Deck Stair Railing Plans

This step by step project is about deck stair railing plans. Building railings for your deck stairs is easy, provided you plan everything from the very beginning. It is essential to choose a design that matches the style of the deck, as well as the rest of your property. After installing the deck stair railing, you should round the exposed edges with a router and a 3/4″ bit. Measure the angles carefully, if you want to get a professional result.

When building a deck there are many requirements you have to comply with. Therefore, we strongly recommend you to study the local building codes before starting the construction of deck stair railing, as to get a professional result. There are many things you should take into account, such as the distance between the balusters, the materials you need to use or the depth of the post footings. See all my Premium Plans HERE.

Projects made from these plans

Cut & Shopping Lists

• A – 2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 94″ long POSTS
• B – 2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 46″ long BOTTOM RAIL
• C – 2 pieces of 2×4 lumber, 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber RAILS
• D – 2×2 lumber – 33″ long BALUSTERS

• 2 1/2″ screws
• 1 5/8″ screws
• wood filler
• wood glue
• wood stain

Tools

 Hammer, Tape measure, Framing square

 Miter saw, Drill machinery, Screwdriver, Sander

 Safety Gloves, Safety Glasses

Time

 One day

Related

• Part 1: Outdoor Deck Plans
• Part 2: Deck Framing Plans
• Part 3: Deck Stairs Plans
• Part 4: Deck Railing Plans
• Part 5: Deck Stair Railing Plans

Building deck stair railing

Deck-stair-railings

Top Tip: Building stair railing for you deck is a straight forward project, but there are many things you should decide before starting the project on your own. First of all, make sure the size and the style of the components fits the design of your deck and house.

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Deck Stair Railing Plans

Posts-plans

The first step of the woodworking project is to build the posts for your deck railing. As you can see in the image, you should use 4×4 lumber and to adjust the size of the components to your needs. All the dimensions and figures you see in the image are for an informational purpose, as they vary according to your project.

Cut 1/2″ notches inside the posts and clean the recess with a chisel.

Installing the posts

It is important to point out that you need to secure the front posts into concrete. Therefore, dig 3-4′ deep holes in the ground, pour a 1-2″ thick layer of concrete and set the posts into place. Use temporarily braces to support the posts into place, after plumbing them with a spirit level.

Place a straight edge on top of the posts to check if they are at the same level, as in the image.

Fitting the posts to the framing

Afterwards, you need to drill pilot holes trough the posts and to secure them to the stairs framing with carriage bolts. As you can notice in the plans, you should drill several pilot holes both trough the posts and trough the stringers, before inserting the carriage bolts.

In this manner, you will get a rigid structure that will be highly durable on the long run. Work with attention and with great care, if you want to get a professional result.

Fitting the rails

Secure the rails to posts with several C-clamps, according to the plans you use. In our case, we follow the same pattern use when building the deck railing. Therefore, make sure the distance between the top and bottom rails is the same, both on the front and on the back of the railing.

Top Tip: Make marks on the posts and them several parallel cuts. Clean the 1/2″ recess with a chisel and smooth the surface with a sand-block.

Fitting the rails to the post

As you can see in the image, you need to cut the top of the stair railing, as to fit the width of the deck railings.  Work with attention, if you want to get a neat appearance.

Fitting-the-balusters

Place 2×2 balusters to the both sides of the deck stairs. It is important to install the balusters equally spaced, if you want to get the job done as a professional. Place a piece of wood between the balusters, in order to get consistent gaps.

Align the bottom of the balusters with the bottom edge of the rail, as in the image. In addition, cut the top of the balusters at 45º, if you want to get a professional result. Drill pilot holes trough the balusters before securing them to the rails with 2 1/2″ screws.

Deck stair railing plans

Last but not least, you should take care of the finishing touches. Therefore, fill the holes with wood putty and let the compound to dry out for several hours. Smooth the surface with medium-grit sandpaper along the wood grain.

Top Tip: Apply several coats of stain or paint to enhance the look of the deck stairs  and to protect the components from decay. Check out the rest of the project, to how how to build the deck stair rails.

This project was about deck stair railing plans. If you want to see more outdoor plans, we recommend you to check out the rest of the projects. Don’t forget to share our projects with your friends, by using the social media widgets.

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