Step 1: Measure and Draw Out Your Landing Area

• Start by creating a detailed sketch of your deck landing area. Note the dimensions of each side, including any bump-outs or irregular shapes.
• In our example, the porch landing is 45″ x 40″, with a small bump out near the stairs, requiring about 92″ of straight railing for the two sides plus the bump out.

Step 2: Determine the Number of Posts Needed

• Posts provide the necessary support and stability for your railing system.
• For our porch landing, which extended beyond the stairs, we required three posts for the straight railing.
• While we anchored the railing directly to the house, omitting a post next to the house, you can include one for added support if desired.
• For the stairs, we placed one post at the bottom and two posts spaced evenly along the length of the stairs.
• As a general rule, ensure stair rail posts are no more than 6 feet apart.

Step 3: Measure the Length of the Stair Railing

• Measure from the front edge of the bottom stair to the front edge of the top stair to determine the required length of your stair railing.
• In our example, the stairs measured 12 1/2 feet.

Tip: Always check the actual dimensions of the railing components before purchasing to ensure they fit your specific needs.

Total Cost

The deck railing components amounted to approximately $850. The additional composite boards for the stair risers and side trim/closed stringer added a couple of hundred dollars to the total cost.

Step 1: Installing Post Bases and Sleeves

Begin by anchoring the post bases to the top of the tread on the first stair at the bottom, then at the top of the stairs, and at all other predetermined post locations.

Depending on the deck/stair design, you may need to incorporate blocking between joists or along stairs to provide a solid anchoring point for the post bases. We added two layers of blocking to the side of the stringer to accommodate some of the post bases. Conversely, we were able to anchor directly into the deck post for a couple of the post bases.

To anchor and install the post bases and sleeves:

1. Mark and predrill four ⅜” holes for ⅜” x 3” lag bolts.
2. Install the separate bottom plate beneath the deck and the post on top using the lag bolts and nuts.
3. Drive in the lag bolts using an impact driver and employ the shims (included with the post) to level the post.
4. Position the bottom post insert, followed by the top post insert.
5. Slide the post sleeve over the post base and inserts.
6. Slide the post base trim section over the post sleeve.

To ensure a level stair railing along the stairs, the stair posts aren’t positioned in precisely the same location on each stair. Refer to the video to understand how we used a string line to align them for an aesthetically pleasing result.

Step 2: Installing Railings on the Landing

To install straight deck railings on the landing, adhere to the following steps, which align with the manufacturer’s instructions:

1. Cut the rails to the appropriate length.
2. Install bottom rail support braces (if necessary – for our short spans, they weren’t required).
3. Assemble the railing sections by inserting the balusters into the pre-cut holes in the bottom rail and then the top rail.
4. Position the assembled rail in place (supported by scrap wood spacers or the support braces) for a dry fit.
5. Attach the top rail metal brackets to the rail using screws.
6. Position the bottom rail bracket over the bottom rail.
7. Reposition the assembled rail in place (carefully!) with support from the spacers.
8. Attach the top rail metal brackets to the post, centered, using screws.
9. Attach the bottom rail brackets to the post, centered, using screws.
10. Install the top rail bracket covers using screws and slide on the bottom rail bracket covers.

Attaching Railing Directly to the House

We chose to forgo a post next to the house for aesthetic reasons, though you can certainly add one if stability is a concern. We anchored the rail brackets directly into the brick or wood using brick anchor screws.

To attach the deck railing directly to the house, we used a bracket kit. This approach saves on the cost of an additional post if you’re comfortable drilling directly into the exterior. In our case, the brick exterior presented no issues.

Adding Railing to a Tight Corner Section

Due to a bump-out overhang on the porch area, we encountered a tight railing section measuring just over 4”. To accommodate this, we opted to add a handrail. To make this work, we had to remove the post sleeves and install the handrail with the post sleeves off the post base.

This proved to be a bit challenging, but ultimately successful. Here’s how we accomplished it:

1. We marked the location of the handrail and installed the straight rail line bracket to the post sleeve for both the bottom rail support and top handrail.
2. We then cut the handrail and bottom rail to length, ensuring that we left one hole in the center for a single black baluster in that section.
3. Next, we attached the bottom rail to one post sleeve, added the baluster, and secured the top rail to the post sleeve.
4. We then attached the bottom rail and top handrail to the other post sleeve.
5. With this section assembled, we carefully slid the two post sleeves over the post bases and inserts, fitting them into the post base trim that had already been slid over the post bases.

Step 3: Installing Railings and Balusters on the Stairs

This step required careful attention. The key was to determine how low the bottom railing needed to be while maintaining a consistent line along the top of the stair. Here’s where we share our insights to help you avoid potential pitfalls.

Be sure to watch the video to see how we used a string line to properly align the stair railings!

In our initial attempt, we installed the top of the railing about 1″ too high, which necessitated notching out the post caps in the subsequent step. Keep this 1″ discrepancy in mind when calculating this part!

We recommend dry-fitting the stair railing *and* placing the post cap during the dry fit to prevent the extra work we incurred.

To assemble and install outdoor stair railings:

1. Assemble the stair railing section by inserting the balusters into the pre-drilled holes in the bottom and top railings.
2. Position the assembled railing section adjacent to the posts, utilizing spacers below the bottom rail and clamps to attach the railing section to the posts for this dry fit.
3. Adjust the placement of the railing section until the distance between the post and the first baluster, as well as the other post and the last baluster, is consistent.
4. Mark the posts on each rail, both top and bottom.
5. Unclamp the railing and cut the ends at the marked locations, ensuring the correct angle.
6. Slide the angled stair railing brackets onto the rails.
7. Position the rail and mark the bracket hole locations, then predrill the holes.
8. Attach the brackets to the posts using screws, then secure the bracket to the rail with another screw.

Step 4: Installing Post Caps

With the railing height correctly installed, installing post caps is a straightforward process! These pre-glued post caps simply slide over the top of the post sleeve. You can use the included rubber cement adhesive; however, we opted for Liquid Nails adhesive instead.

Given that the height of our railing was slightly too high during installation, we had to cut a small notch on the uphill side to accommodate the handrail profile. While manageable, it was more complex than necessary.

Step 5: The Finishing Touch – Installing Stair Side Trim

Given that the existing tread lengths were already established, we installed the risers to match, enabling us to install the side trim over the top, creating a closed stringer effect on the deck stair skirt. The side trim comprised two layers of 1×8 PVC boards. In total, we used approximately four boards for the entire skirt on these 12.5-foot stairs.

Due to the construction of the stairs, we needed to add spacers to align the wood surface with the level of the end of the treads and risers. We utilized pieces of 2×4 pressure-treated lumber, approximately 9” long. In hindsight, they should have been slightly longer, around 12”, to better support the second board. Additionally, we added spacers to the back of some boards to ensure they were all at the same level.

Given that the boards were slightly warped, we had to ensure they were straight to stack another layer evenly. We used screws and shims to straighten them before securing them in place.

See how we finally found a wood deck stain we love!