Building wood railings is a skill that can be learned by anyone. Wood railings add an instant sense of elegance and refinement to your home, so it’s important to take the time to design and build a beautiful railing that complements the rest of your property.
Building a wood railing can be as simple or complex as you make it. Whatever your skill level, it is important to plan out every step before beginning so that the project goes smoothly. Begin by measuring the length of the handrail and add 1/2″ to this measurement to give yourself some wiggle room when fitting it together later. Here are some of the basic tools you’ll need: Saw (Circular or Table Saw) Level Tape Measure Drill Bits (a variety of sizes) Rotary Tool For Cutting Shims Rags Safety Glasses
Building a wood railing is a simple and satisfying project. You don’t need any special skills or carpentry experience to do it yourself. Here’s how: First, buy a Wood Railing Kit from your local home improvement store. This kit should include all the pieces you’ll need for your railing. Before you start attaching the rails, prepare them by sanding each side of the posts and rails with 120-grit sandpaper; then wipe off any dust with a tack cloth and apply wood sealer using a paintbrush on all sides of each post. Now you’re ready to install your wood railings.
Buy a Wood Railing Kit
- Buy a Wood Railing Kit: Many of the kits on the market are designed to build railing systems for specific applications. They include everything you need to assemble your railing and often have detailed instructions, making them ideal for beginners. Look for a kit that is compatible with the type of posts you own, as well as your location’s local building codes.
- Read Instructions: If at all possible, try to read through the instructions before buying a kit so you can be sure that it will work for your needs.
- Check Warranty and Return Policy: Make sure that any warranty or return policy is acceptable before purchasing any wood railings from an online retailer
Prepare the Posts and Rails
- The posts need to be level and plumb. If the post is not level, you will have a slanted rail. A plumb post means that it is straight up and down. You can use a level or a string line to check for this.
- The rails must be straight and exactly the right length for your railing project. When cutting the rails, make sure you cut them at 90 degrees (or perpendicular) to the face of each post so that they will fit together correctly when assembled into railings for your deck or patio area. In addition, if you are using 2″x4″ lumber as your posts (as shown below), then make sure that you measure from their top edge down instead of from their bottom edge up since 2″x4″‘s are only actually 1½” thick; otherwise, all of these measurements would be incorrect.
Install the Wood Railings
After you’ve cut and shaped the railing posts to size, use a level and a straight edge to ensure that each piece is perfectly level. If any of them aren’t, the railing will be out of whack and you’ll have to start over with new lumber.
Next, measure and mark where each post needs to go along the deck’s edge. Using chalk or spray paint on the deck boards, mark your measurements so they’re easy to see all at once as you install them.
Your last step before installing posts is pre-drilling holes for lag screws, which will hold them into place permanently later on in this process. Use a drill bit that’s slightly smaller than your lag screw diameter; this will help prevent splitting or cracking in your wood when driving it through from one side into another (which could happen if it were too big).
Building a wood railing is a simple and satisfying project.
- As with any home improvement project, you should always practice safety. Make sure your wood railing is properly anchored and won’t fall over.
- You’ll want to make sure that you have the right tools for the job. A drill, saw, sander and a miter box (for making perfect 90-degree cuts) are just a few of the things that can help make building your wood railing easier.
- A good plan will save time and money down the road. If you have someone helping with this project, take advantage of their experience by asking them for advice on what steps look like or how long it might take to complete each one based on their past experience working on similar projects as well as yours.
- Excellent materials are necessary in order for your new railings to stand up against harsh weather conditions like rainstorms or strong winds without being damaged too much by these elements which could cause cracks in wood pieces eventually leading them falling apart after several months or even day of exposure.
Final words
Building a wood railing is one of the best ways to add a touch of class to your home. It can be done in just a day, and by following these steps you’ll have your new wood railing installed in no time at all. You’ll also be able to enjoy knowing that you did it yourself.
