For all of you who haphazerdly build deck or balcony handrails only cuz the code requires them, or who don’t think there is any risk, I offer this true story. I have a distant relative by marriage, distant enough that I didn’t know she existed. On the wife’s brother-in-law’s side. Not 30 yrs old yet. She was on the 2nd floor balcony of her older house in Charleston, leaned over the balcony rail to talk to neighbors, and the rail broke. She fell to the ground, spent 10 days in intensive care, died this weekend. How would you like to be the contractor who built or repaired that rail?
“Put your creed in your deed.” Emerson
“When asked if you can do something, tell’em “Why certainly I can”, then get busy and find a way to do it.” T. Roosevelt
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That is a terrible story, her family must be very upset.
I don't think many here "haphazerdly build deck or balcony handrails only cuz the code requires them, or who don't think there is any risk", do you?
Most posts seem to lean to over building for a higher quality.
I am in the commmercial drywall/ framing trade and never take life safety issues lightly. We do a lot of rated fire assemblies in public and private areas and it is always approached in a professsional do it right manner.
I would feel terrible if there was a serious fire and people were trapped in a space because of something that we "cut corners" on. Living in the S.F. bay area there is a great chance of a serious disaster that will put many of the projects I have worked on to a test.
God knows what will happen.
Mike
Small wheel turn by the fire and rod, big wheel turn by the grace of god.
Yeah, I thought about that as I types and agree with you that the regular posters here wouldn't do that. So I guess that comment was aimed at the weekend diy crowd that thinks finishing nails are ok on a deck, as henry points out in his post.
It's amaxzing the #### you see on tv. I was skimming the channels this weekend, came across a regular hgtv show where people are comparing three houses to buy. The buyer comments on the condition of the master bath tub, and the "expert" realtor says that it should have been ... dang, cant think of the word ... reglazed? ... nope, but you get the idea ... and she says "it only takes a few minutes and only costs a few dollars". "Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Sad story, I'm actually surprised there aren't more injuries every year from deck falls. I was visiting in Newport RI over the holiday and was enjoying the view from the 2nd story deck. I noticed that the PT balusters (cheezy 2x2s) appeared to be attached with finish nails, although the upper rail itself was a fairly stout, but rather ugly, PT 4x4, attached to the walls with Simpson post bases. I'm sure I could have removed a few ballusters with little more than a swift kick. The whole thing was more a splinter hazard than anything else, but I firmly told my kids to stay OFF the railing.