One Of The Biggest Problems With Post Locations - Deck Handrails

On the landing area, I'm thinking the orientation of the lumber would be safer if it was running perpendicular to the upper string of stairs? I'm imaging slipping & getting hurt on that small landing when wet. Here in Western Washington we got lots of wet going on. I've never built a deck in my life, though I've slipped on way too many & it don't feel good. What's your analogy here? Thank you for sharing this video.

Great video and advice. Thank you.

I have gotten alot of great info and ideas from your channel. I've looked up all of my local code requirements. So everything is within code,, so I just want to say thanks. I'm very appreciative of you.

Thanks for the video. I’m building a staircase similar to what you’re showing. For the platform part, do you build the box on top of the posts, or do you bolt the box to the posts (similar to bolting a handrail post to the stringer)?

What’s the best way to fig rise/run from top of deck to an existing landing below? There’s no existing stringers because stairs are bolted onto 2 2X12’ on both sides. I would like to make stairs wider by bringing one side right up to the side of the house. If you can imagine this. Don’t know how well I described it.

Hand rails are a different height than guard rails. pickets and newel post need to be spaced as per code.

Just come to Soddy Daisy Tennessee where the inspector knows all the trades, won’t issue a permit to a home owner, but will pass a contractor built deck no matter how dangerously it is built. I bought a new house here 3.5 years ago and my back deck is 9’ off the ground because I have a walkout basement. The railing has no posts at all, just 1.5” spindles air nailed with 16GA finish nails to the rim. The stairs have overcut stringers that span 14’ without support and were hung on a 2x6 that was hanging below the deck frame by way of 3 short 2x4’s tacked into the outer joist. In addition to no real support up top the concrete pad at the bottom was in the wrong spot and not quite as wide as the stairs so the heels and outer edges of the stringers were just hanging out in space. The whole stairway would dance and sway if you walked on it so I raised the whole thing up one full step so the stringers could have full bearing on the joist and I used Simpson stringer hangers instead of toe nails. Then I poured a new pad at the bottom so the stairs have full bearing and I even anchored the stairs to the concrete this time, but hey, what do I know ? I’m just a stupid home owner that happens to be a master electrician and spent my whole life building and remodeling houses and chemical plants, not one of the good ole boys the inspector will issue a permit to.

I'm building just 3 steps to my back door, but the railing is stressing me out the most. Would it be easiest to have the treads not overlap the stringer on the sides so I don't have to notch the treads at all and bolt the post right to the stringer?

We had a "handy man" build a short stairway at our cabin. Hard to find someone willing to travel over an hour to do this. Anyway he completed the job putting posts in concrete. When he was putting the handrail on(its only on one side) he messed up the length of the lower post. Its too short. We are going to finish the job and because I am not native to this kind of work we are going to go slowly. What can we do to the lower post to bring more height? We aren't going to take out the concrete and start over so the only thing we could think of was attaching a 2x 4 to the post so we could have a way to attach the handrail properly. Is that our only option? Thanks

I was asked to do a quick repair on a stairway crossbar. The stair treads are 33 and the ends are all breaking off when stepped on. If replacing the treads is required 36 then i am assuming there is going to need an update versus a repair? Plus I see about 80% of the 3 level stairway is loose and or rotted. Its sad to see maintenance neglected and the owners want quick fix.

A deck with stairs on one side going along a brick wall brings up a question. I would think it is ok to just have a rail on the other side. Would it be OK to just have a hidden (below tread) post on the wall side at the same point a post goes on the rail side?

My area also requires 3' wide. but I dnt understand why. less than 3' won't add any hazard to residential stairs. railing post is stronger inside of stringer but that required 1 more stringer for the tread. I understand most of the reasoning for the code and safty. but the 3' wide stairs all I can think of is this is more fat people friendly.

Please can you show exactly this type of step in pratical..my problem is making an angle..

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More projects for ramps, that’s what we need to be building, both indoor and out. Plan at least, add details later, but make the plan.

still didn't answer the question LOL! also notching out the steps / treads around the post only leads to those smaller pieces in the notched area failing over time due to moisture, change in seasons, etc. So either surface mount with a decent post base anchor that is sturdy and not plastic or.... put the post on the outside of the stringer and use a full step/tread board without notching, also at 4:12, look at the first platform after the first 6 steps going up, why not extend that platform to match the width of the 2nd set of stairs going up? If the stairs are that wide, you can accommodate the width of the platform being wider, maybe the design being used was just for example but people will look at this video, look at that design and do that, it's not esthetically pleasing and structurally speaking you have 15-20% of your step length unsupported by anything underneath it, just air, why do that? Just my 2 cents on this

Any way can work as long you do it the correct way

You know - those "hand rails" are not allowed anymore. You gotta have graspable or gripable hand rails - round - and at least 1 1/4" diameter. I recommend BIP with flange plates.

Pt post should never be in concrete. .8 retainage treatment will rot out in concrete. ICC is the code that prevails except if there is a state code

I don't get why people say "acrossT" there isn't a 'T' in the word "across" the word ends with the phoneme /s/...