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Balustrade for decking Chalais/Riberac


nick16

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I want to build my own balustrade using treated timber. I have seen what I want in the UK. It consists of a bottom rail screwed directly to the decking, grooved out to accept square spindles 30mm square approx. There are spacers that can be cut to fit between the spindles, and then finished off with a top handrail.

My house is between Chalais and Riberac. Does anyone know if I can purchase these items locally? I am in the UK at present, and am reluctant to have to bring the timber with me.

I have looked on the internet and have only found ready made panels in France, and they are too expensive.

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Hi Nick, screwing the bottom rail direct to the decking may cause problems in a few years with rot and equally as much with water penetration into the channel that accepts the square/oblong pieces of balustrade. Its best if you can raise the bottom rail up off the floor either using blocks ( same problem with rot ) or by using perhaps threaded bar with nuts recessed into the underside of the bottom rail and into the decking and then sleeve the threaded bar with maybe stainless steel or brass/copper tubing/pipe. If you are accurate you can also pre drill the bottom rail to accept a screw/coach bolt which can be inserted into the hole ( underside )and then fix spindles/balusters to rail invisibly.

The top rail can then be routed out to take spindles/balusters as per your original design, spacers can be bought as wood lenghts then cut to length to suit after ( cheaper ) and glued and tacked in place.

There is a Brico Marche here in Riberac that often have what you need in stock or can order or indeed you can go to Perigueux to Leroy Merlin or Brico Depot.

Best advice is take your time, measure twice ,cut once, go and have a cuppa, come back measure again to make sure, have a cigar [:)] and then whack it all together with a bit of glue.

Bets of luck tho i'm sure you will manage it very well with a bit of fore thought and careful planning.

Hugh.

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