Do-It-Yourself Steps to Make a Handrail for a Deck
A handrail on a deck is an addition that can be attractive and offer safety. Often it is required by state and municipal building codes. If you have some experience with construction, you can add a handrail to a deck and save money a professional would charge. Buy wood for the handrail to match your deck, collect some tools and, if possible, a helper, and build the railing in an afternoon. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 3-inch-by-4-inch boards cut into 50-inch lengths
- 2-inch-by-6-inch boards for handrail
- 2-inch-by-2-inch-by-35-inch boards for uprights
- 1/2-inch bolts, six inches long
- 1/2-inch nuts
- 1/2-inch washers
- 3-inch nails
- Hammer
- Drill
- Screwdriver
- Tape measure
- Saw
- Level
- Stain, varnish or paint
- 6-inch metal C clamp
- Work gloves
- Goggles
Instructions
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1
Measure the edges of the deck to determine how much railing and how many posts and uprights will be required. The posts are the primary support for the hand rail and should have no more than 72 inches between them. Uprights, which provide additional support and prevent people or animals from falling off the deck between the posts, should have about 4 inches between them. Calculate how many you will need on each side by dividing the length of railing on each side by 72 inches for the posts and 4 inches for the uprights. The handrail, or the top of the railing, will be made from a 6-inch-wide board and will run horizontally around the perimeter of the deck, approximately 40 inches high.
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2
Cut 3-inch-by-4-inch boards into as many 50-inch lengths as required for the posts. A standard deck will stand approximately 40 inches high, so cut the posts 50 inches high to leave room at the bottom to attach them to the edge of the deck. Cut 2-inch-by-2-inch boards into as many 35-inch lengths as required for the battens, which will fit underneath the handrail and help to secure it, and the uprights. Cut the 2-inch-by-6-inch boards into the lengths you will need to make the handrail itself.
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3
Attach the posts to the boundary joist, or the board which forms the outside perimeter of the deck, using 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch bolts. Use an electric drill to drill the holes completely through the posts and the boundary joist. The boundary joist board forms a right angle to the floor of the deck. Drill the hole through the boundary joist in the space below the floor of the deck. Attach the bolts with a washer and nut on the interior of the boundary joist, underneath the floor of the deck. Use a level to make sure the posts are perfectly vertical.
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4
Nail the uprights to the boundary joist, every 4 inches. These will act as additional supports to the railing. Use a level to make sure they are perfectly vertical and parallel to one another. Ensuring that the first upright placed is perfectly straight will make placing the rest of the uprights much easier.
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5
Nail the battens, which are narrow strips of wood that fit underneath the hand railing and will serve to secure the railing to the uprights, to the uprights and posts once the uprights are in place. The battens will fit horizontally across the tops of the uprights and posts, with the top edge of the batten flush to the top of the uprights. The handrail itself will fit across the top of the batten and uprights.
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6
Nail the handrail in place by driving nails through it and into the uprights or batten. Have a friend help you to hold the handrail in place while you attach it. If you have no available helpers, use a 6-inch metal C-clamp to hold the handrail to the batten while you attach it.
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7
Stain, varnish or paint your handrail to match your deck.
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Tips & Warnings
If you are a more skilled carpenter, bevel the bottoms of the uprights and the ends of the handrail for a more attractive look.
Investigate local building codes. These codes outline how high a rail must stand and the space required between uprights support the railing and blocking access underneath it. You might need fewer battens than listed in these instructions and all of the uprights and posts may be shorter than described here.
Always wear gloves and goggles when working with carpentry tools.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit porch image by MLProject from Fotolia.com
