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Porches & Decks

IPE posts and rails

17 years ago

I've lurked long enough, you guys are informative and amussing, Thanks.

I have the deck boards and posts up. the top and bottom rails will be Ipe w/ aluminum spindles. Can I toe nail screws in and have enough streagth(sp), as they will be between the posts(wife picked out some fancy post cap.) I dont want any future problems. But I dont want to over think this either. If this were up to my dad we would router each post for the 2x4 top and bottom rail. Thanks again. I will post some pics when complete. I have gotten a ton of info and "good" opinions from you guys. MP

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Comments (5)

brooklyndecks
17 years ago
you can toenail (toescrew) the top and bottom rail to the posts, But you need to predrill for every screw, or they will snap, crackle and pop. Screwing into Ipe is tough. It helps to dip the screws into beeswax (I melt beeswax, and mix it with turpentine...in a small can). that lubrication will help prevent screw snappage. you can also use a bar of soap.

another way to attach the rails is to make a 2x4 frame that fits perfectly between the posts, and then screw thru the vertical 2x4s into the posts. that way you can prefab sections on sawhorses...in the shade.

Your dad has it right...routing a dado into the posts is a good method, but not for a DIYer.

steve
john_hyatt
17 years ago
I dont like to dap into the posts,in my mind this just adds a place for the water and debri to find its way in no matter how good that joint is.I prefab the rail detail as well using alum balusters we usually install the conectors/balusters into the top and bottom rail,put a clamp on the whole thing and install it as one piece with the predrill/contersink thing. John
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I am currently in process of doing something similar to what your asking. TimberTech Radiance Rail with IPE as a top rail. I'm trying to determine what would be the best way to connect the IPE to the rest of the railing, the only contact the top rail makes is the posts. I'm thinking of just screwing down the top rail into the 4x4 PT posts and plugging. What were you thinking of doing? P.S. I'm using a 5 3/8 IPE railcap and found that when you set the railcap over the radiance rail post slips, it doesn't completely cover them - you have approx 1/16-1/8 of the post slip edge showing (on either side). The overall width of rail cap is actually wider then the post slip, but the profile of the rail cap cuts in making the bottom side a little just a little too narrow to completely cover the rail. I can take a picture and show you if you don't already have the prdocut to test with.
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From a longtime lurker: Wow! That is *really* pretty. Nice work!!! We just had our old deck demo'd today and the builder will be starting our IPE deck w/in the next week or so. Our design is VERY similar to yours dekim....picture frame, etc. Thanks to this forum we made the IPE choice and are so thankful to all who offer their advice and words of wisdom. Hears to quick healing dekim. Ouch. Dorothy
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susancoco
17 years ago
My contractor built frames that housed our aluminum balusters in between the posts. I think he used 2x4 for the horizontal pieces and a thinner 1x4 for the vertical sides and then screwed directly into the posts. It turned out fabulous with the Antique Copper Balusters against the Ipe wood.
ftchmup
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the responses, the posts are about 5 feet apart. 2 screws in each 2x4 where it meets the post going to be strong enough to support 200 lbs(code as I understand it)? pre-drilled and countersunk. Can I use the stainless deck screws or something more substantial?
john_hyatt
17 years ago
Defently use stainless screws,done corectley you will come up to your stated code. J

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