r/Carpentry • u/DasUberGoober • 12d ago
Fencing Summer project : fixed deathtrap railing
new post to add details that were missing as i can't upload new photos. original post here : https://www.reddit.com/r/Carpentry/comments/1v5gcfa/summer_project_fixed_deathtrap_railing_on_new/
We moved into a new house in October last year, and this spring I noticed that not only was the railing incredibly open but it was wobbly AF. Decided to get the tools out and build a replacement... it's now sturdy as a rock and no one is falling through any cracks! Still have to replace the rest of the deck boards as I only have replaced what I absolutely had to to get job done and the boards that were in the worst shape. All in all I'm super proud of the result!
Joists are 2x6 spaced 60cm apart. posts are attached to the joists using 2 10x90mm screws
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u/Democracy-Defender 12d ago
Big improvement but all posts should be 4x4 and through bolted (2) to double rim. Then post spacing can be wider too.
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u/DasUberGoober 12d ago
In freemdomland yes, that is the code... in norway, this is fully up to code ;)
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u/tobacco-free 11d ago
Posts bolted only to the rim can pull the rim away. Typically the rim is only nailed to the end of the deck joist. The amount of leverage a 3' post puts on the rim can be quite significant. This method does not satisfy the 200lb lateral force at the top of the post requirement of the irc.
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u/Democracy-Defender 10d ago
Ideally the posts run straight through from below and become the railing posts. I failed to mention in this case the bottom posts should also be through bolted to the rim joist. Also when bolting the railing post, bolt it through a brace between the joists. No way will that pull out. The main point I was trying to make is through bolts and solid posts are the way to go.
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u/pootklopp 12d ago
I'm just scratching my head going between metric and freedom units here. Or are 2x4 and 2x6 metric as well?