Porch Railings

If your railing is rotted, there are wood hardeners and fillers to use so that it can be repaired. Your contractor will tell you he can replace it and that they ARE again making the same style posts and railing. Don’t believe them. Today there is an abundance of architectural and decorating products on the market advertised as Victorian. Unfortunately, although advertised as such, these products are watered-down versions of an original or merely someone’s interpretation.

The principal difference in a reproduction architectural product (decorative molding, newel posts, railings etc.) is the size. Although only one or two inches narrower than an original, a reproduction newel post, for example, can drastically effect the appearance of an entire house causing it to lose its sense of structure and appear to be off balance.

The abundance of these new watered-down Victorian architectural elements on the market can result in fooling the public to actually believe that it is an authentic reproduction. Those with vintage houses may hastily, yet innocently, choose one of these products as an inadequate replacement for an original since it is the closest to what they have. Vintage homeowners may not recognize this error, but if you were to stop and observe the entire house, you will get a feeling of disharmony. Once your eyes are trained by comparing, you will see that the ideals of proportion and scale are missing. A millworker trained in restoration will be able to make what you need. True, it will cost you more, but you owe it to your house. The house will be a legacy to future generations long after you're gone.

Let's focus on the railing problem-
Aside from the problems of poor reproductions, there are municipal code requirements. Most codes require that a railing be at a certain height today. Years ago, as you will see in some picture examples, the railings were designed to work together with the architectural balance of the house and rise no higher than the bottom sill of the windows.

If your railing is original, it will be the correct height and style for your house. It can be temporarily removed and repaired. But if you replace it, as most contractors will suggest, it will have to meet the code which means sometimes a foot higher. This creates a "caged" effect and blocks part of your windows. Review the examples below. They are not the best. You still need to see the house in its entirety, but you will know what to look for and be able to see the difference when on your own.

NOTICE: THE ABOVE RAILINGS ARE CORRECT FOR THE HOUSE

• The Height of the rail, up to but not above the window sill.
• The thickness of the top rail and the bottom show strength and support

Now for the Bad ones...

The porch railing on the above photos (although to code) are too high and block part of the window. This upsets the overall appearance of the houses creating an off balance and caged in appearance.

The railings are also poor reproductions -
Notice the skinny balusters and how narrow the upper and lower rail are. You now see strong solid architecture with flimsy appearing "toothpicks" for a porch railing. I'm sure the owners paid a lot of money and trusted the person they hired, but unfortunately, it's easier to replace than repair. Now, the entire appearance of their house is ruined. It is not architecturally correct. Once you replace your original railing, you must conform to the new code and there's no turning back. Not only are future owners effected but the neighborhood as well. All because someone didn't care.

The followng photos were taken from different distances to see the effect of rail height.

The BEFORE photo is on the LEFT.

The BEFORE photo is NOT THE ORIGINAL but a replacement for the original railing with a height of 32 inches as required by code.

The AFTER photo is on the RIGHT.

The AFTER photo is a NEW REPLACEMENT which is NOT to Code but the height of the original rail and is architecturally correct. In this case the height is 25 inches.

There is only a 7 inch difference in height and this 7 inches is very visible from a distance. Unfortunately my photography skills are unable to portray this as it should be.

How can you do this when it's not to code you ask?
Well, each municipality is different. If you live in a historic district you have no problem.
In most cases you may repair your rail, but not replace it without a permit.
If you have the original rail, repair it!
If you have a modern railing to code, replace it in sections. Install and paint it at night. Be creative!
If you're afraid of falling off the porch wear a helmet. YOU will look stupid but your HOME won't.

And please, paint and maintain your porch. Porches take a lot of abuse from the elements and neglect leads to costly repairs. If previous owners took this advise, I wouldn't have been in this situation.

SOMETHING ELSE TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR...

LATTICE under the porch

The main purpose of putting lattice under your porch is to permit ventilation and keep leaves and debris out. All home center type stores carry lattice; however, the size of the holes are quite large. This style not only detracts from the appearance of the house but also lets debris get under your porch. A piece of general home center lattice (5x8) costs about $10. The pressure treated lattice with the smaller traditional holes costs about $30. Blackstone Lumber carries this traditional style. The appearance is worth the extra cost.

Scroll back up and look at the porch examples. They also have large hole lattice. It is evident that no one cares about the little things like this which add to the beauty of your home. OR, it's just easier for your contractor to shop at large home centers. (I think these home centers are great, except they are geared to the masses and contribute to the average uninteresting home.) One more note- do not let the bottom of the lattice touch the ground, otherwise you run the risk of rot and termites.

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