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Porches & Decks

Ipe railing question for big garapa deck

15 years ago

Thanks to many of yall, my large garapa deck is almost finished. Although I have searched the archives, I still have some basic questions about the rails. Ideally, I would like to have 4x4 Ipe posts, 2x6 Ipe caprails and 2x4 Ipe rails. I plan on using deckorators black aluminum balasters. My questions are:

1) Where can I save some money? Can I use 5/4x6 and/or 5/4X4 Ipe/Garapa?

2) Would using cedar posts and/or rails "cheapen" the beautiful garapa deck?

3) Could rail cap be 2x4 or 5/4x4?

4) What looks better...using a rail fastener or nailing it to the post with 2 screws?

5) Would it look bad to run the rails BEHIND the post, instead of abutting it?

6) What order do you use to assemble the railing? Post would be first. I will be routering holes in the rails for the balasters...but how do you assemble the whole deal?

I plan on putting up a post every 6 feet, and the balasters every 4 inches.

Thanks all.

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Comments (5)

patti55
Original Author
15 years ago
One more question...although the deck is only 7ft off the ground, at its highest...do you think 42in or 36in high rails would look better?
kevin_hammond
15 years ago
This thread includes quite a bit of talk about railings, along with some good pictures: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/porch/msg0610144817578.html?39

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a link to it.
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john_hyatt
15 years ago
You need to check with the permit store for rail height. A 6' span will need a couple of posts under the bottom rail.

Use the conectors for the alum balusters dont drill holes. Depending on your skill leval you could use two acq 2x4s fastened together for your posts then build post wraps for them. Little trick>> cut the 2x4s down to 3 1/4'' and a 1x4/1x6 will work for the post wrapps Cedar rail system would deffentley cheppen up your project and shorten the rail life span. J.
patti55
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the link Kevin. Awesome work. And John thanks for the wrap hints. Is it necessary to use ss bolts to attach notched post to rim joist? I plan on countersinking it, then cover it later with some garapa fascia.

Code allows me to have 36 in high rails. I guess I am used to seeing my friends railing, whose deck is 18ft off the ground. It is almost as if the 36 in height looks too small. What do others think? I am wondering if a shorter rail would make the overall appearance of the deck to seem more...open.
deckman22
15 years ago
You can save some by using 5/4x6 or even 1x6 for the rail cap. Don't run the 2x4's behind the post or the cap isn't wide even to run a reveal past the 2x4 on one side & the post on the other side. Looks better butted anyway. Kinda hard to build rails any other way than post first. Here & in S.A. between 36-42" works for rail heigth. Make it easy on yourself & build according to the baluster length, 26" plus 7" (2 2x4's on edge) = 33" plus 3 1/2" from decking to bottom of 2x4 = 36 1/2" post heigth above decking.

I just finished a garapa deck that I used cedar rails w/ deckorator balusters. A couple of hundred feet of ipe railing was just too much $ for customer so they went with cedar. Certainly not as nice as ipe rails, but it goes well with the garapa decking color wise.

Al

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