The railing for steps is a sturdy and durable outdoor structure that provides safety, security and a sense of stability to any individual. The ease of the job depends on the materials used and the type of stairs. There are five types of steps you can build: Simple straight stairs, decorative corner stairs, inside corner stairway, outside corner stairway and circular stairs.
Step 1: Determine the height, number and thickness of the posts. Measure the height of the steps, then subtract 2 inches to determine the length of vertical cedar posts you’ll need (one post every three or four feet). Adding one more inch to their length will provide a larger base for attaching them to the concrete foundation. Cut the posts to length with a circular saw, using a miter box as necessary.
Building a railing for your steps is an important safety feature, but it doesn’t have to be expensive or hard. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to build a railing step-by-step. And don’t worry—it’s not as hard as it sounds. Follow these steps and you’ll be able to build a railing for your steps.
Step 1
- Choose the right railing
There are many types of railings available on the market. A typical choice is a galvanized baluster railing that features square posts joined by vertical bars, but there are other options as well. For example, you could use lattice or open-style panels instead of solid panels if you prefer a more open look for your deck or patio area. Some homeowners also use iron fencing to create elaborate railings for stairs (or even just an accent on their decks), which can add a lot of personality and panache to any outdoor space. It’s important that you choose something that looks nice with what else is around it—for instance, if there are already columns at each step then they might be better suited than regular posts with lattice panels attached to them because they complement each other better visually than just having either one alone would do so well.
Step 2
Attach rails to steps.
- Use a level to make sure the top of the rail is level.
- Use a level to make sure the bottom of the rail is level.
- Use a level to make sure each side of your railing is at an equal distance from its post, which in turn should be at an equal distance from its step.
Step 3
The next step is to cut the rails. The top and bottom rails should be the same length, but if you need to adjust them, use a tape measure and make sure that they are both cut to the correct height. The width of each rail will depend on how wide your steps are, so take measurements before you make cuts.
Once you have all of your pieces cut correctly, it’s time to move onto step 4: attaching the frame together with screws.
Step 4
- Use a spirit level to make sure that the posts are level. If they aren’t, adjust them so that they are.
- Use a drill to make holes in each post about 6 inches from the top, then screw them into the ground using a screwdriver or ratchet wrench.
- Cut each post to the correct length using either a saw or an electric miter saw (this will depend on which type of railing you purchase).
- Measure and mark where your railing pieces should go using chalk lines or tape measures and pencils, then connect them together using screws with washers and nuts on both sides to secure them firmly in place before tightening everything down with pliers
Step 5
Attach the top rail to the posts and posts using screws, nails, glue or bolts.
- Use a screwdriver to attach the top railing to each post. Before you screw the posts into place, make sure you have them standing straight up and not leaning at an angle. The tops should be level with each other. This is important because it will help keep your railing sturdy when you lean on it for support when going up stairs or down stairs later on in life.
- Use a hammer or nail gun (depending on what type of material your wood is made out of) and pound in as many nails as possible along all sides of each post where they meet with another piece of wood – this includes attaching these two ends together so that no gaps exist between them. You may want someone else helping out here since there’s quite a bit involved with this step alone without worrying about getting tired out before tackling anything else during construction time.
Step 6
- Attach the top rail to the posts. Use your level and a pencil to mark the outside edge of your post onto the top rail. Then, using long-shank deck screws, attach one end of each side of the top rail to its respective post (one screw per side). You may need to use a power drill for this step if you’re working with longer pieces of wood or have trouble reaching certain areas otherwise.
- Attach the bottom rail to the posts. Follow steps 1 and 2 above for attaching a bottom rail on each side as well—except this time, use shorter deck screws that are between 3/8″ and ½″ in length (or longer if necessary) rather than long deck screws like those found in step 5 above because they will not be visible once all other components are in place.
- Attach balusters between rails at desired distances apart—we chose eight inches because it was close enough spacing while still providing ample protection against falling forward off our porch steps! To ensure stability during installation process: start by attaching two opposite pieces together first before moving forward with rest; make sure hardware is installed securely so that when placed overtop railing there aren’t any gaps showing where they meet up together (this would pose potential safety issue); check every few inches along way during attachment process until done so that there isn’t any unevenness or gaps showing which could cause instability over time due wear-and tear from weather conditions such as sun exposure.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to build a railing for your steps.
- You need to know how to build a railing for steps.
- You can use the steps in this article to build a railing for your steps.
- You need to follow the steps in this article if you want to build a railing for your steps.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to build a railing for your steps.
Final words
There you have it. You now know how to build a railing for your steps, and can complete the job yourself. It’s a good idea to measure everything twice, just to make sure you don’t cut too much or too little off of the pieces of wood. If you get it wrong, you may have to buy new pieces and start over. But if you do everything correctly, then you can be proud of your handiwork and show it off to all your friends.
