You must be from a snowfree state, we leave the bottom board up off the decking just under 4" as to be able to push snow off and under without having to lift the shovel. This will also allow fall leaves to blow out under too.
I bought the Dekorator set which is exactly the same rail system. They recommended the end braces be with the open top up, not down so it can act like a joist hanger. There's nothing holding the 2x4's but the 2 screws that you screwed in. I sealed both ends of the wood and ran a silicone bead on the top. Also to keep any of this to walk on you, I found starting all 3 screws in a 1/3 of the way, you can just drive it home with nothing walking on the post.
Scared me for a minute, I installed the same type of balluster railing system last week, I had the brackets on each end, I figured the closed end should be on the bottom instead of the top to help support the rail mounted to the post. I just watched this and you did yours the opposite! I thought ughhh I do not want to take those apart, so I went to the website where I bought them and they show them being installed both ways. Thank God! Nice job.
Thank you for your videos and taking the time explain everything. I am currently remodeling a house that was built in 1850. I appreciate the details of your videos.
Jeff, I feel like I know you after watching your videos! Thank you so much for this great work you're doing! (by the way, anything on roofing in the future? I saw the shed video, I"m hoping for something more. I don't mean to ask, just putting an idea out there). Thank you again for all you do. you are a good man.
Thanks Jeff for all the great videos! Regarding railing posts, shouldn't they be attached to the rim joists via pass-through bolts, like carriage bolts or hex bolt, instead of deck screws or even lugs, even if they are blocked? The IRC requires that a post can withstand a force 200 lbs in every direction when applied to the top of the post. Please advise. Thanks.
hi, I have a small deck 10 x14', the deck is finished already and need to install a hand rail for code .and would like to install like you have. how did you install your posts? love the videos Allan
Thanks for your great videos Jeff. As a contractor I find them invaluable as a teaching tool for some of my new recruits.....and hey, a few great pointers for me as well.....
Thanks for your videos. In your cedar rail kit video, you say to buy it online. I'm actually in need of 4 - 8ft rail kits. Can you suggest where to buy>
Jeff, you’re amazing and very eloquent. Thank you for your videos. I have a question please. I live in Toronto. Im half way done laying pressure treated 2x6 decking boards on my new 15x28 deck. Using 16 ft boards. Pressure treated lumber kind of wet. Newly delivered by home depot. Im leaving a 1/16 gap between the boards as i heard it will shrink a bit. Is it true or should i re do at 1/8 gap? Thank you, great show. Javier
Javier, you will need to leave the gap as small as possible. In your situation at 30" off the ground with no skirt the boards will not stay wet from ground moisture since the air will carry that away, since you don't get much direct sunlight I would suggest1/8 gap will be fine. the other secret is to wait 3 days before installing it and it will dry out on its own. Cheers!
Thank you for the Video - Very Informative. How do you suggest doing 45/135 deg angle. I am guessing the cut is straight forward, but we need the appropriate bracket. Please advise?
Have you seen those trex railings? Basically same set up, but they have the metal balusters and these like vinyl or trex ones... anyway, stay away from the vinyl ones they break way easy lol customer was mad about a year after doing their deck, told them not to but that's what they wanted
Hi after some advice, before installing railings on a deck are the posts set in certain increments so that when the spacing is calculated between spindles they end up all the same, I can't seem to find a formula for finding the spacing to match on every rail, so if I've calculated the spacing on a 6ft rail then the next rail is shorter to turn a corner on an angle or the rail stops and starts either side of steps obviously the spacing changes, don't know if i've explained well enough cheers
Just had a thought would the posts have to be set at increments equal to the thickness of spindle and spacing so 3"space plus 1" spindle posts have to be set so multiples of 4" or not showing my IQ now lol cheers
Hi Jeff, I need to add a hand rail to my front door's concrete stairs and landing. Mostly I feel okay about the structural aspects of the project-to affix the wooden posts to the concrete I plan to use heavy duty metal brackets. But the thing I'm concerned about is that I'm not sure how to attach the rail to my house like you did here. I have horizontally lapped cedar shingles and thus, I can't just lay a board flat against them. What would you do in a situation like mine? I'm thinking about just adding an extra post/bracket into the concrete next to the wall, as opposed to attaching it to the house wall. But it would be great to hear your thoughts. Thanks, I have gleaned a ton from your channel!
Jeff, a rail post question... First of all - love your videos. Good relaxed instruction. I cantilevered my deck - the rim joist going out about 6.5 inches from the beams. In your video about posts, you have your rim joist nearly even with your beams allowing for the 2x4 at the bottom for the skirt. Well, with a cantilever, I'm kinda screwed in that regard. However, what are your thoughts about me setting the 4x4 posts to the ground, up against the rim joist, boxing them in as you instruct, to provide for a deck post and also provide a support for the 2x4 for the skirting? Difficult to describe in words; hope this makes sense. Perhaps a dollop of concrete for the post to sit in? Thanks.
The best way to skirt and overhang is to hang a box from the overhang and then run a few boards from the bottom back to the framing. Kind of like building a bulkhead in a basement. Don't go all the way to the ground so you keep your wood out of the organics so it will last. Cheers!
Your bottom board should be 3 to 4 inches above your decking to shovel the snow underneath. In the south it works just fine the way you built the decking.
Edited out knocking the top portion loose again to get the rails to fit into the hole. Edited out attaching the top brackets. Still a good video to watch
I cant see the name of the rail kit in the video. What are the railing kit poles made out of? Also did the cedar boards with the holes come with the kit or did you have to buy them separately. Thanks
Hi Jeff, I have pulled off the old decking and the joists all look to be in good shape so I am going to re-use the PT joists. Should I worry about the old nail holes in the wood. I am going to use 5/4-4 tight knot for the new decking. I remember that you said to use 3.5" screws when putting down the new boards.....Thanks
Thank you so much for that because I was always drilling into the mortar not the brick it was because I did not want to crack the brick. But thanks again
"Now that's sexy..." LOL The railing looks fantastic, however the wood looks like it's untreated. Is there any reason why you would not stain it or treat it before putting it together?
I swear RU-vid and Facebook reads my mind...I was thinking about building a porch railing because we are defacing our house partially with shiplap and here you are in my notification before I even searched ....something strange is going on....by the way I love your videos ..keep up the good work
Thanks Marco, steps are next week. We will also cover the skirting boards installation. Great tips coming next week. we will also be releasing a different style of video for the whole project at some point. Thanks for watching.
Question for you please. As far as I remember you said always use brown screw but for the wall you used blue one. Any reason?or did I miss any hint in the video? Thanks 😊
Please may I inquire as to where I can buy these pre-drilled planks and Aluminum pillars from sir? I live in NY and cannot find anywhere?? Thank you in advance. Craig.
If you have a back deck like mine those rails are going to be hot enough to brand you. The only other alternative would be would. One thing that's good about a back deck that gets alot of sun is to install and 80% shade tarp over it. They sell them in a lot of garden Outfitters. Every summer we put that up and it makes the back deck very enjoyable. Without that it's just a fiery Inferno. More industrial and expensive from that would be to build an overhead shelter, but then you don't get the sun unless you put a skylight. That's why I like the tarp idea
Great video as usual! Curious though, you're in Canada where they use the metric system (to my knowledge anyway). Why do you always seem to measure things in imperial? It seems so much more difficult and less precise to say "49 and 3/8", minus 1/2" equals 48 and 7/8"", instead of like "1200 minus 15 equals 1185mm".
In Canada we use metric for driving and weather. everything regarding building remained unchanged from the 1970's when the gov't made the change. we are so tied together in trade with our neighbors that it made sense to leave that alone.
Can you recommend a place where I can purchase the pre-drilled rails? Online, maybe? I live in upstate NY (Syracuse) and they don't seem to stock them anywhere, locally.
You are by far my fav contractor on RU-vid, I would love that you make enough revenue online to keep making all these videos. Please become a amazon partner site.... to maximize your revenue online. I’d buy anything you recommend, if you link to an amazon partner link... I’d totally support you.
@@HomeRenoVisionDIY I love your videos. It's very satisfying to watch a pro at work. Having said that I am renovating my deck and the Yahoo's that built my deck did something I bet you have never seen. They put a ledger board on the house and didn't hange the joist from it. They have double 2x8's nailed to the OUTSIDE of the ledger board. The joist run parallel to the house and they put the decking down at a 45*. They should have hung at least one of those 2x8's to the ledger board with joist hangers right? Nothing whatsoever is attached to the face of the ledger board. Oh, and here is the best part. The ledger board is 5/8" higher than the deck frame so the deck boards had to make a bend to attach to the ledger board.