How to Build a Railing on the Entrance Porch

Concrete Porches

• 1

  Hold the railings along the edge of the porch where you want to install them, using the help of an assistant.

• 2

  Mark the location of the holes for the bolts in the base of the railings onto the porch.

• 3

  Remove the railings, and drill pilot holes into the concrete with a masonry drill bit at the locations you marked.

• 4

  Detach the bolts from the sleeve anchors. Slide the sleeve anchors into the holes in the porch. Tap down on the sleeve anchors gently with a hammer if they're stuck.

• 5

  Place the railings into position on the porch, and screw the bolts into the sleeve anchors. When doing this, don't tighten the bolts too much, or you could break the sleeve anchors. Paint the top of the bolts the same color as the railing if you want them to blend in.

Wooden Porches

• 6

  Measure the distance between the posts on the porch to determine the length of each section of railing.

• 7

  Cut the top handrail and 2-by-4-inch boards to fit the between-post measurements. The top handrails are built with a groove cut into them into which the top of the spindles will fit. The 2-by-4s will be the bottom railing on which the spindles rest.

• 8

  Cut the spindles to the desired height. Ideally, the top of the railing should be the same height as the bottom edge of the porch windows, but follow local building codes regarding the height of the railings plus your aesthetic sense.

• 9

  Mark the location of the spindles on the bottom rails. Follow local building codes regarding the spacing of the spindles. Drill holes through the rails at the marks.

• 10

  Attach the spindles through the bottom of the railing with 3-inch deck screws.

• 11

  Lay the top rail upside down so that the grooved edge is facing up. Place the tops of the spindles into the groove, and drive a nail at a 45-degree angle through each spindle and into the top rail with a nail gun. This is called toenailing.

• 12

  Prime the assembled railings with a coat of primer, using the paintbrush. Apply the primer with smooth strokes, and prevent it from beading up along the bottom rail or the corners. Allow the primer to dry.

• 13

  Paint the railing, allowing the first coat to dry before adding a second coat. Allow the second coat to dry.

• 14

  Make a small mark at the center of the top railings along the edges to provide a guide when screwing them to the posts.

• 15

  Cut two wooden blocks to hold the railing at the proper height while you screw it to the post, and place them on the porch next to the posts in the first section on which you're installing the railing.

• 16

  Place the first section of railing onto the wooden blocks, positioning the railing so that the marks on the railing line up with the marks on the posts.

• 17

  Drive finish-head screws through the side of the top and bottom rails into the posts at an angle. Repeat this until all of the rails have been installed.

• 18

  Hide the screws by filling the holes with wood putty and painting over them.