How To Attach Railing Posts On A Flat Roof

Staggering the holes avoids splitting the post along the grain lines.

How to attach railing posts on a flat roof.

Once the plate and rod are installed i stand the post in place. Roofing contractors normally don t want to deal with the installation of post and railings. Drill holes the same diameter as the carriage bolts you will use. When wooden posts are used for railing it is best to go with pressure treated 4 x 4 posts.

Measure from the edges of the roof and mark the line of the handrails at several points. Cut the post to the desired height of the railing the width of the framing you will attach it to and the thickness of the decking minus the thickness of the top cap if there will be one. A schematic diagram of a post on a roof. For handrails at one or more edges.

Here we show posts for a 36 inch tall railing which is common. Access the roof using an extension ladder. These posts should be fastened to the rafters with bolts and nuts. Snap chalk lines on the roof that define the line of the handrails.

Normally a carpenter is best suited for this job. Uncured rubber will flex enough to allow you to either seam it to the edpm rubber deck or attach it directly using adhesive meant for rubber. Usually some scribing and fitting are needed to make it stand plumb without wobble or lean. To counterflash the uncured rubber you can either kerf the post and counterflash using copper or aluminum or box in your post thereby covering the post and rubber.