Building your own railings is just as easy as one, two, three meaning you don’t have to be a mathematical genius nor a highly skilled woodworking enthusiast. If you’re planning to build one, here are some quick and easy steps to get you started working on it and finish with a sense of fulfillment.Building Your Own Railings in just four easy steps and a bonus tip from a pro carpenter.Here you will learn about Building Your Own Railings.
How To – Building Your Own Railings
Step 1
Find out the angle of the stair railing. You can do this by first determining the rise and run of the steps. Note that the top and bottom rails run parallel to the line that is created by the nose of all the stair treads. To be able to make this line apparent, put a long straightedge on those stair steps. The straightedge must be able to touch the front tip of every thread up to the bottom step.
Step 2
Remember that the posts that serve as the support for each railing has to be placed in a very secured way. So, the top post face on the deck must be set back for 3 inches right from the very tip of the deck board. Do the same thing for all other posts going down the steps. It is very important that the spacing and positioning of the posts have to be in the same measurement. This way, each railing will be connected to the post at the same height. The result would be a uniformed line thus creating a safe and professional look.
Step 3
Once the posts are placed in a secured position, clamp the bottom rail to these posts while making sure that the excess railing extends past the posts. As you build it yourself, see to it that the bottom railing should be at least one inch above the nose tips of each stair. The railing must also run parallel with the created slope line of each of the nose tips of the stairs.
Step 4
Make use of a pencil when marking the exact lines that the vertical posts touch the railing. This will serve as your cut lines. Using a miter saw, see to it that you are cutting on the correct side of the line. Keep in mind that the top and bottom railings have to be securely fastened to each vertical post. Opt for screws that don’t easily corrode. Screws that can penetrate deep into each post is also a good option. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a flimsy connection between your railing and the post. To prevent the wood from splitting, have them pre-drilled.
A Carpenter’s Trick
You can use the old known wood carpenter’s trick to make sure that the railings are placed in the correct position. Use a huge piece of plywood which was already cut in a parallelogram shape that’s created once all the pieces are attached together. To do this, use a saw when cutting along the three odd lines. The parallelogram-shaped plywood must fit perfectly between the two posts. You will know that you’ve done it right when the top line also runs parallel with the bottom edge of your parallelogram plywood. Its top line will serve as the exact location where your hands will touch the top part of the railing whenever you’re going up and down the stairs.
Remember that your angle cuts have to be done perfectly and everything is positioned in each of their exact positions. You don’t want to have railings that don’t look uniform.
