Railing repair welding in Meridian, Idaho

Why railings come loose

The post rusted at the base. Steel posts set straight into concrete trap water at the surface. That's where they rust, and that's where they snap. The rest of the railing can be perfect.

The anchor pulled out. Surface-mounted posts on a base plate depend on four anchors in old concrete. One anchor lets go and the post rocks.

The handrail bracket cracked. On a wall-mounted handrail, the brackets take all the load. Cheap ones crack at the weld.

A picket broke. Somebody's kid, somebody's ladder. Now there's a gap wider than code allows.

How I repair a rusted post

I cut the post off above the rust. If it was set in concrete, I core or chip out the stub, set a new post section with a base plate, and anchor it with wedge anchors or epoxy anchors depending on the concrete. Then I weld the new section to the old railing so the joint is invisible under paint. If several posts are rusted, it's usually cheaper to do them all in one visit than to come back each spring.

Code, in plain terms

For a house, a guard on a deck or porch more than 30 inches up needs to be at least 36 inches tall, and a 4-inch ball can't fit through it anywhere. A stair handrail needs to be 34 to 38 inches above the front edge of the steps and you need to be able to wrap your hand around it. If your railing was built short, or a picket is missing, I can add a top rail or weld in new pickets so it passes. This matters when you sell the house. Inspectors look at railings.

Repair or replace

If the top rail and the pickets are sound and it's the posts that failed, repair. New post bases and a splice cost a fraction of a railing. If the pickets are rusting through at the bottom rail and the top rail is pitted, it's on its way out, and a new railing built to the run is money better spent. I'll tell you which from the photo.

Commercial and rental

Apartment stairwells, restaurant patios and loading docks in Boise and Meridian come up a lot. A loose railing on a rental is a liability. I can usually get to those in a day or two and I'll give you an invoice that says what was done and that it meets height.

What it costs

Visits start at $95. Re-anchoring a post or welding in a picket lands near that. Cutting out a rusted post and setting a new base is more. Text a photo of the whole run and a close-up of the bad post and I'll give you a number. Railing work is part of my welding repair service and it's done in place.