1. 34 HANDY J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8
P H OTO S B Y S C OT T J A C O B S O N A N D S T E V E R H O D E S
A N D C O U R T E S Y F E E N E Y A R C H I T E C T U R A L P R O D U C T S
I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y S T E P H E N H U T C H I N G S
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2. J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8 HandymanClub.com 35J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8 HandymanClub.com 35
Enhance your view with a modern, low-maintenance
alternative to traditional balusters
B Y D A N C A R Y
CABLE
RAILING
ailings affect the appearance of a
deck more than just about any
other design element. But the
type of railing you select also
affects your view from the deck, your pri-
vacy when you’re using the deck and the
maintenance your deck will require.
For my deck, I wanted a modern-
looking railing that would not obstruct
the view of my backyard and that would
require very little maintenance. Cable
railing turned out to be the perfect
choice for me.
This type of railing system uses
cables instead of balusters between the
posts. It has been used for years in com-
mercial settings, but the increasing inter-
est in modern design and architecture
during the past 10 years has made it a
more common choice in residential
applications, both indoors and outside.
The most obvious benefit of cable
railing is that it does not obstruct your
view. Most residential cable railings are
made with 1/8- or 3/16-in.-dia. stainless
steel cables that essentially disappear
when you look through them.
The other major benefit of cable rail-
ing is that it requires very little mainte-
nance. Wood posts and rails may need to
be restained or painted every few years,
but cables typically need only occasional
cleaning with a damp rag and a seasonal
tension adjustment, depending on the
rigidity of the frame and temperature
extremes in your region.
I chose the CableRail system manu-
factured by Feeney (see SOURCES
ONLINE) because it features cables with
integrated threaded terminal fittings as
well as QuickConnect-SS fittings that
make the installation very simple. The
cost varies depending on the length of the
run and the number of fittings you need.
For example, a 20-ft. run of the CableRail
system, consisting of 10 horizontal
cables, costs about $22 a foot — compa-
rable to many composite deck-railing
systems. If you’re interested in horizontal
cable railing for your deck, check with
your local building authority to be sure
that it is accepted by code in your area.
MATERIALS
Compared with popular rigid railing
materials, cable poses a unique chal-
lenge in that it can be moved or
R
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3. 36 HANDY J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8
deflected to create larger or smaller
openings. The International Residential
Code (IRC) requires that a 4-in.-dia.
sphere cannot pass through any opening
of the railing, so cables must be spaced
no more than 3 in. apart and must be
under enough tension to keep them
from creating larger openings. Use
stainless steel cable fasteners and fit-
tings specifically designated for railing
applications (see SOURCES ONLINE).
Use exterior-rated lumber for the
post-and-rail framing components. I
used pressure-treated Southern yellow
pine and stained it with a deck
stain/sealer.
All framing fasteners and brackets
must be corrosion-resistant and com-
patible with the lumber you plan to use.
For example, when using ACQ pressure-
treated lumber, use stainless steel
fasteners, hot-dipped galvanized coated
fasteners or fasteners coated with an
ACQ-approved proprietary coating.
DESIGN
The first decision you must make
when designing your cable-railing lay-
out is whether you will use separate
terminating cables at the corners or a
single continuous run of cable (see
“Corner Options,” p. 38). The main
advantage to using separate cable runs
that terminate at the corners is that you
can use a single post in each corner,
which means one fewer post and
results in a more open appearance.
Separate cables can also be a little eas-
ier to tighten because of their shorter
length. However, a continuous run
with a single longer cable costs less
than several shorter cables and
requires fewer fittings.
The strength of any railing system
depends primarily on the strength of the
posts and post connections. Use 4x6
lumber for all corner and end posts, as
they’ll be supporting all of the cable-
tension load. Use 4x4 lumber for all of
the other structural intermediate posts
and 2x4 posts between the larger posts.
The 2x4 posts are not structural; they
serve primarily as intermediate sup-
ports for the cable. The cable must be
supported a minimum of every 36 in. to
control deflection.
The posts alone will not resist the
several hundred pounds of potential
force that is exerted by the tensioned
cables, so in addition to a securely fas-
tened 2x6 cap rail, 2x4 or 1x4 horizon-
tal blocking is attached between the
posts underneath the cap rail. This
blocking provides additional lateral
reinforcement so that the posts will not
Cable railing can be installed
outdoors or indoors. Manu-
factured metal post-and-rail
systems are also available,
but wood is the most
economical option and is
most often used for DIY
installations. In both cases,
the cables nearly disappear,
creating an open appearance
and unobstructed view.
For details on railing-post connections
and more deck-railing ideas, go to
www.HandymanClub.com/FromHandy
and click on the Web Extras box.
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4. J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8 HandymanClub.com 37
be pulled out of plumb when the cables
are tensioned.
Foot rails can also be included in
your design to provide additional lat-
eral resistance and to act as a footrest.
These rails are optional, however. To
create an open appearance, I chose to
use them only on the stairs.
Stair railings are designed using
the same components and spacing
guidelines as the horizontal rails. The
only two differences with stair railings
are that you must drill the guide holes
at an angle to match the stair-tread
pitch and you must install a handrail
that meets the building code standard
for “grippable” or “graspable.” My city
requires that the cross-sectional dimen-
sion of the handrail must not be less
than 1-1/4 in. or more than 2-5/8 in.
The handrail must also be at least
1-1/2 in. away from the wall or posts.
INSTALLATION
The most important aspects of the instal-
lation are properly securing the posts and
drilling the cable-guide holes. Installing
the cable itself is as simple as lacing it
through the guide holes and tightening
the nuts.
Fasten the posts directly to the deck
framing using 1/2-in.-dia. bolts and man-
ufactured brackets (see Web Extras).
Securely attach the horizontal blocking
Use a drill guide to bore 1/4-in.-dia.
cable-guide pilot holes. These pilot
holes will act as guides when you use a
longer drill bit to bore through the post.
Set the drill guide angle to match the
pitch of the stairs. Use the drilling
template to bore the angled pilot
holes in the stair posts.
Use an extra-long 1/4-in.-dia. bit to bore
through the rest of the post. Be careful
not to push too hard as the long bit exits
the post to eliminate the risk of blowout.
Feed the threaded terminal end of the
cable through the corner post and fas-
ten it with a washer and nut. Tighten
the nut until about 1/4 in. of the
threads is exposed.
Feed the loose cable ends through
the posts. Secure each cable with a
washer and end fitting. Note: Don’t
forget the washer. This fitting will not
slide off once it is on.
Use a beveled washer fitting at the ends
of the angled guide holes. Use protector
sleeves where the cable will change direc-
tion to prevent cables from compress-
ing the wood around the guide hole.
CABLE-RAILING INSTALLATION
1 2 3
4 5 6
Wood edge
attached 1-3/4 in.
from the center of
the drilling holes
3"
3"
Threaded
terminal fitting
Washer
and nut
Beveled
washer
fitting
Protector
sleeve
QuickConnect-SS
fitting
Fitting
Pull cable tight
Drill guide
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5. 38 HANDY J U LY A U G U S T 2 0 0 8
Feeney Architectural Products (CableRail)
800-888-2418
OTHER MANUFACTURERS
Atlantis Rail Systems, 800-541-6829
Ultra-Tec Cable Railing, 800-851-2961
SOURCES ONLINE
For online information, go to
www.HandymanClub.com/FromHandy
and click on SOURCES ONLINE.
CABLE-RAILING INSTALLATION
CORNER OPTIONS
7 8 9
and cap rails with deck screws. Posts must
be spaced at least 3 to 4 in. away from
adjacent house siding to provide room for
fitting access.
The cable guide holes must be
drilled at the same heights and spaced
equally. The easiest way to ensure that
your guide holes are consistent is to use
a template. I made my drilling template
using commonly available pegboard. I
marked every third peg hole to estab-
lish the 3-in. hole spacing and then
attached a wood edge to center the
holes across a 3-1/2-in.-wide post side.
Use a drill guide to bore the 1/4-in.-
dia. pilot holes into the post (photos 1
and 2, p. 37). Then use a longer 1/4-in.-
dia. bit to drill through the post (photo
3). Enlarge each hole as specified by the
manufacturer to allow clearance for the
cables and fittings you’re using.
If you are installing multiple cables
at the corners, you must offset the
cable-guide holes by 1/4 to 1/2 in. This
makes one section of cables slightly
higher or lower than the adjacent sec-
tion, but I didn’t think the difference
was very noticeable or distracting.
Do your best to keep the holes
aligned and straight. Don’t worry if the
holes are slightly off track because
once all of the cables are in place, their
unified appearance will overshadow
minor inconsistencies.
The steps for installing the cables
will vary slightly depending on the
manufacturer, but in a nutshell the steps
are as follows: Fasten one end of the
cable to a corner post (photo 4), lace
the rest of the cable through the posts,
secure the loose end with an end fitting
(photo 5 and 6), tighten the cables
(photos 7, above) and trim the excess
cable ends (photos 8 and 9).
The manufacturer of CableRail
includes plastic or stainless steel caps to
cover the exposed nuts and end fittings. I
chose to use them only on the
QuickConnect end fittings that were in
inconspicuous locations. I made cover
boards to conceal the fittings that were in
the most exposed locations.
I considered several railing options,
but after a full season of use I couldn’t
be happier that I chose to install the
cable railing. The horizontal lines
complement the long horizontal style
of my 1960s ranch-style home, and
they provide a great view. It’s like
having a window to my backyard with-
out the glass to clean.
Single post Double post
with terminating cables with continuous cables
Tighten the nuts to increase the ten-
sion of the cables until they cannot be
moved more than 4 in. apart.
Trim the excess cable ends. You can use a heavy-duty cable cutter or hack-
saw (left photo), but I found it easiest to use a cutting wheel attached to
a rotary tool (right photo). Cover the exposed fittings with end caps.
If you choose to use a single corner post (left), the railing is divided into sep-
arate cable runs which terminate at each corner. If you choose a double post
corner design (right), continuous cables run through both posts. — DC
End cap End cap
Cutting
wheel
Protector
sleeves
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