Hi! We are considering building a deck railing with vertical slats, for example, 28*45mm slats and 90*90cm posts. We thought of drilling holes through the slats and sliding them over the metal rod that runs between the posts. Then, placing short plastic pipe pieces between the slats as spacers to keep them in place.
Is this feasible? Will the wood start to bend and look unattractive? I want an attractive deck railing for privacy that looks good from both sides. Borrowed inspiration pictures.
Is this feasible? Will the wood start to bend and look unattractive? I want an attractive deck railing for privacy that looks good from both sides. Borrowed inspiration pictures.
Fun idea!MiaNordström said:
But yes, they will bend and twist.
To some extent, you can influence this by the choice of wood type, quality, and the distance between the metal pipes. It's also challenging to get the holes exactly in the same place through all the slats.
I believe that with three rods, you can prevent twisting sufficiently. Drilling precisely requires some form of template or jig. With a column drill, it's easy to fix.
However, it's important to use straight lumber and thread the pieces onto the rods immediately after cutting and drilling, and in that way, secure them so they don't twist.
However, it's important to use straight lumber and thread the pieces onto the rods immediately after cutting and drilling, and in that way, secure them so they don't twist.
I imagine that the slats hold up better if you cut them from pressure-treated better planks than if you buy ready-made ones from the hardware store. Mine have held up nicely these 20 years (one needs to be replaced due to damage) and are made from leftover planks from the wooden decks (which still 'live') when the house was built.