I built a larger porch with 5 steps and topped both with PVC 2 x 4's. I am now putting on the railing. It's PVC too and has a flange on the bottom with four screw holes. I got ready to drill in the screws and began to have doubts. The PVC 2x4's are pretty much hollow inside. Do you think if I use a screw long enough to go through the top and bottom of the 2x4 that that will be enough? Or, should I drill holes and use a screw with a washer and nut on the underside? Actually, I could do that on all but the inner edge of the lower steps' posts because I can't get at the underside there. I could also cut a piece of wood and push it into the hollows to give it extra stability. I also want to build a bench with storage under it for charcoal. I left three posts stick up through the porch for the back legs. I cut 3 4x4's for the front legs. What sould I use to anchor those? I could build them into a frame for the box under the bench. Should I tilt it a little so the rain can run off? I was just going to use left over wood 2x4's for the seat and back rest. I could make the front of the 'box' hinged but that might be inconvient. I could make the seat hinged and pull up like a toy box. Any design suggestions? :thinker:

I have roughly 7 inches from the bottom of door sill to the ground. This is nearly not enough to build a screen porch floor w/ 2x6 ledger and joices on top of a 2x8 beam. My inquiry is, can I simply excavate the dirt out from the house til I have the 15 or so inches that I need for this type of flooring? Maybe making sure there is drainage away from the excavated area?