i’m building a stair with a rail for a deck (wife wanted something “grand”…yikes). anyhow, the stair is straight coming down from a landing. it is straight till the last 4 steps where it flares out to 60 degrees from the straight, i’ve got most of the structure figured out, but in the plan, the rails don’t line up at the 3rd post. i’ve looked at several stair books i’ve bought and it seems that sometimes rails don’t line up or that there is a gooseneck, but usually that is at the junction of flat to angled?
it seems that the important parts are that the rail matches the angle of the steps (31.5 degrees) and that they are the same height above each step nose, and lastly that the top and bottom rails are the same distance apart.
should i put in a second post?
any ideas? i’m kind of stumped.
thank you
Edited 6/27/2006 8:29 am ET by merlvern
Replies
You're basically right in the things that matter.
Quick sketch - figure the rail line first. It will line up. Then set the posts where it makes sense.
Where you have the turn, you could, on a deck, die that top 2x into the mid post at an angle and just clip the little piece that overhangs. Or a cleaner look would be having a little return piece that makes the angle so that the rail hits the post square, but doing that, outside, out of dimensional lumber, I don't know that it would hold up long term.
"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
thanks, i tried the idea of a little piece that was level then angled, but worried about the stability.if the bottom section of the rail was below the upper, i would just go with it, but it dies higher. as to placing the post, no matter how i make the rail....so long as the height above the stair "noses" the same, doesn't match up.i guess the problem is that i have the posts inset into the deck so to cover them with trim, your sketch shows the posts on the deck edge.
Edited 6/27/2006 9:13 am ET by merlvern
It does match up. Making the rail the same height above the nose makes it match up. It won't intersect the post at the same point, but there is one continuous line that the rail must follow. Where it hits the post depends on where you put the post. But inside the stringer, outside, with rail into it, over it, matters not. That layout line is the first thing you have to do. Everything else is just making pieces fit it."Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
that's what i was wondering about....the rail hitting the posts at the same spot/height.....is it usual for them not to?thanks
They almost have to not hit at the same spot. Are there occasions when they do, yes, but on a rake, the point it intersects the post on one side and the point on the other side are different heights. The line through is what matters. Your eye would pick it up if the line was askew.
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Now theres an example from a local builder who specialises in cheap and shoddy. The rail doesnt run right.
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Now there's an example from a guy who typically has his ducks in a row. I look at that and get horizontial head motion.
Point being. Right way, wrong way, it's common for the rails not to line up. Its less common to see the above. But the bright side is even if you muck it up, joe consumer who drops 800K on a house unfortunately will probably not notice.
Sorry. I'm feeling especially cynical today. Nothin personal."Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
thanks for your patience.......new at this!i get it now.
RW,
Sorry to jump in the middle here, but I'm a little confused by your post, your saying the second pic is wrong right. Missing gooseneck or something at the top.
What I was trying to say, edumacashun notwithstanding, is even though this guy usually has things right, you look at that rail and just shake your head back and forth. That thing is a soup sandwich. There's a whole lot missing, starting with design.
We on the same page, yes?"Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think -- there are no little things" - Bruce Barton
Same page.BTW, believe it or not, I was trying to dispell any confusion and then I go and write something like "second one is wrong right" Doh!