How to Attach a Handrail to Cement

Most building regulations require the placement of a handrail when you have steps. Steps used outside the home are commonly made of concrete. In most cases, when you have concrete steps, you want to attach the railing to the concrete. This avoids the need to dig post holes directly next to the steps and makes the job of complying with building regulations easier.

Things You'll Need

• Marker
• Hammer drill
• 5/32-inch carbide drill bit
• Vacuum cleaner
• Ratchet set

Instructions

1. Place the assembled handrail onto the concrete steps. Line up the rail on the concrete steps to ensure you secure the fasteners to the correct locations. Mark the mounting holes for each fastener.

2. Secure a 5/32-inch carbide drill bit into a hammer drill and drill out each marker dot with a 2-inch deep hole.

3. Remove all of the dust from inside the holes with a vacuum cleaner.

4. Place the handrail fasteners in place and secure them with 3/16-inch Tapcon screws. Use 1 ½-inch long screws for this job. If you use an electric drill or electric screwdriver, use a slow setting. Do not turn the screws in too fast or you could strip them. Using a ratchet and socket makes the task relatively simple and avoids stripping the screws in the concrete.

5. Place the handrail onto the fasteners and secure the handrail to the fasteners with the supplied hardware.

References

• Concrete Fasteners: Installing Tapcon Bit
• Simplified Building: How to Build a Simple Handrail