CHEAP & EASY DIY Cable Deck Railing

This is a video of how we installed cable railing on our ground level deck and saved a lot of money in the process by using common hardware store items. Kits to do this can cost hundreds of dollars, and we did it for less than $60. If I was doing it again, I would use stainless steel cable to prevent rusting.

THIS IS A METHOD FOR GROUND LEVEL DECKS, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE SMALL ELEVATOR BOLTS FOR A HIGHER STRUCTURE. I WOULD USE LARGER BOLTS AND RETAIN THE CABLE ON BOTH ENDS TO NOT JUST RELY ON FRICTION FOR AN ELEVATED DECK. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR LOCAL BUILDING OFFICIAL AND PULL THE REQUIRED PERMITS BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORK.

Tools:

Drill

9/64" all purpose drill bit (to drill through bolt threads). If you flatten the threaded part of the bolt with a hammer or Dremel tool a little bit, it makes it easier to drill and leaves a little more metal on the outside of your hole.

1/4" drill bit (to drill through posts for cable and for eyelet bolts)

Forstener Drill Bit (pick a size that is smaller than the diameter of the bolt head you use) I believe I used a 7/8" or 1" bit.

Bolt Cutters (for crimping cables ferrules)

Fencing Pliers (for cutting the cable)

Crescent Wrench (for tightening eyelet bolt nuts)


Materials:
should be able to find all of this at your local hardware store...

1/8" Cable Ferrules/crimping sleeves (pack of 15)

1/4" x 7-1/2" Steel Hook Turnbuckle with Aluminum Body

1/8" Galvanized Cable

Optional 1/8" Stainless Cable (recommended for rust prevention)

1/4"-20 x 1" Elevator Bolts (or any other bolt of your choice)

3/8" inside diameter-thick washers

[Oxford]

This is brilliant - I have only dogs so want a easy cheap rail.

[bradtill]

This video was very informative and easy to follow. I was able to duplicate your work and my deck looks fantastic! Although I did have to make a few modifications due to one major mistake I made.
Had a buddy with a drill press make the holes in the elevator bolts for me. Turns out the holes were too big as the cable kept slipping through. So I clamped the cable off with a ferrule, then used the elevator bolts to cover the holes in the posts. I did have to cut off the ends of the bolts so they would fit in the hole with the ferrule. I used Liquid Nails to glue the bolts into the holes. Still looks great and no one is the wiser that the bolts are strictly decorative.
Also, I found a 10' roll of 1/8" copper tubing at Menards for $4.59 to line the corner posts.
Thanks for the video. All the guys in my neighborhood are amazed at how great it looks. Sometimes my home improvement projects don't turn out so great. This one really did!

[dwhaganster]

I'm a professional handrail carpenter and just wanted to voice a warning. Both codes and OSHA safety regulations mandate a certain amount of tension pressure on your cables to prevent accidental fall-through. If you plan on having your system inspected, it's likely they'll want to see specifications by a manufacturer corroborating your structural integrity, which would put you in a bind in your situation. This is especially important for safety reasons on a raised deck. Aim for 200 lbs of allowable pressure on each line and you should be pretty safe. Try some serious tug testing before moving too far along.
Looks great, simple system, and I appreciate you sharing with us!

[OfficalAjc_Starz]

I couldn't figure put how to do the railings cheap and efficiently..thank you for this video...doing this wire style so I can sit on the deck and still watch the babies without having to be standing up.

[chocolatechipslime]

Looks good! Something like that would be beneficial here in the Deep South. This weather really eats our decks away.

[mdoyle]

I like the idea of that washer centering the hardware, the only addition I'd make is a nut on the elevator bolt which could be tightened against the cable to secure it. Especially on a high deck, I wouldn't trust it without something clamping it more than a bend in the cable. Kids have a way of turning foolproof into fooled!

[michelleshop]

Love this! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 What a fantastic idea - the systems sold in retail are crazy expensive.

[nuaz]

Excellent idea. you could also add a small crimp fitting where the cable sits inside the post to ensure no movement. Order longer eyebolts so you can adjust the tension by adjusting the eyelet towards the post. Lastly if you put the eyelet on the railing side and counterbored the hole you could hide everything inside the post and just put removable plug on that side to adjust the tension. None of these ideas would have been possible if I wouldn't have watch this video thank you very much

[SunnyDallasRealtor]

God bless the builders who share their skills! THanks! Realtor in Denver, CO

[logicalamerican]

Where the tighteners are attached. I would drill large hole and have the tighteners inside (attached to the backside) of the 4X4 thereby reducing the amount they are sticking out and making it look cleaner.

[RussSchampers]

Dude - this looks so clean. Thank you for the inspiration, I will be going with a slight derivation of your plan mixed with the ideas in the comments. Cheers!

[levimust]

Very creative and looks great. In the climate I'm in I'd need to use all stainless steel. Thanks.

[nataliaoliveria]

Hey Josh, before you crimp the cable, you can slide heat sink tube (5/8 diameter ) to cover the cable for protection. I used this technique for crimping cable in yacht.

[Muzata_official]

That's a creative idea to use a elevator bolt to hide the terminal. Subscribed already.
You might as well use invisiable cable railing kits, both ends including turnbuckle could be hiden inside wood posts.
We have installed lots of projects as a cable railing supplier for 20 years, happy to discuss if you guys have any questions.

[basquadbasquad]

After watching your excellent video, an idea came to mind for having zero hardware show on the end-of-line post. Cheap, quick and easy!
Essentially, put a 'nob' on the end of each cable that won't pull out of the inside of the post and patch hole with dowel.
1) Drill a 1" forstner bit hole into the side where your cable would emerge at the end-of-cable side. Maybe 1 1/2 to 2" deep.
2) Thread the end of the cable through a 1/4" hole through post and out through the 1" hole and through a fender washer that will fit the 1" hole
3) Apply a crimp-on swage ball or sleeve on the end of the cable that won't pull through the fender washer. You could use a loop swage, I suppose.
4) Cut the cable off close to the swage.
5) Pull cable to hide the swage end inside the post, pulling it against the fender washer.
6) Insert a piece of dowel with a snug fit into the 1" hole so the dowel 'plug' is flush with the post.
7) Paint or stain the 'plug' to match post.
Obviously, you would need the other end to have the adjustment mechanism, such as the turnbuckles you show.
There are likely hundreds of ways to terminate the cable inside the post. I like swages. You could also drill/dig/pop out the plug if you need to replace a cable. I have not tried this, but it seems too simple to fail.

[michaelrumpke]

Just finished mine and it looks amazing!! Thanks for the elevator bolt tip, I definitely used it all though I had to use the Swedes on that side to. Real good video.

[cge]

Use a cutoff wheel on a angle grinder tape your cable tight where you want to cut. Makes a clean cut.. BEAUTIFUL JOB!!!

[jandrews]

One of the best diy videos I have seen. Perfect answers to all of my questions and the follow up segment put the cherry on top. Thanks for posting!

[billderinbaja]

Great job. One tip: Where you cut the cable after crimping the swedge, you left 1/2" of exposed cable-wire. This is SHARP and will bite! anyone who touches against it. If you had put on a second swedge sleeve, you could have slid the 2nd sleeve over the cut end and crimped it, covers the cut-end and protects people against skin-cuts.

[michaelgroves]

Would look nice if you ran some heat shrink on the end of the cable bigger than your turnbuckle then after you're done you can slide it over the turnbuckle and heat shrink it also those are nibblers not side cuts