# Railing for a flat roof



## sarapa (Apr 24, 2012)

We have a study addition and the roof above it is flat.  A second floor bedroom has a door that leads out to this roof--thus creating a roof/balcony.  It has a railing around it.  This is pretty common in the area where I live.  It's a wood railing that connects to the house on two sides, one central post on the corner and with footings in between.  I don't think it's actually attached to the roof.

This roof developed a leak last fall.  I put some roof tar over a seam, but started looking into getting a new roof. My roofer tells me it's a metal roof undernooth and whole thing needs to be torn off,  The roof is no problem.  Our roofer can put in a rubber roof that he will guarantee for 30 years.  He has to tear down the wood railing to do it.

The problem is the railing.  To be up to code, because there is a door, we need to have a railing.  Fencing Co won't do it because it's not ground level.  Railing companies all insist they have to put holes into the roof.  It's my understanding this is a big no-no with rubber roofs and is just inviting disaster.  Our handyman isn't sure how he'd do it.

Anyone ever overcome a similar problem?


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## oldognewtrick (Apr 24, 2012)

First off  to *House Repair Talk*!

Now, about your roof, E.P.D.M. is a commercial material and is NOT warrantied on ANY residential application. If the roofer you are talking to wants to install a non-warrantied material, doesn't know how to flash a pitch pocket around a post, you need to find someone who understands what this is and can do it. If you bolt a 4x4 to the ceiling joists, repair the decking, you can fabricate a pitch pocket thats filled with a pour-able sealer. Then have a carpenter trim out the column with dimensional lumber to cover up the column and pitch pocket.

Just my:2cents:


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## nealtw (Apr 24, 2012)

We can no longer attach anything thru the decking, the now attach to the face of the building


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