Deck Railing and Stairs

Railings

Railings and stairs often take center stage in a deck design. These important components are closely linked by function and are often the most prominent elements of a deck's appearance.

Before you begin to design stairs and railings for your deck, become familiar with your local building codes so construction complies with all requirements. Remember that it's difficult to design railings and stairs accurately, so that all posts and balusters are evenly spaced and all steps are of equal height. If you aren't sure of your design abilities, it's best to work with a professional.

Railings
To enhance safety, most building codes require railings on decks that are more than 24 inches above the ground. Railings also are key design elements. The most attractive railings harmonize with the style of the house, echoing prominent details or enhancing certain motifs. The railing on a deck attached to a classic older home, for example, might repeat fanciful trim from an eave or cornice. A railing on a deck attached to a contemporary home might be sleek and simple. A handsome, imaginative railing might not be much more expensive to build than a basic one, and it transforms your deck from an ordinary platform into a striking outdoor living area.

Railings include support posts. To keep railings strong, building codes limit the space between railing posts, usually to 4-6 feet. The posts along the perimeter of the deck can actually be part of the deck's structural system. One end can rest on a footing, and the post can extend up past the decking to be part of the railing system. Joists and girders are attached to the post below the decking. This type of railing system is especially stable. Otherwise, posts are attached separately, usually by bolting the post to the outside of the rim joists.

Between the posts are horizontal members: the rails. A railing system is either made entirely of horizontal rails or can include vertical members called balusters. Balusters come in a variety of shapes and styles. The simplest are square; the most decorative are turned with delicate flutes, ridges, and grooves. These basic components can be arranged in many ways to form railings that can be anything from classic to experimental, as long as the final design meets building codes. Most codes require that the space between balusters or horizontal rails be no greater than 4 inches.

Railings usually are made of wood, although strong materials such as steel, copper tubing, and heavy-gauge wire also are used if your construction methods are approved by local building codes. Wood can be left natural, stained, or painted. Even with regular applications of clear weather sealers, natural wood eventually will turn a soft, silvery gray. Stained wood shows its grain pattern and is relatively easy to maintain because preparing the surface with scraping and sanding isn't necessary. Painted wood railings are dramatic and easy to match or contrast with the color of your house. To minimize repainting, use only top-quality exterior paints; applying fresh coats of paint between balusters requires a steady hand and lots of patience.