I’m designing and building a new deck.   

We want to have picture frame boards around the sides of the deck but I’m really struggling with how to design blocking for the rim joist/end joist corner guard posts that will support the miters on the picture frame boards and also produce a strong guard post connection. 

I’ve been working based off the tension tie method, particularly Mike Guertin’s tension designs:  

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/project-guides/decks/rock-solid-guard-post-connections 

I first tried with a single picture frame but I could figure out fit the tension hardware in with that.  So I went with a double picture frame instead.

I’ve attached some pictures of what I came up with.  It seems like it will work but I’m not entirely happy with it.   It requires careful placement of a lot of fasteners, which will be fiddly and prone to error.

Mike (or anyone else who’s figured this out), if you’re out there, I could really use some advice!

I signed up for Justin Fink’s course, so my fallback is to spring this question on him during the Q&A sessions.

Happy to share the sketchup file if anyone wants it.

Thanks in advance!