No matter how you slice it, installing effective, good-looking guardrails takes time. Cutting, plumbing, shimming, and fastening the numerous individual parts is not full-speed, turbo-charged framing. It’s trim work, where you can (and should) show off your carpentry skills to customers.
That doesn’t mean, however, that guardrails can’t be built efficiently. The system I’ve developed over the years combines simple installation with crisp looks and bomb-proof structure. Two key aspects are integrating the post with the framing on the inside of the band joist, and assembling the 2×2 balusters and the top and bottom rails into panels that install between the posts. I can employ the same process equally well with composites or wood.
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