How to Build a Deck With a Railing Plans

A typical deck with railing

A wood deck adds a delightful outdoor space to spend time with friends and family. The deck needs a railing to protect the family from falling off the deck and getting hurt. Check with your local city permit department to see if there are any restrictions that have to be followed to meet the local building code. The do-it-yourself handyman can build a deck with ordinary wood working tools and a few specialty tools that can be rented at the local equipment rental store.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Pencil
• Sod cutter (available at local tool rental store)
• Flat bladed shovel
• Hoe
• Landscape fabric
• Gravel
• Landscape paint
• Post hole digger (available at local tool rental store)
• Post hole digger
• Concrete
• 4-foot carpenter's level
• Post anchors
• 4-by-4 pressure-treated posts (amount depends on your plan)
• 2-by-8 joists (amount depends on your plan)
• 2-by-6 boards (amount depends on your plan)
• 2-by-4 boards (amount depends on your plan)
• Deck boards (amount depends on your plan)
• 6-by-6-by-10 foot pressure-treated post
• Drill with bit
• 6-Inch carriage bolts and nuts
• Adjustable wrench
• Joist hangers
• Galvanized joist hange nails
• Circular saw
• Power screwdriver
• Deck screws
• Framing square
• Jig saw with blade
• Router
• Deck stain

Instructions

Porch

1. Design the deck on graph paper to determine the size and shape that you want. This will also help you to estimate the cost of the deck and the wood needed. Set 4-by-4 posts at 10-foot intervals. This is the maximum span of a 2-by-8 joist. Draw rim joists to form the perimeter of the deck. Check with the local utility companies to have the property flagged. This will show you where the underground utilities are located so you will not accidentally hit a buried gas or electric line.

2. Mark the deck's location on the ground. You need to remove all the grass below where the deck will be located. A sod cutter makes the job easier for a large deck. For smaller areas a shovel and a rake can be used to prepare the ground. Lay out a layer of landscape fabric over the ground to keep weeds from growing under the deck. Place a layer of gravel over the material to keep it in position. Landscape paint works great for marking the ground for the deck's location.

3. Lay out the locations of the posts on the ground to dig the post holes. Use your plan marked on the graph paper for the proper placement of the posts. Dig post holes with a post hole digger. For a large deck you can rent a gas powered post hole digger from your local tool rental store to make the job easier. The post holes must fall below the frost line for your area of the country. If they are not dug below the frost line the deck will move up and down due to the freezing.

4. Pour concrete into the post holes up to the ground level. Set post anchors into the wet cement to support the post before the concrete has set. The post anchors will keep the 4-by-4 pressure-treated posts off the ground. This will extend the life of the post by avoiding ground contact. Let the concrete set overnight before proceeding to the next step.

5. Set the posts into the post anchors and secure them in position. Mark line on the posts that are 3 inches below the door. This is where you will set the top of the rim joist. Pre-drill the holes for 6-inch galvanized carriage bolts to attach the rim joist to the post. Use two carriage bolts for each end of the rim joist. Tighten them down using an adjustable wrench.

6. Mark the location for the floor joist around the perimeter of the deck. Work from one side spacing joist hangers 16 inches apart. Use a small piece of 2-by-8 material as a guide to set and secure the joist hangers in position. Use galvanized bracket nails to attach the brackets to the rim joist. Cut the floor joist to fit between the two 2-by-8 rim joists. Use a circular saw and a framer's square to make the cuts. Nail the floor joist into the brackets using the same galvanized nails.

7. Attach the decking boards to the deck using 3-inch deck screws. Place two screws at each floor or rim joist using a power screwdriver. Set the screws 1/2-inch in from the sides to keep the decking from splitting. Set the head of the screw just below the surface of the decking, unless you're using a hidden decking fastener system. Leave a 1-inch overhang of the decking all the way around the rim joist.

Railing

1. Cut a 6-by-6-by-10 foot pressure-treated post in half using a circular saw and a framing square. A framing square will keep the cut straight. Take each half and cut an 8 1/2-inch long cut by 3 1/2-inch deep groove out of one end of the post. This is the side of the railing post that will face the deck. Use a framing square to mark the opposite end of the post with a 1 1/2-inch line all the way around the post. This will be the cut line for the circular saw to follow. Set your circular saw to a 45-degree bevel and cut the line you just made. Use the framing square to keep the cut straight. This will leave a bevel edge along the top of the railing post. You can add a decorative bevel or two below the angle cut for additional detail. Use the framing square and a router with a 45-degree bevel bit for this step. Make sure that the 45-degree bevel does not go below 42-inches from the notch on the opposite end of the post. Now is the best time to stain or paint the post before it is attached to the deck.

2. Notch the decking for the 5 1/2-inch wide railing posts. The posts will go on the three sides of the deck that do not set next to the house. Place the posts 4- or 8-feet apart. This is the inside-to-inside dimension of the post. Pre-drill holes through the post and the rim joist to attach with 6-inch galvanized carriage bolts. Pay close attention to where you set the corner post so that the two side railing fit into the post evenly. Use a jigsaw to cut the decking for this step.

3. Place a 2-by-6 board between each post. Cut the boards to fit tightly between each post. Use a circular saw and square. Attach the 2-by-6s 39 inches above the decking. This runs flat between the two posts. Use 3-inch decking screws to attach the railing cap to the post. Cut two 2-by-4s to the same length. Attach these to the inside edge of the railing at 90-degrees. One goes right beneath the cap you just secured to the post. Align this with the inside edge of the post. Use the same 3-inch decking screws to attach this vertically between the post. Attach the second one so that the bottom edge of the 2-by-4 is 3 inches above the decking. Cut 2-by-4's to fit between the top and bottom edge of the 2-by-4s. Run these through the table saw to cut them in half.

4. Cut a 1-inch bevel on the outside edge of each picket. Attach the pickets to the 2-by-4s with the bevel end facing down and away from the porch. Use 2 1/2-inch decking screws for this. Start in the center of the railing and work outward in each direction leaving 3 1/2 inches between the inside edge of each picket. This is to code for the picket spacing, so a child cannot get his head stuck between the pickets.

Tips & Warnings

• If you used pressure treated lumber let it sit for 30 days before appling stain.

• Wear safety glasses when using power tools.

References

• You Tube: How to Build a Deck
• HGTV: How to Build a Simple Deck
• Handyman Wire: How to Build a Deck