CITYPOST Cable Railing System Installation Guide
- June 15, 2024
- CITYPOST
Table of Contents
RAILING INSTALLATION GUIDE
Not only is the CityPost system simple to order, it’s also extremely simple to
install. Our goal in the next few pages is to give you our list of best
practices and tips that we’ve developed for installing the CityPost cable
railing system to ensure that the end result is one that you can’t wait to
show off.
Disclaimer: before installing CityPost cable railing please be sure to check
with your local building department to ensure all applicable code requirements
are met.
CITYPOST CABLE RAILING INSTALLS IN 3 EASY STEPS
- LAYOUT AND INSTALL POSTS
- LAYOUT & INSTALL TOP RAIL
- INSTALL AND TIGHTEN CABLES
For more information please visit
www.citypost.com/installation for our
full tutorial library on how to install specific aspects of the system.
Scan this QR code with your smart phone camera to pull up a digital copy of
these instructions.
TOOLS NEEDED
- Powered Drill.
- T-25 bit
- Miter Saw.
- CityPost cable cutter and swaging tool.
- Tape Measure.
- 2ft level.
- Blue painters tape.
- Vice grip and 11mm socket for tensioning cable.
- 1/8th” drill bit.
- If your kit included 3″ lags you’ll need a 1/4th” drill bit and a9/16th” socket. |
- lf you received 4.5″ lags you’ll need a 3/8th” by 5” long drill bit and a 3/4th”socket.
- For concrete you will need a hammer drill (usually available for rent if you do not own one).
- For 3″ lags you’ll need 7/16th” socket and 1/4th” concrete drill.
- For 4″ or 5″ lags you’ll need 9/16th” socket and 3/8th” concrete drill bit.
HERE ARE THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE WCLUDED WITH YOUR ORDER
POST FASTENERS.
CityPost ships out post fasteners based on the type of material you are
securing your posts into
WOOD WSTALLATION:
3” or 4.5” Lag Bolts —- depending on post type.
CONCRETE WSTALLATION:
3”, 4″ or S” TITAN CONCRETE ANCHORS depending on post type.
BRACKET SCREWS
(1) Top rail bracket & (2) bracket mounting screws are shipped for every
post in your kit.
TOP RAL SCREWS
If you received top rail from CityPost you will have received (4) 1” #12
self-tapping sheet metal screws per post for installation (the top rail
bracket has 4 points of connection).
You will need to purchase top rail screws if you did not purchase CityPost top
rail.
SLEEVE SCREWS.
Each of your CityPost transition sleeves which are used to hide miter cuts
and strengthen the corners were shipped with (4) ½″ #12 self-tapping sheet
metal screws for installation.
CABLE END-FITTIWGS
(22) For every run of 36” railing
(26) For every run of 42” railing
There are (11) cables holes in a 36” post and (13) holes in a 42” post so we
make sure that you have plenty of materials to start and stop your railing at
the beginning and end of every run. All cable end-fittings are manufactured
out of marine grade 316 stainless steel. EXAM- PLE: if your project has (5)
individual runs of railing you will have received (5) bags of fittings for a
total of 110.
SLEEVE TYPES
BEVELED WASHERS
(FOR STAIRS ONLY)
Beveled washers are used to hold the cable fittings on stair runs at the
proper angle to ensure your cable maintains the desired straight line going
down the stairs. These beveled washers are shipped in bags of (22) for 36”
stair railing runs and bags of (26) for 42”stair railing runs. Just like the
cable end-fittings, thebeveled washers are manufactured out of marine-grade
316 stainless steel.
END CAPS
End Caps are designed to plug the open end of your top rail. They are not
meant to be installed where two top rails connect.
TOP RAL BRACKETS
These are designed to connect posts to top rail. Their unique patented shape
allows them to be used for horizontal or stair applications.
LAYOUT WSTALL POSTS (HORIZONTAL)
Not e
The corners shown in this example represent a scenario where the cables would
terminate at the start and end of each segment. It’s important to place posts
side by side, as shown, to prevent more ‘ than a 4″ gap. See the last page of
this document for other corner configurations.
PRO-TIP : Secure proper blocking for full penetration of anchors and use
Zinc or SS washers under the plate to level the post.
PRO-TIP: When installing fascia on segments longer than 6ft, set both end
posts first (make sure they are equal in height from deck surface) then run a
very tight string along the top to ensure all mid posts a matching heights.
The last step
in the post installation process is to place the patented CityPost top rail
bracket in the top of each post. Be sure that the flat side of the bracket is
adjacent to the holes in the top of the post on horizontal runs. The bracket
will be flipped for stairs, as shown below. But don’t secure it to the post
yet, that’s the last step in the top rail process.
PRO-TIP : If the horizontal railing is terminating against a solid surface such as a wall or structural beam, make sure the (2) holes at the top of the post are pointed away from the surface.
STEP 1. LAYOUT AND IWSTAL POSTS (STARS)
Ensure posts are placed on the stair treads with a consistent spacing surface
mount posts are designed to be place at the front of the tread, otherwise the
treads will interfere with the bottom cable. (Example: each post is 1/2” from
front edge of tread & 3” from right side of tread – please note each project
will be unique).
Stair posts are directional, make sure the two bracket screw holes located at the top of the post are facing upward.
ENSURE PLACEMENT
To ensure that you’ve got the correct placement of the posts, run a string through the top and bottom cable holes of the posts.
VERIFY SPACING
Verify that your post spacing (center to center) meets any local area
jurisdictions on placement (typically no greater than 6FT).
Mark and drill pilot holes through the mounting plates into the decking.
STEP 2: LAYOUT WSTALL TOP RAL
PRO-TIP: If a top rail is going to be tight against a wall, be sure to install
the end cap before securing the top rail down to the posts.
PRO-TIP: Use painters tape to protect the finish when making your cuts on the
top rail. For small projects a sharp wood cutting blade on your miter saw will
work fine, for large jobs we recommend buying a non-ferrous metal cutting
blade for your miter saw.
TOP RAIL COMES IN 6FT PIECES, INSTALL A STRAIGHT TOP RAIL SLEEVE OVER EACH
POST, EXCEPT END POSTS.
Be sure to install all bracket, sleeve and top rail screws before you begin
installing cable.
CityPost has a 6ft max span between posts and we ship top rail in 6ft lengths.
If your post spacing ends up being shorter, such as a 10ft segment, it will
have 3 posts equaling 5ft post spacing. You will take your 6ft top rail and
cut it down to Sft, allowing the straight sleeve to land centered on the post,
adding strength and symmetry.
STEP 3 WSTALL AND TIGHTEN CABLES
PRO-TIP: If you place the spool of cable inside a 5-gallon bucket this will
help to control the cable while you’re working.
-
Starting at a post on one end of a segment, run a cable through to the last post (as shown above). Slide the cable that you just ran through your mid posts completely into the end-fitting.
-
Open the hand crimping tool and place the end-fitting into the smallest crimping groove labeled 1/16 or 1-2.
-
Place the crimper as close to the end (where the cable inserts into the end fitting) as possible. This will limit deformation of the end fitting.
-
Bring the handles of the crimping tool together until the crimping head is closed.
Once you have an end-fitting crimped onto the cable you will:
-
Remove acorn nut, flat washer and tensioning nut from the end fitting. Reminder: This is how they ship, but not how they are installed. Order of operation is as such – post, then washer, then . nut, then acorn nut.
-
Insert the threaded portion of the end-fitting through the post where the cable is to terminate.
-
Place the flat washer back onto the end fitting and thread on the tensioning nut:
A. For short runs (less than 10FT of railing thread on the tensioning nut
leaving 2-4 threads exposed.
B. For long runs of railing thread on the tensioning nut leaving zero threads
exposed.
PRO-TIP: You may need to use an angle grinder with a metal cutting wheel to
cut off excess threads. The acorn must be snug against the nut otherwise your
cable will loosen over time! –
CORNERS
For single corner posts, both cables will terminate into a single post.
PRO-TIP: You will need to miter cut your top rail on horizontal to horizontal
corner posts.
WRAPPWG, CABLE AROUND A CORNER
Wraping cable around a corner is made possible by installing posts at a corner
so that the corners of the base plates are oriented like this:
If you wrap
the cable around the corner, CityPost does not recommend making more than one
90 deg or two 45 deg changes of direction with a single strand of cable as it
makes achieving cable tension difficult.
Have a photo of your project you’d like to submit for a chance to win a $500
gift card?
CityPost runs a photo competition once per quarter. Use this QR Code and
follow the promts!
https://form.jotform.com/231719050404144