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The Maximum Deck Height you can have Without a Railing

I went to a friend’s house a while back to admire his new deck. This friend was very excited, especially by how much time he saved by not adding a railing. He’d made a point of building his deck so as to stay under the 30-inch requirement--which is the maximum deck height you can have without a railing. As we relaxed on the new deck with a couple of beers, my friend’s Shih Tzu dog came racing out of the house barking at a squirrel and skidded off the deck into the flower bed below. The dog was perfectly fine, but after we had stopped laughing--with relief--about it, I had to respond, “That wouldn’t have happened with a railing.”    

Maybe you have plenty of lighting around your deck and you and your friends aren’t planning on falling off it anytime soon. But there may be other concerns as well, like pets, children, and even furniture. Gravity doesn’t stop working just because your deck is lower than 30 inches. A well-made railing is always the safer option, even if it’s not a long fall. On top of that, they just look better. I’ve found that railings give an outside structure a more finished look with better curb appeal. While most codes allow you to leave off the railings on decks lower than 30 inches, there are lots of reasons why you should still consider one.

Why Homeowners Go Without Railings

As my friend scooped up his dog, he mused on the fact that even though he’d built the deck to code, it still wasn’t as safe as it could be. That’s a big lesson most new DIYers learn; just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Adding a railing to your deck can not only improve its safety but also your home’s curb appeal. Most often, I hear someone choosing not to add a railing for one of the following reasons:

Those are the main reasons deck builders decide not to build a railing. But in some cases, you might build the deck under the 30 allowed inches, then find out you need to add one anyway. This happens a fair amount, for a number of possible reasons.

Why You Might Need to Add a Railing

One of the rules good builders go by is ‘measure twice, cut once’.  It sounds easy, but there are a lot of different factors that could impact your floor-to-ground measurement. That number could change when the building inspector gets their tape measure out. Sometimes, a DIYer will learn they must add a railing after the fact. It’s usually going to be for one of the following reasons.

If your deck is close to the 30-inch mark, or you just want to build a railing for safety, it’s not too late to add one if you have the right materials. The easiest way to install beautiful railings that meet code requirements is to purchase pre-assembled railing panels, rather than buying and putting together individual components.

What to Do When You Need to Install a Railing on Your Deck

The International Building Code says that your railings must be 36 inches or higher, but that isn’t the only consideration. There are specific regulations on everything from the distance between your balustrades to the screws used to anchor the railing. That’s why I recommend buying railing panels.

Fortress Building Products offers a lot of high quality, attractive railings in different materials and finishes. Cable railings have a sleek modern look and are usually very complicated to have installed, but Fortress® offers cable railing panels that are simple to purchase and to put in yourself. For a classic look, Fortress’ Fe26 steel railing come in a finish that mimics wrought iron but is much more durable, with multiple corrosion-resistant treatments like galvanization, a zinc precoat, a moisture-resistant e-coat, and a UV-resistant powder coating.

When buying from a company committed to continuous testing and dedicated to creating the most durable and safe railings out there, you can install entire panels that are already compliant with the codes for your region. That’s going to save you a lot of measuring and frustration. These railing panels come with easy-to-install hardware and brackets that are compliant with IBC capacity requirements as well.  A pre-assembled railing panel is a great choice if you need to finish off your deck with a safe and code compliant railing, but not all are created equal. It’s best to find a railing manufacturer that goes above and beyond the code requirements to create a railing that’s as safe and durable and long-lasting as possible. In my experience, that’s what Fortress does. And if you’re working on your deck or on other projects around the home, Fortress Building Products sells other, equally safe, durable, and innovative products like decking, fencing, and ornamental hardware.

Open deck and railings on transport ships

Open decks on transport and cargo ships pose a real danger to the integrity of the hull structure in heavy seas, so various railings are provided.

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Bulwark engagement with main hull

Steel plate bulwarks on riveted ships are firmly attached to the side plating along the entire length of the open areas of the upper decks on most cargo ships. To drain water splashing through the bulwarks, holes were cut in the upper decks, called storm porticos (Fig. 2).

Fig. 1 Tank superstructure guard.
1 - upper deck bulwark; 2 - wave baffle at the end of the tank; 3 - railing; 4, 5 - bulwark on the tank with a visor

At present, on large welded ships in the middle part of the length of the ship, in order to avoid the participation of bulwarks in the general longitudinal bend, together with the main hull, it is supposed to arrange continuous longitudinal slots separating the sheerstrake bulwark sheets.

Fig. 2 Scheme of the general position of the bulwark movable joints on ships of the Bezhitsa type.
1 - bulwark; 2 - mobile connection; 3 - sliding connection on rivets; 4 - slot

Such bulwarks appeared on ships with welded hulls after it was discovered that it was welded bulwarks, in contrast to riveted ones, that became the source of cracks that spread to the main hull. To avoid this, the bulwarks were cut off from the side plating and the risk of crack propagation from the bulwark to the main hull was prevented (Fig. 3). However, as a result of this, the local strength of the bulwarks significantly decreased and their damage increased.

Fig. 3 Fencing of the upper deck with a bulwark.
1 - movable connection at the adapter bracket; 2 - intermediate movable connection

Later, the device of movable connections in the bulwarks at the transitional brackets of all superstructures (Fig. 4) and additionally several movable joints in the gap between superstructures (Fig. 3, 5) began to be used. At the same time, it was possible to rationally use bulwarks as strong ties, especially if it was necessary to increase the upper girdle of an equivalent beam; this was not done. Together with continuous longitudinal coamings, bulwarks can even play a positive role in increasing the strength of ships.

Fig. 4 Transition of the superstructure wall to the bulwark.
1 - longitudinal wall of the superstructure; 2 - transverse wall of the superstructure; 3 - transition knitsa; 4 - board; 5 - transverse bulkhead; 6 - sheerstrake; 7 - upper deck; 8 - beam; 9 - frame; 10 — rack transverse bulkhead; 11 — bulwark

Bulwarks with lids (see Fig. 2), closing the storm ports by the pressure of the waves from the outside, provide a runoff of water splashing onto the deck, reduce flooding due to some increase in the freeboard height. The decrease in the local strength of the hanging bulwarks caused their frequent damage, especially on timber carriers. On ships carrying heavy cargo on the upper deck, bulwarks reliably secure the deck cargo with lashings (fastening cables), and for timber carriers - also the support of the walls, contributing to the formation of a deck timber caravan. Fastening heavyweights to bulwarks is more reliable than to eyelets and butts welded to the deck.

Bulwarks firmly attached to the sheerstrake are in all respects more reliable in operation, so there is every reason for their widespread use on new ships.

Fig. 5 Sliding joint in the middle of the bulwark length.
1 - bulwark; 2 - vertical rib; 3 - gunwale; 4 - safety bar covering the section of the bulwark; 5 - section of the bulwark; 6 — rack bulwark; 7 - horizontal rib; 8 - deck; 9— board

The bulwarks are a sheet structure supported by uprights (buttresses). They break away from the deck stringer in the area of ​​movable joints, requiring special attention during design (Fig. 6).

Fig. 6 Dimensions of bulwark elements normalized by the Register Rules.
1 - bulwark; 2 - gunwale; 3 - deck; 4 - board; 5 - longitudinal coaming; 6 - longitudinal beam; 7 - beam

In addition, holes are made in the bulwark sheets for mooring fairleads (fig. 7) and scuppers for draining water from the inside. Various devices are hung on them in the form of bollards, ducks and rollers for cables (Fig. 8) to control the rigging.

Fig. 7 Construction of the bulwark at the fore end of the Far East whaling base.
1 - gunwale; 2 - step; 3 - sheerstrake; 4 - clus; 5 - pillar

Bulwarks protect the open decks of both the main hull and superstructures, and especially on those ships where during cargo operations dynamic loads from impacts caused by moving cargo can occur. Under these conditions, the lifelines may be damaged.

Fig. 8 Reinforcement of the bulwarks in the area of ​​the transitional knitsa at the whaling base "Far East"

The strength of the bulwarks is still endangered by various holes, as well as the wrong choice of the location of expansion movable joints, bulk of ships moored to the side and parking in rough conditions.

Calculations show that if the bulwarks are designed so that they take full part in the overall buckling, then the stresses in their upper fibers increase markedly compared to the normalized stresses in the upper deck. In order for the stresses in the bulwark not to exceed the stresses in the upper deck, the area of ​​the latter will need to be increased by 6-11%. Therefore, it is more expedient to make bulwarks from high-resistance steel, as has long been done on mixed navigation ships for continuous longitudinal coamings.

However, for modern ships with continuous coamings and bulwarks attached to the sheerstrake without increasing the deck area, the maximum stresses in the upper fibers of the bulwarks and longitudinal coamings will not exceed the rated stresses in the upper deck. Despite the apparent simplicity of bulwark designs, they have to work in difficult conditions, and the lack of reliable regulatory documents for the design leads to numerous errors leading to damage and causing frequent repairs.

To develop reliable recommendations, it is possible to use the results of many years of research conducted at the Department of Ship Design of the Far Eastern State Technical University. The results of these studies can be found in the specialized literature. The same sources provide the results of experimental studies carried out during numerous voyages across the Pacific Ocean during severe storms.

See also: External skin and its reinforcing set

Weld horizontally along the upper free edge of the bulwark gunwale (railing) from bulbous strip beams. It provides the strength of the bulwark under the action of transverse loads on it and serves as a convenient support for those moving along the upper deck.

Guardrails

Guardrails (Fig. 9), which replace bulwarks, are not very strong and are not designed to take large transverse loads. Their role is limited to ensuring the safety of people when they move along open decks at the boundaries that limit open surfaces. Railings are also installed indoors to prevent people from falling off platforms and ladders. Handrails are often fixed to the vertical bulkheads of corridors, facilitating the movement of people during pitching.

Fig. 9 Detachable Guardrails

Guardrails are constructed of vertical posts with several extensions along their height with round holes through which thin bars, pipes or chains pass. These posts are installed at a short distance from each other and are firmly flanged to the deck sheets or to the protruding edges of the vertical sheets forming waterways at the edges of the surfaces. In some areas, railings are made removable (see Fig. 9) in order to dismantle them and create free passage. Such walkways are used to install gangways or ladders to move people to berths or neighboring ships.

The decks of tankers are fenced with lifelines, and the movement of people along the vessel occurs through special passages raised above the deck, also protected by lifelines.

Wave breakers

In order to prevent the impact of waves rolling onto the upper deck, wave breakers are installed in the bow (on the forecastle) (Fig. 10). These are sheet overlaps, supported by a vertical and horizontal set. The result is a strong transverse structure capable of absorbing large shock loads from waves and preventing damage to deck cargo and machinery.

Fig. 10 Breakers on the tank of a container ship

Wave breakers have been most widely used in recent years on container ships: they prevent containers from collapsing. The height of these reflections on large ships reaches three meters.

The absence of wave breakers on the forecastle of timber carriers during a storm causes the timber to shift on the deck and damage to the cargo mechanisms. So, for example, when conducting experiments during a strong storm on a timber carrier "Kungur" shifting logs destroyed the electric winch controller and damaged the bulwark. It seems appropriate on all timber carriers at the ends of the short forecastle, as well as on container ships, to install wave breakers, resting them on the high bulwarks of the forecastle and long transitional knees going to the bulwarks of the upper deck behind the forecastle.

In conditions of sailing in winter in the northern seas, wave breakers, together with high bulwarks on the forecastle and transition brackets, help to reduce freezing, which always causes a significant delay in the start of cargo operations after arriving at the port. The team spends a lot of time and hard work on the fragments of ice heaps. Freezing and subsequent chipping are often accompanied by damage to the mechanical closures of cargo hatches and deck structures.

Breaking ice with heavy hand tools increases wear on structures and destroys paintwork. When designing structures, special attention must be paid to this issue and high long transition brackets should be installed starting from the upper edge of the wavebreaker, and a continuous, high, strong bulwark should be mounted on the tank, ensuring a quick drain of water from the tank through large holes in the wavebreaker, using them for installation ladders.

Sliding joints to reduce stress concentration

Longitudinal walls of superstructures with hanging bulwarks and railings must always be gradually reduced to nothing in the form of transition brackets (see Fig. 3) and welded to the upper edge of the sheerstrake that protrudes above the deck. The bulwarks must be separated from the edges of the transition knees using movable joints. In the interval between the movable connections at the superstructures, it is necessary to perform several more movable connections. The presence of a longitudinal slot and movable joints in the bulwarks significantly reduces the degree of their participation in the overall longitudinal bend together with the main body.

Bulwarks, rigidly attached to the sheerstrake, together with the transition brackets, are a continuation of the longitudinal walls of the superstructures, being one with them, and together with the main hull participate in the general longitudinal bending and, of course, do not need the device of movable joints.

Previous articles have dealt with movable connections widely used on modern ships in hanging bulwarks. However, the expediency of using mobile connections is not limited to this; their arrangement can contribute to the ennoblement of many intermittent connections of the ship's hull. Despite many years of efforts to reduce the concentration of local stresses that manifest themselves during operation and pose a serious danger to the strength of hull structures, nodes with large local stresses remain in the hull to date. These nodes continue to be the source of initial cracks, which, under difficult operating conditions, cause serious accidents, often threatening the death of the ship.

Under normal ship operating conditions, cracks that appear usually propagate slowly and do not reduce the reliability of the hull. However, exhaustion of the fatigue strength resource can unexpectedly occur in severe storm conditions in structures with increased stresses and cause rapid propagation of initial cracks over long distances. This can occur under conditions of rapid exhaustion of the residual fatigue life of structures that have successfully operated under normal operating conditions. Under extreme conditions of dynamic loading, the residual fatigue life in some nodes with high local stresses, even with a small number of alternating loads, can be fully used (low-cycle fatigue) and can cause hull failure.

Initial cracks almost always occur at high stress concentrations, which still exist in many hull structures. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve an all-round reduction in the stress concentration by new methods. One of these methods is the creation of mobile connections. This method has been successfully used for many years during the elimination of damage to the structures of ships of the Far Eastern Russian shipping companies, whose ships operate in the northern seas of the Pacific Ocean.

Modernized structures have been monitored for several decades, but mobile connections are not regulated by the Rules and Norms.

The moveable joints were initially used only after several repeated unsuccessful attempts to use traditional methods of reducing local stresses, if they did not give positive results and damage in the modernized structures occurred again.

As is known, the traditional methods of reducing stress concentration usually consist in redistributing these stresses to neighboring structures and in reducing the stiffness of nodes.

However, a radical reduction in stress concentration can be achieved only due to the compliance of the created structures, as was the case in riveted structures. Sliding of riveted joints under high loads contributes to the redistribution of stresses and a decrease in their concentration peaks. This also contributes to the elimination of the volumetric stress state in the region of rigid points. Experiments on old riveted ships confirmed this. Indeed, in intermittent connections of riveted ships, water flow in the seams was often observed, which indicated their displacement, as a result of which the stress concentration decreased, and especially under the action of dynamic loads. For this purpose, riveted seams are still used in welded railway bridges.

11 shows an example of damage to structures caused by displacement of rivet joints.

Fig. 11 Construction of the bulwark of a riveted vessel.
1 - deck; 2 - board; 3 - gunwale; 4 - bulwark sheet; 5 — rack bulwark; 6 — angle deck stringer; 7 - butt joint of sheets; 8 - square-short; 9 - scupper; 10 - crack

On riveted ships, movable joints were made in superstructures - deckhouses in order to exclude them from the general longitudinal bend together with the main hull. Until now, the regulatory documents contain recommendations for the implementation of movable connections in deckhouses, which, if properly designed, play a positive role, however, in the area of ​​​​their termination below the deck, a new intermittent connection appears (Fig. 12), which requires attention.

Fig. 12 Structural design of the expansion joint.
1 — hull deck; 2 - superstructure deck; 3 - Expansion joint

Rigid points are formed in the corners of superstructures and deckhouses, which are sometimes called knife supports , causing volumetric stresses in complex structural units with the formation of cracks. In addition to the corners of deckhouses, cracks often occur at the intersections of the longitudinal underdeck beams of the frontal walls of superstructures and deckhouses. This is observed when the frontal walls are located even at a great distance from the midship. Demand attention to the design of decorative sheathing, enclosing the passages at the sides along the cuttings under the superstructures.

It will be interesting: Design and calculation of deck slabs

There are recommendations to replace the point nature of the transfer of forces at rigid points with a high concentration of stresses with a linear one, as is done with the help of high transitional brackets at the ends of the superstructures, going from side to side. However, the extension of the walls of deckhouses, their internal longitudinal bulkheads and the installation of knees in the areas where karmings intersect with the front walls of superstructures and deckhouses are objected to because they will interfere on or below the deck. In the meantime, such knees are not put up at all and the cracks are welded up, and at the first strong storm they appear again. In practice, sliding joints with rivets were successfully used for cutting angles (Fig. 13), and for crossing carlings with transverse walls of superstructures, expansion joints with a slot open below deck (Fig. 14) were successfully used.

Fig. 13 Three ways to design the corner of cuttings (a, b, c).
1 - upper deck plating; 2 - frontal wall of the cabin; 3 - side wall of the cabin; 4 - vertical strip; 5 - square; 6 — overhead strip

For many years, the work of movable joints of various types as part of the hull has been studied at the Far East Industrial Institute (FEGTU). On ships in stormy conditions, experiments were carried out with various designs of mobile connections, and for many years observations were made of various options for mobile connections when ships returned from navigation.

It should be noted that the replacement of point-to-line force transfer recommended by the Register somewhat increased the fatigue life of intermittent links, but after severe storms, damage reappeared. This was also the case when conducting experiments while sailing across the Pacific Ocean on a container ship in a hurricane.

Installing thicker HRP weld-in plates increased fatigue strength somewhat, but not enough. Vibration as a result of large dynamic loads, which caused large amplitude oscillations of the body, caused repeated damage as a result of low-cycle fatigue.

Fig. 14 Open mobile connection:
a - with a longitudinal dialing system; b - with a transverse typing system.
1 - deck; 2 - frontal wall; 3 - carlings; 4 - pillers; 5, 6 - zone of slots in carlings and beams; 7 - beam

Even the installation of large knees at the ends of high longitudinal coamings did not relieve the high concentration of local stresses on large bulk carriers "Ob" and "Yenisei" , built in South Korea (Fig. 15), and on the Japanese bulk carrier ( Fig. 16 and 17).

Fig. 15 Separation of the end of the longitudinal coaming from the deck.
1 - deck; 2 - coaming with a transition bracket; 3 - additional knitting; 4 - crack; 5 — support for hatch covers; 6 - wave baffle; 7 - belt of transition bracket

If the ends of the longitudinal coamings with brackets were with movable joints along their lower edge, then this would dramatically reduce the stress and the likelihood of cracks. Similarly, in the 50s in Vladivostok, the issue of reinforcing ships was positively resolved "Liberty" Far East Shipping Company. This completely eliminated the appearance of cracks at the ends of the longitudinal coamings at the corners of the cargo hatches, which had abruptly breaking coamings.

All activities related to the use of mobile connections in the Far East were carried out with the permission of the Register's Pacific Inspectorate. At one time, the Main Department of the Register imposed a ban on the use of mobile connections due to the lack of calculation justifications. At the same time, it was noted that the ban “may be lifted by specifying the conditions for the use of structures with an open slot” (see Fig. 14). However, before the advent of the aforementioned ban, mobile connections were already used on many emergency ships.

Fig. 16 Stresses along the free edge of the transitional knee of the longitudinal coaming, height:
a — 1,750 mm; b - 1000 mm.
1 - deck; 2 - transverse coaming; 3 - transitional knitsa

The issue of ensuring the reliability of various designs was resolved at low material costs. The modernized designs proved to be quite efficient in the most difficult operating conditions.

The movable joints recommended by classification societies have some drawbacks. First of all, this concerns the movable joints of the bulwarks with a continuous longitudinal slot, which reduce the transverse strength and form intermittent bonds. This is a consequence of the attraction of sections of bulwarks between adjacent movable joints to a common buckling. As a result, there is a separation of the extreme racks, near the movable joints. Until now, a methodology has not been developed for determining the required number of connections for ships of different sizes and for determining the forces that cut off the extreme bulwark posts located near the expanders.

It is of interest to compare two methods of eliminating damage in the area of ​​crossing the frontal pillar of an average long cabin with high carlings on the upper deck of two large expeditionary ships of the type "Abkhazia" . These ships were used in long heavy ocean voyages and in the northern seas of the Far East.

Fig. 17 Crack at the end of the transition bracket of the longitudinal coaming.
1 - deck; 2 - longitudinal coaming; 3 - transverse coaming; 4 - transition knitsa; 5 - deck tank; 6 - crack; 7 - weld

On both vessels, after repeated attempts to eliminate the re-occurrence of cracks in the deck plates using traditional methods, movable joints were made (see Fig. 12), which made it possible to get rid of hard points. After making movable joints on one of the vessels, the design organization, citing the complexity of the repair, used the installation of large knees on another vessel of the same type. It was a cheaper traditional method of reducing local stresses by redistributing them over a larger area with the help of knees.

After a long, hard voyage, the ships were inspected. It turned out that the mobile connections performed their positive role, while the use of traditional methods caused repeated damage. After that, mobile connections were made on the second vessel. Years of voyage by both ships no longer caused damage to the upgraded designs.

Movable joints in the practice of world shipbuilding have received some distribution at the very beginning of the transition to welding in the corners of the cuttings.

Three different types were used. In two cases (see Fig. 11, a, b ) the structures reduced the concentration of local stresses, but the cracks reappeared. It turned out that in the first case, a vertical strip welded to the deck and riveted to the wheelhouse prevented the longitudinal movement of the ends of the wheelhouse with a general longitudinal bending of the vessel and cracks appeared in the weld. In the second case, cracks appeared at the apex of the square as a result of fatigue when the shape of the corner changed.

The most reliable connection for the corners of deckhouses turned out to be a connection with a strip, but always welded horizontally to the deckhouse and riveted to the deck. In this case, the ends of the cabin will be able to move in the longitudinal direction due to sliding in the riveted seam.

Suggested reading: Hull structures of transport vessels for ice navigation beams (see fig. 14). FEM calculations confirmed the feasibility of this measure to reduce the stress concentration. In the place where there was a cruel point, there was no stress concentration. The stresses at the ends of the slots turned out to be somewhat increased, and to reduce them, the ends ended in small round holes, which, according to current practice, may not be reinforced. It is also important that the slots are located in enclosed spaces below deck. own wooden deck, but thought maybe it looks too complicated, you are not alone. Many homeowners tend to shy away from projects like this because they seem too complicated to do without professional help or because they're unsure about things like Deck Railing Height .

If you've ever felt like this, you'll want to keep reading. Making your own deck is not only doable, it's really quite easy and you can customize your deck to your exact specifications, which is always a huge plus when it comes to building something from scratch.

How high should my deck railing be?

There is a reason for the height requirement for deck railings and it has changed over the years to accommodate modern safety measures. Building codes are stricter than ever these days, and for good reason. If your deck railing is too low, there is a risk of people falling. But, if it is too high, you risk structural integrity.

The deck rail height code is actually 36 inches from the deck floor to the top of the railing. This includes any kind of top.

Now, if you are a commercial real estate or condominium builder, the height requirement is actually 42 inches . However, this varies from country to country, so always check your region's building codes.

Tip : If your deck or patio is less than 30 inches off the ground you don't really need a deck railing. Yes, it looks better and adds safety, but building codes don't require it.

How to Build a Deck

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This is a great step by step guide to help you build a beautiful deck for your home. This should help you understand the answers to questions like what height of deck railing you need and what materials are best. Thanks to the detailed description of each step, you can easily see with great photos how the deck should be built and what it should look like step by step. Here are some basics.

Remove old concrete or floor.

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Before you start working on a neck deck, you'll want to make sure that all existing flooring, such as concrete or even existing flooring, is removed. You can easily get started using demolition tools like hammers, pickaxes, and even some drills to get rid of any old flooring so it's much easier for you to create a new deck.

Create concrete frame

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The next step is to create a concrete slab. In fact, this will be the backbone of your new deck. This is a bit of a cumbersome step as you need to make sure your frame is built to exact specifications, but the frame will help you create the shape of your deck. If you want to make something more complex, like a curved deck or a specific shape, this step will take you a little longer.

Install Deck Supports

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On deck foundations are very important at this stage because that is what is going to make the deck safe and prevent it from cracking or shifting during and in use. At this point, you need to use stands or brackets to keep the entire deck together. At this point, you can also install gazebo posts if you later want to install a covered area on deck.

Deck frame

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Once your feet are dry and your wall mount frame is ready, it's time to install your deck frame. This part of the build is not very difficult, but will take some time, so make sure you set aside a few days to complete this phase of the project. You will be laying the groundwork for your deck's exact specifications, so this can be time-consuming, but very important when it comes to progressing your deck project.

Deck beams

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On deck Beams are pieces of wood that are perpendicular to the actual deck floor that actually hold the floor up. These are important parts of the overall design as these beams will act as mini support beams throughout your deck. This is a bit of a tedious step since you're dealing with smaller pieces of wood and need to fit them to exact specifications, but it will go by quickly once you get the hang of it.

Flooring device

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That's when you realize how close you are to completing this project. You will actually be laying down the lumber for your deck and seeing how it all comes together. There are a lot of tips and tricks out there when it comes to laying wood, so take a look around and see which method works best for you. You can also learn different techniques for working with different types of wood, so if you're laying oak, for example, look for specific details on oak wood planks and how to care for them. You will need to take this step carefully and precisely, so take your time, take your time and enjoy the process. The ultimate reward for this step will be great and definitely worth all the work.

Deck Sheathing

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Once the deck is complete, trimming will be the last piece before you soil and seal. Trimming should run the length of your deck and add a protective and decorative element to your entire project. This will really give your deck shape and keep the wood from rotting on the sides of the real wood planks. You can make this step as artistic or modern as you want, but a basic wood finish is the easiest and most popular way. That way, if you later want to add a whimsical deck railing concept, the finish won't detract from that concept.

Stain and print

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Depending on what wood you used for this project, you'll need to make sure you stain and seal it correctly. This part is especially important for thinner woods such as mahogany. This will really bring out the beautiful natural colors of your wood and help it last for years to come.

There are many great stains for your wood of choice, so be sure to research and find the best stain available for your wood type. Finding the perfect stain can take a little longer, but once you apply the stain and see how good your wood looks, you'll realize it was all worth it. Your sealant is just as important as it will protect your wood from the cold, sun and rain. Depending on where you live, you'll want to find the perfect spot for your part of the world.

Cool Railing Ideas

When it comes to deck railings, you really need to look around and see what you like. Finding the perfect deck railing height, for example, can be a little tricky, but it's absolutely doable if you have the right tools and guidance. Here is a list of railing ideas that are the most popular in home design right now.

Contemporary Seascape

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This deck railing from Design Builders Md looks like it's about to lead you towards a serene side view of the ocean. This deck railing is a slightly shorter railing with metal and wire cables that gives a sophisticated look with a modern twist.

This would be the perfect deck railing concept for a beach house or lakeside country house if you have a more modern home you want to furnish. This style of deck railing will give an interesting look to the entire perimeter of your home and is sure to impress all your visitors. This just goes to show what an impression a deck railing can make on your home and how it can bring a special feel to a given space.

Vintage flair

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This deck railing from Deck Guardian brings a fairly vintage look with a very contemporary style. This is a clean deck that adds a lot of texture and dimension to the perimeter of a space and is perfect for both traditional and modern homes.

Textured square zero posts add a lot of intrigue and add more than just a deck railing. This deck railing is a perfect example of how much a deck railing can bring to a space. If you want to give this idea an even more modern twist, make sure you have lights in your poles that serve as a guiding light at night. It will make your home more elegant.

Basic Elegance

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This basic deck railing design from Apple Creek Remodeling, LLC offers many perspective deck railings. This is a prime example of a simple yet elegant design that shows that not all deck railing ideas need to be intricate to look good.

This deck railing is the perfect height and will add a lot of support going up and down stairs and just look good. The railing pictured here is white with black metal posts, but you can easily paint these railings in different colors to create a contrast. Even with a basic design, there is so much you can add to your living space and guests are sure to notice the flair that these types of railings bring to the space.

Traditional Style

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This Traditional Style Deck is from Affordable Views by RJB Construction, Inc. . gives you an idea of ​​how timeless a traditional style deck can look. This is a deck railing with a long line due to the many stairs and the patio above looks even more inviting with these traditional yet elegant deck railings.

What's great is that this style can look great with so many different home and patio designs, you just have to decide which parts of your home need this type of railing. While white is more traditional, you can easily use the raw wood color of these deck railings to give your home a more interesting color contrast.

Transition Deck

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This perfect transition deck from Nick Ryan offers plenty of texture, and the deck railing itself even serves as an accent. This is a great design if you have a few shorter deck areas that you want to add a railing to and go beyond that traditional box-like feel.

These deck railings look fantastic as they blend perfectly with the wood elements of the home, both natural wood color and white accents. This is a great idea to show you how versatile a deck railing can be and how the height of a deck railing can also bring so much texture to your outdoor living space.

Simple Design

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This gorgeous deck design by Fredrik J. Uckert brings a lot of class without all the frills associated with bulky railing posts. This design is perfect for an outdoor seating area where you would like to see more scenery, like this gorgeous forest landscape in the photo.

While a deck railing definitely serves a useful purpose, don't overdo it if you want to focus on the gorgeous surroundings. This is a prime example of how gorgeous and minimalist a deck railing can look without distracting from the landscape around you.

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