Building a perfect-fit handrail with This Old House general contractor Tom Silva. (See below for a shopping list and tools.)
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Tom helps two homeowners build a railing for their porch.
Most of the materials for this project, including fir handrails & balusters and solid-body stain, are available at lumber yards. The elastic that Tom used to space the balusters is available at fabric stores.
Shopping List for How to Build a Porch Rail:
red cedar beveled handrail [https://amzn.to/2mXuqYU]
red cedar 2x2s [https://amzn.to/2nAO0KT]
red cedar 2x4s [https://amzn.to/2lss9EP]
sliding measuring sticks [https://amzn.to/2lpbUbp]
exterior-grade stain [https://amzn.to/2n2ySFG]
elastic banding [https://amzn.to/2m6t11Y]
1/4 inch-crown [https://amzn.to/2mWlS4H] x 1 1/4 inch long staples [https://amzn.to/2lq0vs1]
Tools for How to Build a Porch Rail:
miter saw [https://amzn.to/2mX9Ckk]
table saw [https://amzn.to/2mrlPgO]
profile gauge [https://amzn.to/2nzaawZ]
jigsaw [https://amzn.to/2mZiOof]
1/4 inch pneumatic stapler [https://amzn.to/2mWbKsG] and air compressor [https://amzn.to/2lrU73j]
drill/driver [https://amzn.to/2mSflaY]
About This Old House TV:
This Old House is America’s first and most trusted home improvement show. Each season, we renovate two different historic homes—one step at a time—featuring quality craftsmanship and the latest in modern technology. We demystify home improvement and provide ideas and information, so that whether you are doing it yourself or hiring out contractors, you’ll know the right way to do things and the right questions to ask. Our experts Norm Abram, Tom Silva, Richard Trethewey, Roger Cook and host Kevin O’Connor give you the tools you need to protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.
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How to Build a Porch Rail | This Old House
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View Comments
brilliant trick with the elastic!!!!
What are the dimension of the top and bottom boards? Specifically width and thickness. Are they decking boards or 2 X4 or 2 X 6's?
It is funny how people buy homes and have no clue about how to work on them..not even basic things..
That elastic trick is genius! You just saved me so much time!!!!
most if not all measuring tapes have the measuring tape housing with its measurement marked so all you have to is measure with tape and add for width of housing on inside measurements ....60 and 2 1/2 inches housing = 62 1/2 inches. also the reason that little metal catch tab on ruler is lose is because one way pushing gives inside measurement accuracy and the other way pulling is outside measurement accuracy.....Toms way is not wrong its just that using tape the way it was meant to be used saves time.
Genius rubber band trick!
They didn't show how to connect it to the house. :
They didn't cover the bottom rail. With the profile of the base of the column it requires needs some fitting. It would be nice to see how they did that.
How did you attach it to the house? I need to see that!! That is probably the most important part you left out!
It wouldn't be difficult to figure out, but how to determine the length of the balusters should have been shown. Excellent otherwise!