How to Install Fortress Railing

Details of the Fortress Products – Detailed Parts at bottom of the page

The installation of prefabricated iron rail sections is easy and takes less time than building railings using 2x4s and individual balusters (pickets). Remember, when you are using a contractor, less time = less money.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to brush all metal shavings from deck surface. DO NOT LEAVE THESE ON THE DECK. THEY WILL CAUSE BLACK MARKS.
After installing the decking, cut the posts to the proper length to obtain the ideal rail height. Allow for the length necessary to notch and attach the posts to the outside perimeter of the deck. Notching posts is recommended for very hard Brazilian lumber like ipe’ but composite lumber guidelines forbid the notching of their material. They’re simply not sturdy enough to notch.

Cut the rail sections to the required length to fit between the posts by measuring equal distances from the center of each section. This will ensure that the balusters on each end will be the same distance from the support posts.

Hidden Fastener & Collared Fastener

Note: After cutting panel to size, the installer needs to apply a coat of good quality rust inhibiting gloss black paint such as Rustoleum or Krylon.

Choose your rail connectors: Collar Fasteners are attractive and cover the ends of the rails nicely but extend beyond the top of the rail. Therefore, it may be easier to use a hidden fastener when you intend to fasten a wood top rail to your railing.

Hidden fasteners slip inside the rails, are sturdy and work nicely on many applications.

Choose your post transitions. With or without post caps.

Using post caps, you will end your rail and wooden top handrail at the post. A hidden fastener works well on the top rail connection when using a wooden top handrail with either a hidden or collar connector on the bottom. Without the wooden top handrail, utilizing a rail top accent piece or not, hidden and collar connectors both work well.

Without post caps, you will run your wooden top handrail over the top of the post. The wooden top cap can be screwed directly to the top of a plain iron panel (PIP) but you must utilize a wood top connector (WTC) to attach a wooden top handrail to a rail top accent piece.

Using Post Caps & Without Post Caps

Screw your handrails up through the PIP Railing Section

Top Rails: You cannot screw up through a rail top accent piece into the wooden top handrail. The WTC can also be used to connect a wooden top handrail to a PIP. The WTC is slipped over the top of the rail section and epoxy glue (included) is used to fasten it in place. The wooden top handrail is fastened by running screws up through the pre-drilled holes in each side of the WTC.

Top Rail Accent pieces fit nicely over the top of a 32” high rail section. Either a hidden connector or a large collar connector can be used to fasten the bottom of this accent rail to the post.

Adjustable Connectors are available in both the hidden and collar styles. The vertical adjustable connectors are used for stair rails and the horizontal adjustable connectors are used for railings that meet the post in other than a 90 degree angle.

CB 04 (similar to CB 05) Collar Mount & CB 04 ADJ (Adjustable) & CBS 04 Adj (Stair Mount)

HD 104 (Hidden Mount) AL 104 (Adjustable Hidden) SM 08 (Side Mount Hidden)

IMPORTANT: Be sure to brush all metal shavings from deck surface. DO NOT LEAVE THESE ON THE DECK. THEY WILL CAUSE BLACK MARKS.

RingTop Fortress Railing – parts needed to complete	Collar Connector	Hidden Connector
	Ipe Handrail	Ipe Handrail
	Wood Top Connector WTC	Wood Top Connector WTC
	1/2 HD 104	1/2 HD 104
	1/2 CB 05 1/2 CB 04	Qty 1 HD 104
	PIP	PIP

Fortress Connectors	Collar Connectors	Hidden Connectors
Connectors that attach Fortress Railing to posts	CB 05 used where top rails join PIP CB 04 used with PIP Panels	HD 104 Used for any top rail or PIP Panel
Connectors that attach Fortress Rakes (Stair Railing) to posts	CB 04 Adj	AL 104
Connectors that attach Fortress Railing at angles to posts Example would be a “Bay Window” effect	CBS 04 Adj	SM 08
Wood Top Connector to mount Ipe, Cumaru, Jatoba, Garapa handrails atop Fortress Railing Systems.

Fortress Panels	Panel
PIP Installation is easy, just 4 attachment points. 1” rail, 5/8” pickets 34” x 93.5” 34” x 69.5”
Rake Designed for stairs of any slope 34” x 72”
3 Rail 5” x 93.5”
Ring Top 5” x 93.5”
Scroll 5” x 93.5”

Fortress Installation Guide