Build a pipe handrail for outdoor steps with these easy-to-follow instructions. This DIY project is perfect for any level of carpentry expertise, and it’s ideal if you’re building a deck or porch to keep the stairs safe and secure when going up or down. It’s also easy enough to start working on this project in your backyard, if you’d like. The dilemma of building a handrail for outdoor steps is that the railing needs to be sturdy. It needs to support the weight of people and their stuff, while at the same time remain attractive. You can use many different materials, including wooden boards, steel, or even lattice. But if you want to use pipes, then this set of instructions is for you. This entire project will take less than an hour to complete. If you’ve ever walked up a set of outdoor steps, you know the danger. A handrail can reduce accidents by making people feel more secure while walking up or down stairs. It also improves home’s overall appearance. Although there are many types of handrails, we show you how to build one with pipe fittings and other materials.
Whether you have a stairway leading to the front door of your house or you have a stairway going up the back, a pipe handrail is an important addition. Backyard railings are especially important if you have children, pets, elderly people living in your home. Pipe handrails can also be helpful for people who don’t live at home. If someone visits your house and isn’t familiar with where things are located, they may injure themselves by falling down the stairs.
You can make a pipe handrail yourself by following these simple steps:
When your home’s front entrance has steps, a handrail is an important addition to the structure.
When your home’s front entrance has steps, a handrail is an important addition to the structure. While it may seem obvious that you should use a handrail, safety is always something worth considering. Handrails can help you get up and down stairs safely and easily, especially if you have mobility issues or are a senior citizen. They also provide support when carrying heavy items or bags of groceries up the stairs—another reason why they are often required by building codes in many locales.
The basic process of building a pipe handrail involves cutting the rails to the proper lengths and angles, cleaning them with a wire brush, sanding them down to remove rust and paint and priming and painting them as required.
For outdoor steps, you can use pipe handrails for added safety and style. The basic process of building a pipe handrail involves cutting the rails to the proper lengths and angles, cleaning them with a wire brush, sanding them down to remove rust and paint and priming and painting them as required. Measuring and cutting the pipes for the handrail posts is also necessary before setting them in place with concrete or epoxy putty. Once these are set into place atop your stairs, cover with plastic sheeting so they can dry according to manufacturer instructions before removing it once fully cured.
You will also need to measure and cut the pipes for the handrail posts and place them in concrete to set.
Now that you have your pipes cut and ready to be installed, it’s time to prep the steps. You will need to measure each step in order to determine how much concrete you will need. This way, you can pour just enough concrete for one step at a time without wasting too much material.
Next, place each pipe into its own hole with approximately two inches of concrete surrounding it on all sides and use a leveler tool to ensure that the pipes are all perfectly level before pouring any more concrete around them (you want these posts as straight as possible). When this step is done correctly, there should only be about an inch or two of space between each post above ground level when viewed from above — just enough room so that rainwater won’t collect alongside your handrail but not so much space that weeds grow up through it.
Cut two 2-by-4 inch pieces of wood the width of your stairs; these are gussets that will be used later in the process.
You will need to cut two 2-by-4 inch pieces of wood the width of your stairs; these are gussets that will be used later in the process.
Gussets are used to join two pieces of wood together, but they also serve another important purpose: strengthening joints. Gussets can be found in many different places such as roofing, flooring and furniture design.
Place epoxy putty on areas where you want to join two pieces of pipe together, such as when you need a 90-degree angle or you need one end of a piece of pipe to sit flush against a wall or other structure.Cover the pipes with plastic sheeting and allow them to dry according to manufacturer instructions.
- Place epoxy putty on areas where you want to join two pieces of pipe together, such as when you need a 90-degree angle or you need one end of a piece of pipe to sit flush against a wall or other structure.
- Cover the pipes with plastic sheeting and allow them to dry according to manufacturer instructions.
Using an adjustable wrench or plumber’s wrench, tighten all pipe joint connections so they are secure.
- Using an adjustable wrench or plumber’s wrench, tighten all pipe joint connections so they are secure.
- Measure to make sure the pipes are exactly the same height. If one is higher than another, use the acetylene torch or welder’s torch to solder it lower on the steps. Then measure again and adjust any other pipes until they’re at equal heights.
Use an acetylene torch or welder’s torch if desired to join pipes in place with solder; beads should be applied along the seams where one pipe meets another.
If desired, you can use an acetylene torch or welder’s torch to join pipes in place with solder. The solder should be applied along the seams where one pipe meets another, as well as to any surfaces that will be visible on the finished product.
The process of joining pipes is similar to soldering copper plumbing pipes together in your house, but there are some important differences:
- Use a silver flux on all joints when connecting gas line fittings together.
- Do not use a torch or heat gun for this application; it could cause damage to plastic parts and/or cause them to melt and become deformed.
After soldering is completed, wipe excess flux away from pipes with a cloth rag soaked in water.
After soldering is completed, wipe excess flux away from pipes with a cloth rag soaked in water. Be sure to also remove any remaining flux from the pipe fitting with the wet cloth before continuing.
Final words
When you are done, the handrail will look like any other pipe railing, but instead of being attached directly to a building or some other structure, it will be attached to wooden posts set in the ground.
