How-To

Deck-Top Guardrail

Students cut and install Feeney DesignRail aluminum guardrail at the Rhode Island FHB House.

By Mike Guertin

Nick, Derek, Ryan, and a couple other students spent a couple mornings measuring, marking, cutting, and installing the Feeney DesignRail top rail, subrail, and pickets.

The 20-ft.-long rail sections meant there were only two butt joints along the 50-plus-ft.-long section of the deck and no joints in the 16-ft. and 14-ft. runs.

While Nick and Ryan cut and fit the top rail sections, Derek installed the pickets at the center point between structural posts and then cut and installed the subrail that the lighting strips snap into.

Rail 2IMG_4297 — Derek cuts a hole in the decking for the picket to pass through.

Rail 2Picture39 — The picket Derek is inserting will space the stainless cables apart and reduce the chance they will be spread too wide.

Rail 2Picture37 — Matt drills out the splice plate that joins aluminum rail sections.

Rail 2Picture35 — Derek measures to space the top of the picket equally between the posts before cutting and installing the subrail.

Rail 2Picture38 — Nick and Ryan cut the last piece of top rail. Only one chance to make the cut.

Rail 2Picture36

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Rhode Island 2016

Deck-Top Guardrail

Students cut and install Feeney DesignRail aluminum guardrail at the Rhode Island FHB House.

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