Front Porch Construction Part 4 – Deck Boards and Railings

On this final day off work, I started installing the deck boards. They are 5/4x6 deck boards installed with 1/8” gap and cut so they overhang ½” on each end. 

With all the decking screwed in place, I framed out the base of the columns with 1x6 fence board to a height of 36”. There will be trim added around the top once I figure out where to buy PT trim or cut my own with the router.

Next on the agenda was starting on the railings, but before I could do so, I had to remove the 2 remaining pieces of the old metal railings, where they attached to the house. This was screwed into the old stucco somewhere behind the siding. I was putting of doing this as I was worried about messing with the siding. It took almost an hour to dig them out, the bolts were rusty, bent and it was hard to fit tools into the small space. In the end my Mum stopped by and together we wrestled them out. Now there is a hole that I’m not sure what to do with...

Getting back to the fun stuff, I installed a 2x2 post at the end next to the house and cut the handrail for along the top. The bottom rail is another piece of 2x2 with 2x2 spindles spaced 3 ¼” apart. I’m happy with the look of these; they are not too heavy and look polished. 

And that’s as far as I got this long weekend. Still to do is the remainder of the railings, adding some trim to the columns, covering the underside of the awning in beadboard and them sanding/paint/stain. I’m happy with the progress made, it is to a point where we can use this entrance safely again, it was less than ideal trucking groceries in through the back.

And now we know:  2x2 lumber is ever so slightly larger than 2x2 railing spindles, by 1/16” to 1/8”, just enough so they don’t line up just perfectly.