CHEAP & EASY DIY Cable Deck Railing

[@TheIvalo]

Many different designs for each type of project are also included. For example, there are hundreds of designs kzbin.infoUgkxb2mhCug-GkCWrq69Ce2I0nM0D4QpxAqu for outdoor buildings, from small sheds all the way up to a complete stable. Choose whatever type of shed or storage house is right for you. Pick from fancy ones or more utilitarian designs.

[@dwhaganster]

I'm a professional handrail carpenter and just wanted to voice a warning. Both codes and OSHA safety regulations mandate a certain amount of tension pressure on your cables to prevent accidental fall-through. If you plan on having your system inspected, it's likely they'll want to see specifications by a manufacturer corroborating your structural integrity, which would put you in a bind in your situation. This is especially important for safety reasons on a raised deck. Aim for 200 lbs of allowable pressure on each line and you should be pretty safe. Try some serious tug testing before moving too far along. Looks great, simple system, and I appreciate you sharing with us!

[@PottersWork]

Daniel Hagan, thank you for weighing in here, great to have pro’s knowledge in the comments. I have some info in the video description and one of the things I mention is to always consult your local code/building official. There are also some more affordable options out there now than there were when I made this video. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!

[@michelle2shop750]

Love this! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 What a fantastic idea - the systems sold in retail are crazy expensive.

[@bradtill9261]

This video was very informative and easy to follow. I was able to duplicate your work and my deck looks fantastic! Although I did have to make a few modifications due to one major mistake I made. Had a buddy with a drill press make the holes in the elevator bolts for me. Turns out the holes were too big as the cable kept slipping through. So I clamped the cable off with a ferrule, then used the elevator bolts to cover the holes in the posts. I did have to cut off the ends of the bolts so they would fit in the hole with the ferrule. I used Liquid Nails to glue the bolts into the holes. Still looks great and no one is the wiser that the bolts are strictly decorative. Also, I found a 10' roll of 1/8" copper tubing at Menards for $4.59 to line the corner posts. Thanks for the video. All the guys in my neighborhood are amazed at how great it looks. Sometimes my home improvement projects don't turn out so great. This one really did!

[@PottersWork]

Brad Till, awesome! Glad it turned out good! This is why I make videos for comments like this. Love helping people do cool things and save $ too. Appreciate you taking the time to leave this comment and hope you enjoy the railing for a long time!

[@chocolatechipslime]

Looks good! Something like that would be beneficial here in the Deep South. This weather really eats our decks away.

[@PottersWork]

Thanks! Is it the humidity that does the damage down there?

[@chocolatechipslime]

@@PottersWork I’m sure it is, maybe the humidity combined with the long lasting Bama heat and 55 inches of rain a year. I’m currently looking for alternatives to using wood on our deck, you had a great idea with the cable wires. I just noticed fungi growing out the side of one of the boards that is rotting.

[@PottersWork]

@@chocolatechipslime wow, that’s a LOT of rain! Moisture and wood don’t mix well, so I would assume that’s it. I’ve thought about using composite decking up here in Kansas, but the stuff is crazy expensive. I just try to treat our deck every few years, but it’s a small one so it’s not too bad.

[@Oxford322]

This is brilliant - I have only dogs so want a easy cheap rail.

[@SunnyDallasRealtor]

God bless the builders who share their skills! THanks! Realtor in Denver, CO

[@PottersWork]

Thank you Sunny!

[@OfficalAjc_Starz]

I couldn't figure put how to do the railings cheap and efficiently..thank you for this video...doing this wire style so I can sit on the deck and still watch the babies without having to be standing up.

[@PottersWork]

No problem! You might check out my video on the Muzata cable railing lag screws…they sent me some to try a year or so after I made this video and they are pretty slick too. Also, you might check your local codes for distance between cables, especially with little ones running around. Thanks for watching!

[@mdoyle1981]

I like the idea of that washer centering the hardware, the only addition I'd make is a nut on the elevator bolt which could be tightened against the cable to secure it. Especially on a high deck, I wouldn't trust it without something clamping it more than a bend in the cable. Kids have a way of turning foolproof into fooled!

[@PottersWork]

Mike Doyle, thank you, and I agree! I actually have a follow up video at the end of this video where I suggest that and answer some frequently asked questions about the video. I appreciate you taking the time to drop a comment :)

[@MuzataCableRailingLEDChannel]

That's a creative idea to use a elevator bolt to hide the terminal. Subscribed already. You might as well use invisiable cable railing kits , both ends including turnbuckle could be hiden inside wood posts. We have installed lots of projects as a cable railing supplier for 20 years , happy to discuss if you guys have any questions.

[@PottersWork]

Muzata, would you be willing to send a sample kit for me to demo in another video for people who might want another alternative to this method? Thanks for your comment and view!

[@MuzataCableRailingLEDChannel]

I would love to. Please contact muzata.us ( at ) outlook.com. Sorry for that, youtube seem to forbid e-----mail------address.

[@MuzataCableRailingLEDChannel]

@@PottersWork hi haven't receive you mail yet. Maybe you could leave a contact information.

[@PottersWork]

Muzata, sorry! I missed your comment, I’ll email you

[@levimust4479]

Very creative and looks great. In the climate I'm in I'd need to use all stainless steel. Thanks.

[@PottersWork]

Levi, I would use stainless too, mine did end up rusting and I replaced it with stainless. Thanks for taking the time to comment and thank you!

[@nuaz55]

Excellent idea. you could also add a small crimp fitting where the cable sits inside the post to ensure no movement. Order longer eyebolts so you can adjust the tension by adjusting the eyelet towards the post. Lastly if you put the eyelet on the railing side and counterbored the hole you could hide everything inside the post and just put removable plug on that side to adjust the tension. None of these ideas would have been possible if I wouldn't have watch this video thank you very much

[@PottersWork]

Brian, those are all great ideas for modifications to this layout, i appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and leave comment! Always great ideas and additions in the comment sections of my videos. I learn lots from you guys too!

[@samsen3965]

Genius and a great idea. Now that was 5 years back, Could you please give an update as to how is it still holding or not and if any cons now that you look back into this, then from what you know, was there anything that you could change then to make it better? Thanks for sharing great content. Liked and Subscribed.

[@PottersWork]

Hello Sam, five years later, and it is still holding strong. The only thing I think I would have done differently is put some sleeves through the posts where I drilled the holes for the cables to pass through just for a cleaner look. I also would have put a nut on the Elevator bolts to squeeze the cable just as an extra precaution, so they wouldn’t pull out. I have not had one pull out, but it would’ve been easy enough to do that when I was putting it together just for some extra precaution. Thank you for watching! I also have another video of some lag cable anchors that came out after this video was made. They are a more budget friendly option than what was available out there at the time that I made this video, I feel they are also a great option.

[@michaelrumpke2254]

Just finished mine and it looks amazing!! Thanks for the elevator bolt tip, I definitely used it all though I had to use the Swedes on that side to. Real good video.

[@PottersWork]

Great to hear it was helpful! Hope you enjoy the new railing and thanks for leaving a comment Michael!

[@dorothynorris4371]

best I have seen so far. thanks for posting.

[@PottersWork]

dorothy norris , thank you!

[@logicalamerican]

Where the tighteners are attached. I would drill large hole and have the tighteners inside (attached to the backside) of the 4X4 thereby reducing the amount they are sticking out and making it look cleaner.

[@PottersWork]

That's a great idea Briar! Our bench covers ours, but if I do another some day, I will be doing that.

[@paolocoletti3424]

If you are looking for a REALLY clean minimalist look then why not just use LH+RH Swage wood screws at each end of the cable run. No turnbuckles needed at all. As the screw threads are opposite you'll just need to tighten each up alternatively 1/2-1 turn at a time until it's taught. It will need some careful measuring first time but then you can make each run up the same and fit all together. Again they will crimp easily with bolt cutters (so long as you are careful) rather than buying a hydraulic swaging tool. But in all honesty pretty cheap Chinese ones can be had off ebay and they will do the job for many projects to come and be able to be used on SS fittings as these are way harder than alum/galv fittings :-)

[@jandrews365]

One of the best diy videos I have seen. Perfect answers to all of my questions and the follow up segment put the cherry on top. Thanks for posting!

[@PottersWork]

Jon, thank you! Not the best quality video, but I did try to be thorough, thanks again for taking the time to leave feedback!

[@RussSchampers]

Dude - this looks so clean. Thank you for the inspiration, I will be going with a slight derivation of your plan mixed with the ideas in the comments. Cheers!

[@PottersWork]

Russ Schampers, thanks man! If I could do it all over, I’d have sprung for Stainless cable and put a nut on the elevator bolt to clamp down on the cable. I haven’t had any issues with the elevator bolts, but it’s a simple step for extra security. My deck is almost ground level, so it’s not a worry for me, but someone who had a higher deck would probably want to do that. I put a note about that in the description. Good luck on your deck!

[@nataliaoliveria2822]

Hey Josh, before you crimp the cable , you can slide heat sink tube (5/8 diameter ) to cover the cable for protection. I used this technique for crimping cable in yacht.

[@PottersWork]

That's an excellent idea! I wish I would have done that!

[@LaMostraVia]

Genius would have never thought about that. You guys are champs 🏆🏆🏆

[@PottersWork]

Kiki, thanks! And thanks for watching :)

[@michaelgroves7338]

Would look nice if you ran some heat shrink on the end of the cable bigger than your turnbuckle then after you're done you can slide it over the turnbuckle and heat shrink it also those are nibblers not side cuts

[@codydonovan7356]

This looks awesome!!! Great job

[@PottersWork]

Cody, thank you!

[@codydonovan7356]

@@PottersWork What did you use on your wood 4x4 posts? Is that a black paint or a stain?

[@PottersWork]

Cody, it’s a high traffic black acrylic deck stain...it’s pretty much like paint, because it’s almost 100% opaque. I’ve been impressed with it, still looks good today.

[@codydonovan7356]

@@PottersWork Awesome! Thank you

[@PottersWork]

Cody, no problem! Any time :)

[@phudukabari]

A job very well done 👍

[@PottersWork]

Thank you!

[@mikebeverly88]

FYI for others trying to do this stuff if your deck is up off the ground for than a few feet, this isn't code complainant there should not be a gap larger than 4 inches so these really should be about 3.5 inches spacing top to bottom. Does not really matter for homeowner stuff, but if/when you go to sell it could be a problem.

[@c50ge]

Use a cutoff wheel on a angle grinder tape your cable tight where you want to cut. Makes a clean cut.. BEAUTIFUL JOB!!!

[@PottersWork]

Thanks for the pro-tip yard farmer, I will try this next time I cut some! Thanks for watching too!

[@basquadbasquad3310]

After watching your excellent video, an idea came to mind for having zero hardware show on the end-of-line post. Cheap, quick and easy! Essentially, put a 'nob' on the end of each cable that won't pull out of the inside of the post and patch hole with dowel. 1) Drill a 1" forstner bit hole into the side where your cable would emerge at the end-of-cable side. Maybe 1 1/2 to 2" deep. 2) Thread the end of the cable through a 1/4" hole through post and out through the 1" hole and through a fender washer that will fit the 1" hole 3) Apply a crimp-on swage ball or sleeve on the end of the cable that won't pull through the fender washer. You could use a loop swage, I suppose. 4) Cut the cable off close to the swage. 5) Pull cable to hide the swage end inside the post, pulling it against the fender washer. 6) Insert a piece of dowel with a snug fit into the 1" hole so the dowel 'plug' is flush with the post. 7) Paint or stain the 'plug' to match post. Obviously, you would need the other end to have the adjustment mechanism, such as the turnbuckles you show. There are likely hundreds of ways to terminate the cable inside the post. I like swages. You could also drill/dig/pop out the plug if you need to replace a cable. I have not tried this, but it seems too simple to fail.

[@PottersWork]

Basquad Basquad, that’s a great idea! That would be a clean look for sure!

[@nhanducle9506]

Ghana has lots of saw dust. What useful products can I generate from the saw dust? At least I need a binder for starters. Any ideas?

[@williamjohnstone749]

Just subscribed. This was exactly what i was looking for. Thanks for including the materials list!

[@PottersWork]

William, thanks! Just an FYI, I just noticed the other day the the galvanized cable has a little rust on it where it’s touching all the treated wood...but only where it’s been touching the treated wood. Might be worth the $ to go with stainless cable. Also, if it’s an elevated deck, I would take extra steps to secure the cable more on the elevator bolt side like I mention in the description. Mines ground level. Have fun!

[@scottmclin9915]

Thanks for the video. I’m finishing up a deck at my camp and like most of the commenters here, I’m looking for a cheaper way to do the cable wire railing. I can see where you’ve tried to explain how you did the corner (several times). 😉. Maybe you could do another video where you show how you drilled the holes or post some photos of the corner so we can get a better look at it. Thanks again.

[@PottersWork]

Scooter, you are right, I need to do that! It’s hard to explain the process without a video. I will say, I should have mentioned this in the actual video (I did mention it in the description) but I would use some more substantial elevator bolts with actual retainers of some kind if it’s an elevated deck. Ours is only about 2’ off the ground so I wasn’t too worried about it. Good luck on finishing your deck!

[@DNelmark96]

Wish we had seen this 2 weeks ago before we bought some of the "fancy" connectors on Amazon! Your railing looks great!! May do this for our front deck.

[@PottersWork]

DNelmark96, thanks! I looked at lots of different hardware kits and was amazed at how much they cost! Ours is still going strong! I did end up putting some nuts on the elevator bolts on a couple of the cables to really secure them and pinch the cable because the neighbor kids like to climb on it. It only a takes a couple seconds to do that and I should have just done it in the 1st place.

[@billderinbaja3883]

Great job. One tip: Where you cut the cable after crimping the swedge, you left 1/2" of exposed cable-wire. This is SHARP and will bite! anyone who touches against it. If you had put on a second swedge sleeve, you could have slid the 2nd sleeve over the cut end and crimped it, covers the cut-end and protects people against skin-cuts.

[@PottersWork]

Great idea Billder, I also had someone suggest sliding some clear heat shrink tubing over it too. Both great ideas

[@billderinbaja3883]

@@PottersWork: I'm a spearfisherman... some of my rigging is swedge&cable... I've learned the hard way how easy it is to draw blood from those little unprotected wire ends.

[@PottersWork]

@@billderinbaja3883, so far we’ve been lucky! We have a deck chair in that corner that covers them up

[@henryfletcher389]

looks great but how do you turn the corner???

[@PottersWork]

Thanks! I have another video that I cover that in…here’s the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZmXPe5mHr5mEnMksi=9H-LMJOrym_DftYD

[@mikesnline73]

I think you could have used longer eye bolts with a washer in front of the bolt. Then you could tighten the cable from the other side of the post. And save some money on the turnbuckles.

[@PottersWork]

mike j, that would work too! I don’t mind them on ours and they are easy to adjust with just your hands.

[@user-ht3uf1gt4l]

You just earned a subscriber, great video! And thanks for the parts list!

[@PottersWork]

T, thanks for the sub! No problem, I will say that I wish I would have just thrown a nut on the elevator bolts now, the neighborhood kids climb on them more than I thought and I did have one pull out. I put a nut on it to cinch down against the cable and it solved the problem

[@snbscinspections5024]

Please note that this may not be Code-compliant at elevations. We had a client refer us to this video, but her deck is 8' off the ground, and the horizontal members do not comply with Canadian codes.

[@PottersWork]

Yes, this is true, I have that listed in the video description as well. Always a good idea to check with your local building official.

[@glennpeters7197]

I am going to try this out....wish you were here to help!

[@PottersWork]

Glenn Peters, good luck! If I was local I would lol! I address a few things in the follow up video at the end of this video too...some of that might help as well :)

[@lewisdean22]

You have just solved the problem I had with my decking. Great job

[@PottersWork]

lewisdean22 , thank you for watching and I’m glad it helped!

[@wwaynemcg]

I have a higher deck, so I'd need to run my vertical to keep grandkids from climbing over. Ever see an installation running vertical with same cable materials?

[@PottersWork]

I have not seen an installation like that, but that doesn't mean someone hasn't done it. I don't see why it wouldn't work. Just might have quite a few more connections to make. I'd also probably keep your spacing tight so the kids can't slip through.

[@wwaynemcg]

@@PottersWork Just found this. From Home Depot, the top and bottom of the stainless steel cable threads in. www.homedepot.com/p/Vertical-Stainless-Steel-Cable-Railing-Kit-for-36-in-High-Railings-90636/206183714

[@TheJeffdyc]

what's the diameter of the elevator bolt (head)? must be wider than the 1" diameter hole you're drilling with the forstener bit and wider than the 1" diameter washers you reference, correct? I don't see where the elevator head dimension is listed online, it only gives the length and bolt diameter. Just clarifying. Great video, ordering the supplies now. Thank you!!

[@PottersWork]

Jeff, I am not sure on the head diameter...I will check when I get home this afternoon and post back here. Thanks!

[@PottersWork]

Jeff Ventre, just measured one, diameter of the head is 1-3/16”

[@TheJeffdyc]

Potter's Work perfect, thank you!

[@PottersWork]

No Problem!

[@justinkearney1081]

Is there enough space in the hole that is covered up to use the crimper on the wire?

[@PottersWork]

Justin, You might be able to fit a crimp connector in there if you drill the hole deep enough. Just want to make sure you leave enough wood that it’s still able to hold your cable

[@akaadamrg]

Looks great! I was going to do something like this but codes don't allow it. Fair warning to DIYers. Stipulation in my area say railing can not facilitate climbing. So if you're putting a railing in where it's required, check your codes :/

[@PottersWork]

Adam Gallant , thanks for the heads up! Codes here don’t restrict the railing type, but I’m sure there are lots of different rules everywhere. I should have specified in the video that I only recommend this method for ground level decks. I would use a more secure fastener and not just friction bolt if it was elevated.

[@bobbylevi7590]

Well done Josh!

[@PottersWork]

Bobby, thank you!

[@tonypenna7922]

How did you get the cable through the post at the corner where the cable makes a 90 degree turn?

[@PottersWork]

I ran it at an angle through the post…I have an update video linked at the end of this video that shows how I did it if you want to check it out

[@oscrem78]

Nice and clean job! What's the spacing you used between each wire cables (horizontally) and each posts (vertically) ? Thanks in advance.

[@PottersWork]

Mr Camu, I will have to measure when I’m back at home, but I believe code here is a 4” sphere can’t pass between the cables. I think my vertical posts were roughly 6’ apart. My deck is low enough it doesn’t require railing, so it’s more of a decorative rail. Thank you!

[@gillianrogers9361]

Thanks for this. We're doing deck railing with clothesline as well but I'm wondering how far apart you spaced the cables

[@PottersWork]

Gillian, I would call your local building official, I believe most places require 4” or less between cables. Also, clothesline is a great idea, I didn’t even think about that!

[@2001eskimo]

Yes there's nothing like a nice clean hole

[@PottersWork]

RSS, hey this is a family channel ;) haha

[@2001eskimo]

@@PottersWork my bad

[@PottersWork]

RSS, just giving you a hard time

[@john7507]

Very cool great job

[@PottersWork]

John Chapman, thank you! Appreciate you taking the time to say so!

[@MichaMontreal]

Interesting. How is it holding up after 5 years? I'm wondering about slack, specifically. Does it stay taut?

[@PottersWork]

Still holding up great…I usually go out in the winter and check tightness, but rarely need to adjust it. When I do it takes about 30 seconds. I made a follow up video a while back that is linked at the end of the video…I talk about a few things I would have done different. Been very happy with it! There are a few newer products that have come out over the last couple of years that are more budget friendly, so keep that in mind too if you want a more turnkey option.

[@goldenbulletdriver]

Is this still holding up well? Anything you would have done differently?

[@goldenbulletdriver]

Like I see you went right around the corner but I see some cable sets don't want you to go through corners, they want you to set up separate posts at 45 degree angles on the corners.

[@PottersWork]

Golden, yes it's still holding up great. The corner post is still doing just fine. I would however make sure you sleeve them with something so the cable doesn't saw through over time with expansion and contraction. I do also have a follow up video at the end of this video as well. Only thing I would have done differently today might be using some of the newer lag screw cable fasteners. I had a company send some to me to try and they are pretty easy and more affordable than other methods (I have a video for those too). I will say though, I get a lot of compliments on our porch for the little $ I spent with this method.

[@bryonberg3598]

The elevator bolt looks bigger than a 1/4×20×1...what to use for elevated deck?

[@PottersWork]

Bryon, the bolts I used in the video are 1/4x20 threads and 1" long. The actual head of the bolt seems to be similar no matter what length you use. If I was doing an elevated deck I would probably use the eyelet bolts on both ends. Or alternatively you could use a larger carriage bolt. I have a follow up video that pops up at the end of this video that kind of addresses that. There are also some affordable connectors/hardware that have popped up since this video was made on amazon that work well. I will paste a link to some below (I have never used these, so you might read the reviews...you will also need a hydraulic crimping tool or a swaging tool of some kind to use the ones linked) Thanks! www.amazon.com/Zoostliss-Railing-Threaded-Terminal-Stainless/dp/B07DZ7BXZJ/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2RKEYKMHQ4AZR&dchild=1&keywords=cable+railing+hardware&qid=1598017026&sprefix=cable+railing+ha%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-15

[@alexyu4922]

How did you turn the corner with the 4x4, thanks!

[@PottersWork]

Alex, I have a follow up video at the end of this video that I actually addressed that question. I’ve had a few people ask that same question in the past. Thanks for watching!

[@alexyu4922]

@@PottersWork Thanks for fast reply. I did look through the follow up video before but not paying attention :(

[@PottersWork]

@@alexyu4922, I’m guilty of that a lot of the time too lol

[@lindabennison955]

How did you do the corner

[@PottersWork]

Hello Linda, I made a follow up video showing how I did the corner (it’s linked at the end of this video). But basically I just drilled at an angle through the post…just from center of one face to the center of the other

[@bubba99009]

Curious if you have any issue with heat and freeze and the cables expanding and contracting seasonally. How is it holding up? Looks great.

[@PottersWork]

bubba99009, so far so good! The only thing is I wish I would have used stainless cable. Everywhere the galvanized cable is touching the treated lumber it’s got rust on it...I assume the chemicals in the treated wood are doing something to the cable. As far as expansion and contraction go, I’ve had to re-tension the cable a couple of times over the last year, but that takes all of about 30 seconds to just turn the turnbuckles about 1 turn

[@sluggobrumm3967]

Great video, I'm going 2 give it a try!

[@PottersWork]

James Brumm, good luck!

[@lewisdean22]

All the way from Falkirk Scotland

[@PottersWork]

Lewis, what's the weather like in Scotland?

[@bradtill9261]

If we aren't lucky enough to have copper tubing lying around, can you suggest something else one might use to line the corner posts?

[@PottersWork]

Brad Till, my hardware store sells small diameter aluminum tubing as well that would work. Some hard plastic might work as well, anything to keep the wood protected.

[@TheoKnaeble]

Looks super! I plan to use your method for making my railing. Thanks!

[@PottersWork]

Theo Knaeble , thanks for watching!

[@catdoc83]

Awesome idea! Well done.

[@PottersWork]

Christofer, thank you!

[@waldonemanband]

Wondering how you turned the corner with your cable. I'm thinking you drilled the hole on a 45 to pass the cable through the post.

[@PottersWork]

Barry, that is correct. I have another video update to this video where I show how I did it. I had lots of people ask me how I did it when I published the video. Thanks for watching!

[@777antlers]

How did you drill out your corner post to thread the cable through? Thanks for the informative post!

[@PottersWork]

Thanks for the sub and for watching! I just held a speed square above my drill and drilled the hole at a 45 deg angle through the post...it’s not a 90 degree corner, it just looks like it. I then lined the holes with some copper tubing I had laying around to help it not wear away at the post.

[@AJandAugs]

Potter's Work the cable rail looks so clean...the addition of the 45 degree drill and the tubing is even more awesome. Great job!

[@DyLemmaOG]

how far apart did you space them?

[@PottersWork]

I believe code is 4 inches apart or “a 4 inch sphere can’t pass between them”. I would call your local building official and see what they require in your area

[@cefgil3905]

good idea for a deck that sits close to the ground but I would not use this method on a second level deck. Also, he should have set some balusters at least midway for safety.

[@PottersWork]

Cef, thanks for your comment. I agree with you and actually specify in the video description that this is not recommended for elevated decks. I don't understand why a baluster would be needed on my setup however with less than 6' between my uprights on a ground level structure.

[@cefgil3905]

@@PottersWork usually, you want to place a baluster in between long cable runs to help stable the cable and to help decrease the chase of small children squeezing themselves through the cables. Some states have regulations on it and some don't. On another note, thanks for putting up your video. alway great to see different methods!

[@PottersWork]

@@cefgil3905, that makes sense, thank you for your additional knowledge here in the comment section and for your feedback!

[@indym8523]

How did you attach the top handrails to the posts?

[@PottersWork]

Indy M, I used my Kreg Jig and made pocket holes from the bottom. I didn’t want the screws visible from the top. I hope that helps!

[@paolocoletti3424]

The elevator (?) bolt was a great idea as it sits flush at the end. I would personally have cut them down and just crimped the cable with another ferrule here also myself to make sure they don't slip over time or if there is some accidental force applied to the cable to stretch it out (eg: kids climbing on it etc). Also you can get plastic caps for safety of the sharp cut cable ends on show at the hook/hook turnbuckle ends. Like you said this will meet any guarding rail code but is a novel solution where you've used it. If in the future you go for SS cable you will also need to use all SS fittings to stop bi-metallic corrosion between the dissimilar metals UNLESS you can isolate each from each other with a plastic fittings. (like using a nylon eyelet) And the crimping ferrules will need to be either copper (does not react with SS) or SS ones. But the SS will need to be hydraulically crimped as they are much tougher and not soft like the alum/copper ones :-)

[@PottersWork]

lots of good info Paul, I agree with crimping at the elevator bolts as well. I was worried about having enough room, but I think it would have been doable. Thanks for taking the time to share some knowledge with everyone!

[@pablosandoval7648]

What cannot paint use for the wood

[@PottersWork]

Hello Pablo, it’s Cabot Acrylic Deck Stain

[@mhsharma1]

This is great, thank you

[@PottersWork]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@carolhallenbeck1567]

The supply list has 1/4" Elevator Bolts, but you used a 1/4" drill bit to make the hole for the 1/8" cable running through it. Should the elevator bolts be bigger??

[@PottersWork]

Carol, I used a 9/64 drill bit for the hole in the elevator bolts threaded area, if you go to 0:45 in the video I posted some text to call it out. Hope that helps! Thanks :)

[@carolhallenbeck1567]

@@PottersWork Thanks!! We are building it this week!

[@PottersWork]

@@carolhallenbeck1567, no problem! Have fun!

[@PottersWork]

@@carolhallenbeck1567, also, if you watch my 2 year follow up video (linked at the end of the video) I touch on some things I would have done differently and have since updated. Thanks :)

[@pennys9258]

Helpful . Does anyone know where to buy these cable railing device online ?

[@PottersWork]

Penny: I listed the supplies I used and have links in the video description.

[@scottsenjo2057]

Very helpful, man. Excellent work. Thank you.

[@PottersWork]

Thanks Scott!

[@dibroc8348]

Well done brother.

[@PottersWork]

Thank you sir!

[@bryonberg3598]

Also, eyelet bolt listed is 4", so didnt go all the way through posts?

[@PottersWork]

Bryon, the threaded length of the eyelet bolt is 4", the 4x4 post is actually 3.5"x3.5" so it leaves you half an inch of threads. Unless you are using rough cut treated or cedar lumber, which are slightly thicker and would require 4.5" long eyelet bolts. Hope that helps!

[@petecarrillo2003]

Hey Josh, Thanks! this is extremely helpful.

[@PottersWork]

You're welcome! Thanks!

[@diancarlson4484]

What is the thickness of the cable you used? I agree I am going with the galvanized too. We want the industrial and we would most likely replace the deck before it would rust anyway.

[@PottersWork]

Dian, it was 1/8” cable. If it helps, I made a list in video the description. Also, I went ahead and added a nut on the elevator bolts and tightened it down on the cable because my son and his friends decided they needed to climb on the cables and bounce around ;)

[@diancarlson4484]

I see your supply list now. Great job.

[@PottersWork]

Dian, thank you!

[@stevenblampied1877]

Curious on how you ran the cable through the corner posts. Thanks

[@PottersWork]

Steven, I actually just used a Speed Square and held it above my drill to eyeball a 45° angle. That way my bit went front center to center of each side of the post. It worked out pretty well and saved me a lot of time.

[@user-Seniorlivingvideos]

Is this less expensive than wood railing?

[@PottersWork]

Less expensive depending on what kind of wood railing you are going with, and way less maintenance

[@cgrinna]

Nice job, good video. Helped me a lot. thankyou.

[@PottersWork]

cgrinna, thank you!

[@aronjohn84]

Here's the question is it compliant with USDA guidelines or house guidelines for guardrails

[@PottersWork]

Aron, always a good idea to check with your local building official and obtain the proper permits. I cannot verify that it meets the guidelines in everyone’s areas.

[@CBhim]

GENIUS!!!

[@PottersWork]

I don’t know if I’d call it genius lol…but it worked for my budget at the time ;)

[@CBhim]

Could this work VERTICALLY, from under the deck (with the elevator bolt in the handrail and the eye-bolts in a joist)?

[@jenns.5791]

I love the idea for a sleeker look. I was going to do eye lag screws on every end but I might have to do this instead. looks good! how many inches did you put in between each rail, because I don't think they're supposed to be more than 3-4" apart.

[@PottersWork]

jjenn 33 , we did 4" between the cables. We through around the idea of doing eyelets at each end as well, but I wanted it to look a little cleaner :)

[@kermitandtrinitykeefer7379]

Awesome!!! Guess you found out that Zink rusts, get stainless

[@spungoldnaturals9632]

Exactly what I was thinking. "Going cheap" isn't having to replace it next season. This is fine for indoor but not out.

[@PottersWork]

Yes, I knew the galvanized would eventually rust, but didn't realize the chemicals in the treated lumber would accelerate it like it did. Surprisingly, all my fasteners still look fine, just the cable has rust right outside each post. I will be eventually replacing it with stainless when it gets bad enough that it's more noticeable.

[@PottersWork]

Also, I apologize that I missed your comment originally and just saw it today!

[@deanadefino4894]

Looks really great and I like the idea..But on the side where the cable comes in, aren't your posts at risks of water damage seeping inside where it isnt treated for that?!

[@diydaveman]

Can you please explain in detail how you used the speed square to drill through your corner post? Thank you for sharing your work!

[@PottersWork]

David, I just marked on one side of the post where I wanted my cable to go through and then made a shallow (1/8” deep) hole to keep my drill bit from sliding while I drilled the angle through to the other side. I then held my speed square above the drill bit and looked down from above to make sure my bit was at a 45 degree angle (using the 45 degree side of the speed square as a visual guide) and then when you drill through, the bit will come out on the perpendicular side in the center of the post...

[@diydaveman]

Okay got it, I can picture how to do this now and will use this method when drilling my corner posts! Thank you and thanks for the quick reply!

[@PottersWork]

No problem David! Have fun!

[@alexcortez4976]

Will this meet code???

[@PottersWork]

Alex, I would consult your local building official. Railing isn't required on my deck height where I am, so this was more for aesthetics. I know codes can vary from place to place. Thanks :)

[@MJ-xk3zs]

What's the deflection on the cable? I believe for national code it can't be no more then 3/4 of a inch. So is this code compliant?

[@PottersWork]

MJ, I would check with your local building official to find this answer. Mine is pretty tight, but I think it would probably deflect more than 3/4" if I were to push hard enough. Sorry I didn't see your comment earlier, I apologize!

[@daliasaha8015]

nice video! do you have another one for where you put the posts on to the deck? what kind of posts did you use? i have a pressure treated, almost ground level deck and i wanted to put a rail around it and the maybe the 3 steps

[@PottersWork]

Dalia, I don't have a video of the deck build itself, my posts are set in concrete and are what is supporting the deck itself. However, you can use lag bolts to attach posts to your existing deck pretty easily usually. Sorry I don't have a video for that though! Thanks for watching and sorry I just saw your comment this evening!

[@hvnlyangellee]

Wonderful video. Thanks for sharing

[@PottersWork]

Thanks! Appreciate you watching!

[@Maribelrodriguezlacantante]

Well done , and I'm gonna do it this way !!! The best so far .Thank you

[@PottersWork]

Maribel Rodriguez, you’re welcome, have fun!

[@jaemielee_mc1053]

This video is 6yrs wonder if ur gonna reply but how much would u charge to install this?

[@PottersWork]

I still try to reply to all my comments if I see them! As far as labor for a job this size? I would probably say $300-400 not including materials. Depending on where you live, labor costs might be higher or lower

[@DyLemmaOG]

you're a god thanks fam

[@PottersWork]

I don’t know if I would go that far haha, but thank you!

[@homearchitects7882]

Here's the deal: by the International Residential Code, which each State amends slightly, a 4" sphere may not pass between the railing system, when exerting a force of 50 pounds per square foot. The cables used here appear to be rather loose, meaning that the likelihood of this penetration occurring is likely rather high. It is believed that Code sets this standard based on an infant's head. However, there are available cable systems with very taught wires that successfully resist the deformation in the 4" test. But we wonder what happens to the supporting posts when the proper amount of horizontal tension is exerted? Having 5 or 6 cables tightly pulling could very well pull the posts over, bend them or crack wood, unless very large. Metal posts of a structural gauge might work better. However, the means of fastening to a deck or other platform would need to be analyzed, as the amount of stress could be significant with tight cables (think in terms of a come-along ratchet). Even so, if you typically have less than a 30" vertical offset, the railing may not be technically necessary anyway, but check your State's Code requirements.

[@PottersWork]

Home Architects, this is good info, thank you. Railing wasn’t required for our height but my wife wanted the look and somewhere to set drinks and other things. I do have in my description that I don’t recommend this method for an elevated deck.

[@cvbritton]

Having 2x4 'spreaders' at the top will allow tensioning without distortion of the corner/end posts?

[@PottersWork]

cvbritton, yes, that’s what I did on ours, but actually used 2x6’s to help with sag over time

[@PottersWork]

cvbritton, I mention that at 8:15 in the video. I installed them before I tensioned the cables

[@bubba99009]

If you are worried about the 4" sphere test you can just put the cables closer together. Put them 3" apart and no way you will be able to get enough spread.

[@st2052]

Is turnbuckle size very important?

[@PottersWork]

Sophie Netland, just as long as it has enough thread to fully tighten the cable you should be ok. Also, you want it to be strong enough to not break too.

[@lindabennison955]

Thank you

[@PottersWork]

No problem! Thanks for watching :)

[@tonyasmithglover9637]

Where are your post already attached to your deck? If not how did you attach them

[@donaldhall4696]

I must not have made myself real clear, what I'm asking inside the post when you fed the cable into it, how did you make the corner in side the post without the cable hanging up?

[@PottersWork]

The hole runs at a 45 degree angle through the post...so it's just a straight shot for the cable to go through like the other normal posts...no inside corner to go around

[@richardreynolds5172]

have u tried stairs and if so do you drill on a angle like the corners?

[@PottersWork]

Richard, I haven’t tried stairs yet. I think I would try to drill at an angle if I did. Not sure how many corners you could navigate with the cable and still get it to tighten up evenly.

[@richardreynolds5172]

ok thanks

[@richardreynolds5172]

I'm having a problem trying to make the hole come out in the middle of the perpendicular side of the corner post I know its just me any help for someone that doesn't know what they r doing

[@PottersWork]

Richard, I just held my speed square above my drill and eyeballed the 45° angle from above while I was drilling. You could make a jig that would guide the drill as well, might be someone online that has instructions to build one

[@PottersWork]

Looks like Harbor Freight sells an angle drill guide for $20

[@lindabennison955]

How did you put the holes in the bolts

[@PottersWork]

linda, I hammered a flat spot on the threaded area and just drilled them with a drill bit. It’s easier if you start with a small bit and work your way up to the larger hole. You could also use a bench grinder to grind a small flat spot on the threads to drill on.

[@christalprout1686]

Hubby and I love your video and are getting ready to do this. Could you please post here, or send me a picture of your entire deck so I can see what the railing looks like? One other thing, I'm curious about the holes you drilled through the wood, most things say to use a steel sleeve in the hole, because over time the cable will cut into the wood. Did you do that, or are you seeing any cutting, or even bowing of the posts now?

[@PottersWork]

Christal: I don't think I can leave a picture in the comments section of youtube, but I would be more than happy to send you a photo. I did not put sleeves in the holes on the straight runs, however I did put one sleeve in one of the holes where I went around the corner due to there being a knot right where the hole was drilled. I just used a piece of 1/4" copper tubing for the sleeve and it worked perfectly. So far we have no cutting from the cables into the wood and I don't see any post bowing as of yet. I tried to not over tighten the cables to prevent bowing from occurring.

[@christalprout1686]

sometimes if it can identify an email it will block it out.

[@PottersWork]

I wrote it down and removed it so it's not out there for the world to see :) I will send you a photo shortly...not at home at the moment, but will be here in a bit!

[@donaldhall4696]

What type of cable did you use, SS or Galvanized? Also how did you get the cable to make the corner inside the corner post?

[@PottersWork]

Donald, I used galvanized to save some $...I know it will rust sooner than the SS cable, but we were trying to stick to a budget. To go around the corner, I held a speed square above my drill so I could try and get a perfect 45 degree angle through the post. It worked out well, I came out almost dead center on the other side of the post. I then sleeved the holes with some copper tubing I had laying around, just to make sure the cable didn't wear away at the wood since it would be pulling against it. I have a list of my supplies in the description of the video also if you would like to look.

[@johni6138]

Nice job!

[@PottersWork]

John I, thank you sir!

[@warriorpatriotcl]

hey was there any problems getting the cable through the corner posts?

[@PottersWork]

warriorpatriotcl , I used a speed square to hold above my drill so I was able to drill at a 45° angle...I would defiantly sleeve the holes if you decide to do that since the cable would be pulling outwards in the corner

[@warriorpatriotcl]

Josh Potter alright, thanks

[@petercarrillo1649]

Hey Josh, great tips! Would it be too much trouble to bullet point your tools and railing supplies? Also, what did you use to drill through the bolt? Thanks!

[@PottersWork]

Peter: Sorry for the wait on the reply! I added the tools and materials to the video info text. I didn't mention this in the video, but if you take a hammer and flatten the threaded part of the bolt a little, it makes drilling the hole much easier. Just be careful to keep the bit centered so you don't get the metal too thin on one side or the other. You could also use a thicker bolt to help with this. I just liked the look of the elevator bolt. Thanks! Josh

[@corpk66]

Hello, your video is great. One question, how did you drill your holes on the corner post? They look drilled on an angle?

[@PottersWork]

I actually just used a Speed Square and held it above my drill to eyeball a 45° angle. That way my bit went front center to center of each side of the post. It worked out pretty well and saved me a lot of time.

[@PottersWork]

And thank you!

[@corpk66]

I'm going to try. Thanks again for sharing your ideas.

[@PottersWork]

corpk66 , no problem! Thanks for watching!