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I suffered a brain fart today and could not come up with the proper method to space deck balusters evenly in a given length of rail. I know, this is easy and simple.
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I take the total opening, subtract the sum of the width of the ballasters, and divide the difference by the number of spaces (usually there is one more space than ballaster). Same thing for laying out posts.
*Ditto Jims method. One thing I do is use a tape to lay them out instead of a spacer block. The combination of the spacer block being off a hair and the width of your pencil marks really add up over a long stretch. If you do use a spacer block I'd start in the center and work towards the posts, the discrepencies wont be as noticable if they are split between both ends.Chuck
*Don't forget to check the remainder as you get close to the end. You can make up or lose any discrepancies on the last few ballusters.
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Thanks you guys! I was looking pretty silly with my rail all covered with pencil marks on four sides.
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A deck-builder I know finds the center of the rail, puts one baluster there, and then works to either side with a 2x4 as a spacer. The middle spacing always is 3 1/2" inches. When he gets within the last few, he "eyes" them into place, making sure both sides are the same. What used to take me 20 minutes per section with a calculator takes him perhaps 4-5 minutes to figure out and place all the balusters on an 8-foot section.
*20 minutes?!?For me, I prefer to do some very quick math (ie Jim's method). This for me is much faster, and looks better than backing into it.The comment about adjusting over the last few is critical. This can help compensate if your two end points are not parallel. This can make or break the whole job.
*help me out... I thought the first and last space have to be adjusted to fool the eye..for example... if you have 1 inch balusters and three inch spacing.. and a 4x4 post every 4 foot on center..dont't you have to decrease the first and last space by one/half the thickness of the baluster ?or am i confused as usual ?if a railing ran into a wall.. wouldn't the space against the wall be different than the common spacing ?
*Mike - why would it be different? Are you sayin' because the newel post has more mass, it would look odd to space the same? That's an interesting thought.2 weeks to Petefest!
*yes.. i always thought that balusters were just like joists.. even though the spaces are the same .. you are really laying them out on center-to-center..so the first and last space are smaller.. just as if there were baluster that had been ripped in half...... i think that in most instances it doesn't show up , but in some it will be very obvious that something is wrong.. nless it's just another one of those things that i made up and forgot that i made it up... b but hey, whadda i no ?
*Thats pretty much why I start in the middle and let any slight difference fall at each end. It appears to be a different space even if its exactly the same next to a big fat post. Tropical illusion.Chuck
*I box frame the posts as close to 5' o.c. as possible and make sure they are as plumb as possible.then lay 2- 4" blocks at the base/inside each post. Then cut a clear cedar 2x4 and toe nail it to each post. Then cut two 1x2 clear cedar rails for top and bottom of grille,double stapple a 2x2 picket top and bottom of each end, lay out your pickets with a 4" 2x4 block, you may have to turn the block to 3.5" a 3rd of the way down, fasten only the bottom of the grille.Put grille in place and toe nail to post at the top of each end. Stapple the bottom of the grille to the 2x4. Level each picket with a torpedo level and double stapple.Toe nail 2x4 routed rail cap to each post, then stapple top of grille to bottom of rail cap.Forget the math this is clean easy and fast.
*Pro-Dek,I tried measuring it your way but everything kept turning out twisted.
*PD,You got me so cornfused, I'm gonna go back to the math. It's easier. Then I'll try to make every stinkin stick as perfect as possible.
*TheSouthern Building Code sez:A 4" sphere cannot pass through the space between two balusters. It's so a small child can't get thier head stuck inbetween.Ed. Williams
*LOL,Ralph that's exactly what it looks like when I'm laying out my pickets.
*We know Ed, and pretty soon it's going to be a 2" sphere so cats won't get there heads stuck.
*My cat can stick his head through a 2" opening just fine. Getting it back out again, well that's a different story...My question is: What size balusters do most of you guys use on outdoor decks/porches/rails?The most common in use here is a 2 x 2 squared baluster, beveled on one end, and sqaured on the top end. Every once in a while I see someone using the turned spindle type balusters, but they're pretty expensive here (about $5 or $6 each)Just curious how the rest of ya do it.James
*I've got five cats,Maybe I should remodel.Ed. Williams
*Hi James,The last balisters I made for a porch were 1-1/2" square, were chamfered on 4 sides except for the last 4" on each end which is square. The building dept here in Abilene requires that they be spaced so that a 3" sphere cannot pass through the spacing.I usually dado out the underside of the top rail to accept the bailster, and space the balisters accordingly.
*Twister! Are we gonna play that at Petefest? (is that the third Widmer brother?)
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I suffered a brain fart today and could not come up with the proper method to space deck balusters evenly in a given length of rail. I know, this is easy and simple.