decking handrail

[davidc1075]

Can anyone give me some advice on how to secure a hand rail to a post on a timber deck that I am constructing. Should I use a motice and tennon joint or has anyone used the fixing that is similar to those used to join worktops.This fixing has a barrel screw which fixes into the post and the threaded bar has the same fixing as those used on worktops. The rail has to be drilled to accept the treaded bar and then countersunk. Anyone used this and could give me any tips please.
Also is there ans eay way to work out the spacing for the spindles or is it a case of measuring the distance between post and subtracting the total width of the spindles then dividing the amount left over to get the spacing. It seem a little complicated to me I must of missed that lesson in tripple maths at school.
Thanks Dave

 

[RogerS]

Dave

If I follow you correctly, with the worktop fixing you have to drill a hole into the top(?) of the rail? If so then personally I'd avoid doing that to prevent water ingress over the years (assuming the decking is outside) although you could counterbore and then plug after fixing....still get water ingress over time IMHO.

Other than that, I can't really add much other than to say that the cynic in me would say that almost inevitably our 'nanny' state may have something to say on the rules and regulations of spacing and height and fixing etc. I know they do for staircases in houses.

Roger

 

[Waka]

DaveWhen I built my deck last year I secured the hand rails to the posts using dowelsand a quick setting glue.

I first secured the spindles to the top and bottom handrail using deck screws through the top and bottom, the spacing was acheived by by spacing the spindles 3" apart using spacers, not sure if it was more luck that judgement but it worked out just right. For the top rail I placed another piece of rail over the top to hide the screws.

Hope this helps

 

[StevieB]

Dave,

Not sure about decking rails, but when I built my staircase I put a fillet of timber under the rail between the spindles to give a flush face. The rail was recessed for this purpose. As such these fillets hold the spindles in place. Thus they are not secured themselves apart from a small pin nail at the bottom to hold them in place and stop them sliding out of position while I fitted and glued the fillets.

With regards to spacing, there are indeed regulations as to distance, and no I cannot remember what they are, sorry! I think the distance is such that you shouldnt be able to get a small childs head between them. Nobody had a small child I could borrow to check this so in the end I spaced them as I wanted and guessed at the size of a childs head. Some play was necessary so that they were all evenly spaced however.

Steve.

 

[johnb]

For stairs and landings the regulations are handrail heights should be a minimum of 900mm and it must not be possible for a 100mm sphere (equivalent of a child's head) to pass through any openings between the spindles and other uprights - so 99mm spacing maximum. They should not be easily climbable by children. There are also regulations regarding force on the handrail and spindles.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Dave, if you could give me some dimensions and perhaps a plan, I could draw out the rail and spindles and just have the drawing software figure the spacing automatically.

If you want to calculate the spacing, figure centerlines rather than the space between spindles. Use the 99mm (or I'd use 98mm because it is an even number) + half the spindle width.

Another thing you could do for spacing is make a guage from a piece of scrap that fits over the spindels creating an automatic space.

 

[tim]

Not wishing to cause harm to anyone, or their 100mm headed children, but unless I'm much mistaken, there are no regs governing decking railings - or indeed that you need them at all. No doubt someone will be beavering away in 'building reg' house changing it as we speak!

But in the meantime you can have them spaced as you see fit.

Cheers

Tim

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Tim, perhaps like in the US and Canada, the building code covering deck railings is a local thing. In the US, building codes are commonly regulated by local agencies that issue building permits. I think most of these agencies tend to have very similar rules.

My searching shows that the building codes in the US require spindles be spaced with no more than 4" between them.

 

[tim]

Dave,

Luckily things haven't got quite that confusing here yet ( a matter of time). I think the only distinctions might be that some regs are different at a national level -Clearly I'm using the word national in the Rugby context (6 nations) when obviously I mean provinces. :twisted:

Cheers


Tim

Who can't find the bunker emoticon when it is most obviously needed several times over :shock:

 

[RogerS]

4"? Is that because Americans have big heads ?

Sorry, Dave R, couldn't resist it!

 

[SketchUp Guru]

That's ok Roger. Perhaps americans do have big heads. I know my little guy does. At his 9 month doctor's appointment he was in the 14th percentile for height and weight and the 93rd percentile for head circumference. :shock:

In his case anyway, it's all smarts. He can already out smart his old dad.

 

[johnb]

It looks as though UK regulations require pedestrian guard railing where there is any drop of more than 600mm. And it seems for external balconies the barrier should be 1100mm high for domestic premises. Presumably that covers decking if it is adjacent to a dwelling? Any other interpretations? The regulations (9.2Mb download) are at:
http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/groups/ ... 600500.pdf

The need for planning permission will be a separate local issue.

 

[davidc1075]

Thanks for all your replies guys. I bought the Trada timber decking guide which was £38 and a pretty poor publication at that price. I thought that they would be a little more informative but its only really useful for the timber span tables so if any one else is going to build a deck this year and needs to know the max span of a 4x2 6x2 let me know and I will be happy to post ALL the details to you.
The book does however state that there is a different spec for handrails that are on decks over 600mm from ground level, this is to do with the height of the handrail. Again if anyone needs these sort of technical details just let me know and I will post them on the forum, if ok with the moderators or will PM you with the details.
As for the hand rail connection the item that I was referring to is on the Richard Burbridge site under decking, this is the web site address www.richardburbridge.co.uk/PDF/Decking%20Fitting.pdf I have never used dowels before but I have seen I done, will this give as secure a fit as a mortice and tenon which will be alot more time consuming.