck railing system.
However this method no longer meets most modern building code requirements.