# how to add railing to aluminum siding?



## crocket (Apr 6, 2009)

First post and lloking forward to coming back often. I need to add a short lenght of railing, about 3 feet, to aluminum siding. Wondering what kind of railing and how to attach. Nothing fancy. Its for insurance purposes.


----------



## inspectorD (Apr 7, 2009)

Where is this attaching to besides the siding? 
A concrete front porch stoop, deck, landscaping area with a wall?
My preference is to use 4x4 posts bolted to whatever the base is. Any pressure treated lumber cannot be attached to aluminum...it will eat it away from the copper treatment in the wood.

Sometimes you can get metal railings for front porch stoops premade from the local lumber yard.


----------



## crocket (Apr 7, 2009)

Concrete steps run parallel to the house. After 10 years the insurance company wants a railing. When you go down the 3 steps you are actually walking along side the wall which is sided in aluminum. Seems like it would be a big project to attach anything to the outsie of steps which are are concrete and old. Thank you for your input.


----------



## inspectorD (Apr 7, 2009)

You could install an aluminum handrail screwed into the siding. It may have to be ordered. Also a metal railing for the outside can also be ordered from any lumber yard.
My opinion is to go talk to your local lumber yard and ask what they recommend.
Bring a picture, it will help.


----------



## crocket (Apr 7, 2009)

Aluminum railing ssounds like exactly what I need. Will it hols strong to the wall going thoough the siding. Old house, don't know whats under the siding.
Thanks again.


----------



## tlcww (Apr 8, 2009)

You will probably have to locate the support studs and then
mount your rails to those.


----------



## crocket (Apr 8, 2009)

How can the studs be found underneath the siding?


----------



## tlcww (Apr 8, 2009)

You may have to peel back a course of the siding to 
peak in and see how the structure is supported.
(Where the studs are located , how they are configured etc...)

I've worked with vinyl siding mostly...
And that's pretty easy to unzip by lifting the bottom section of 
a course of siding OUT of the 
'receiving end' of the section just below it.
You should then be able to see the support structure
and determine where to mount the rails into the studs. 

Dose that make any sense?

A picture would be a big help so other can see what your trying to describe.


----------

