Deck railing help


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Old 03-22-13, 08:14 AM
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Deck railing help

I added a floating ground level deck on top of a concrete slab (see pics). I now need to add railing next to the concrete retaining wall. Ideally, I would like to adding railing and a bench on top of the wall. I need to take the wall out of play so my little guys cannot climb on the ledge and accidentally fall off. My question is do you think I could put posts on top on the wall and support them with a concrete block post (see pic) or with steel supports (see pic)? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks. KW
 
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Old 03-22-13, 10:07 AM
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Welcome to the forums!

Did you nail or screw the deck boards down? Ideally provisions for the handrail posts would have been made before the decking went down. I'm just a painter, the carpenters will be along later with better advice for you.
 
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Old 03-22-13, 10:31 AM
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Mark- Thanks for your response. Deck boards are screwed down with 2.5" deck screws. I do have a railing plan in place that has railing at coming up at the end of the deck and not over onto the wall. I am considering other options to build over the wall. In the end, I will probably will do 4x4 posts to ground on other side of wall, but I posted here to see consider other options I mentioned previously.
 
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Old 03-22-13, 10:42 AM
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I don't like that big break in the top of the wall for putting the railing on it, I would probably look to attach the railing to the deck instead.

For what it's worth, I would not have built a ground level deck in the first place so keep in mind you and I may not be thinking on the same page.
 
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Old 03-22-13, 11:52 AM
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In my neck of the woods anyway, the posts would typically be bolted, not lagged, to the last joist, with solid blocking between the last and second to last joist at each post. I would lean toward constructiong the rail in a conventional manner, meaning vertical at the perimeter of the wood deck, and adding some spacer blocks with lattice to box off the ledge, so that it could be easily removed as the kids got big enough to reduce that concern. I would also replace at least the section of concrete ledge farthest from the house, before getting too much farther along. Hard to say, as pictures sometimes tilt things a bit, but it looks like you could remove that last section, cut the curve off of the concrete slab, and run a new ledge straight out.
 
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Old 03-22-13, 01:42 PM
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Maybe a pre-fabricated assembly, consisting of a bottom sill plate and top rail member (both 2 x 4s, flat), intermediate 4 x 4 posts, and vertical 2 x 2s similar to what's on your porch? The complete panels could be lagged or deck-screwed into the existing rim board and stub vertical supports. Stain the new assembly to match the porch railing, visually tying everything together. Should be stout enough to keep your lads from hurting themselves.
 
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Old 03-22-13, 02:08 PM
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I would not put your fence on top of the wall, I have some major issues with the space/gap between the retaining wall and the deck. It is a twisted ankle waiting to happen or a trip hazard that will throw an adult over the wall. Your steps are also not to code as bottom step is clearly not as tall as the upper steps. I also do not like that your supporting your deck by nailing a couple of 2x6 scraps on end in the corners. They should be at least 4x4's and through bolted (not lagged). You deck has the potential to shift and collapse laterally on those nailed skinny supports.

As I am not crazy about the deck itself, and believe that a permit was not pulled, giving guidance at this point is problematic for me. But you do need at least some form of railing on the wall side. For now, until you figure how to properly correct some issues, I would probably put up a temp wrought iron look alike fence that is screwed to the deck edge with at least two of the 4 screw to secure hitting framing members.

First Alert 92 in. x 32 in. Galvanized Steel Black Premium Grade 2-Rail Fence Panel-F3GHDG92X32 at The Home Depot
 
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Old 03-25-13, 08:08 AM
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Appreciate the responses. I went with my original plans and created the traditional railing using 4x4 posts straight up from the deck. I will place planter boxes on the wall to keep kiddos off.
 
 

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