Making preparations to build a porch can be a fun learning experience that benefits both the homeowner and the home. We’ve covered some considerations to take when planning and building a porch – yet questions always come up when installing porch railings. It sounds simple, but chances are you’ll probably hit a few roadblocks before it’s finished.  Run through this quick checklist of preparations before jumping into building a porch railing. You’ll be glad you did.

Prep  The first mistake that DIYers can make is to assume that you porch is ready for a rail. First, inspect your porch and make sure that the condition is favorable for adding on. Make adjustments and repairs now or else your railing might get damaged during the build.

Style  More time than not, it seems that people choose the styles offered by their local hardware store without seeing if it matches the home. Your budget will determine what materials you’ll be using, but for a starting point: look to invest in wooden railings or synthetic railings like PVP or composite that can be colored and textured to resemble wood.

Prime  Prime all the materials before you begin installation and make sure the primer is the correct fit for the material you chose.

Interested in learning more? Stay tuned for more ways to prepare for building your own porch railings.