Deck Railing & Stair Building in Morton, IL
Rail and stairs are where a deck feels cheap or feels solid, and they're the two things inspectors in Tazewell County look at hardest. Flat to gently rolling subdivision lots, with a run of walkout basements on the north side that call for a two-level deck and a landing. Most of the rail calls we take in Morton are on somebody else's deck: posts that rack when you lean, risers that vary by an inch, a stair stringer resting on dirt instead of concrete.
How we build it in Morton
We bolt rail posts through blocked, doubled framing — never lag them to a single rim board — and set them at 36 or 42 inches with baluster spacing under 4 inches. Black aluminum, cable, composite-match, and wood rail are all on the table. Stairs get a poured landing pad, stringers cut from full-depth stock, and risers within a quarter inch of each other top to bottom, which is exactly what a Morton inspector measures.
- Check existing framing for post blocking and rot
- Confirm rail height and baluster spacing against local code
- Blocking added, posts through-bolted, not screwed
- Rail sections set level with consistent reveals
- Stair landing poured, stringers cut and hung, treads fastened
- Load-test every post and hand rail before we leave
One to three days for most rail and stair work, longer if framing has to be repaired first.
What Morton neighbors say.
These are verified customer reviews of Tazewell County Fence Co. — the same owners, crew and phone line behind Grizzly Deck & Rail.
“Tazewell County Fence Co. installed woven wire fencing around part of our property, along with a large equipment gate. They explained the different post options, gave us a clear estimate, and helped us choose something that fit our budget. The fence looks strong and everything was completed professionally.”
“We had a chain-link fence installed for our backyard and dogs. Communication was easy, the pricing was reasonable, and the finished fence looks great. They also made sure the gates opened smoothly and were placed exactly where we needed them.”
“A section of our fence was damaged during these storms, and Tazewell County Fence Co. was able to repair it without trying to sell us an entirely new fence. The repaired section blends in well with the rest of the fence, and the price was fair.”
Railings & Stairs in Morton — questions we get
- What is deck railing code height in Morton, IL?
- Illinois residential code requires guard rail on any walking surface more than 30 inches above grade, at a minimum 36 inches tall, with openings that won't pass a 4-inch sphere. Stairs with four or more risers need a graspable handrail. Morton requires a village building permit for any deck attached to the house or more than 30 inches off grade, plus a plat of survey showing setbacks. We pull it and meet the inspector.
- Why does my deck railing wobble?
- Almost always because the posts were surface-screwed to a single rim board with nothing behind them. The fix is real blocking inside the framing and through-bolted hardware. We can retrofit that on most Morton decks without tearing off the decking.
- What railing lasts longest?
- Powder-coated aluminum, by a wide margin — it doesn't rot, rust, or need refinishing, and it keeps the view open. Cable rail looks the sharpest on a modern build but needs periodic re-tensioning. Wood rail is the cheapest and needs the most attention.
- Can you rebuild just the stairs?
- Yes, and it's a common Morton job. If the deck structure is sound and only the stairs have failed, we pour a proper landing, cut new stringers, and rebuild the run with matching treads and a code handrail.