Mortised and Notched Post & Rail

Mortised Post and Rail Systems and Notched Post and Rail Systems are two of American Timber and Steel’s biggest customized specialties for uses in parking lots, along driveways, parks and condominium complexes in nearly any design imagined.

The Mortised System has the rail going through the center of the posts without any necessary fasteners whereas the Notched System has a section cut out from one side of the posts to allow the rail to set inside and attach with carriage bolts.  Another option is to attach the rail to uncut (flat) posts using longer carriage bolts to secure the rail in place.

Our Standard Post and Rail Systems are of an 8x8 chamfered post with 4x8 rails or a 12x12 chamfered post with 5x8 rails.  Using our Texas grown Southern Yellow Pine, we chamfer the tops of the rough sawn posts and plane down the rails for a smoother, cleaner finish.  But a custom design is requested most often with unlimited choices of post sizes, a single rail or multi-rail system and by creating decorative tops like chamfered, roofed, pyramid, grooved, slanted or a whole new design of your own.

Typical post sizes range from 4x4 through 12x12 and the rails from 1x4 through 6x12 however we can accommodate larger sizes upon request as well as smooth or rough sawn finish options.  While using Southern Yellow Pine for its strength and ability to accept chemicals deep into the wood during treatment is most popular, many other species are available as well.  Then choose your treatment of environmentally friendly CA-C or MCA as the choice for any installation where people may be in contact or other treatments like CCA can be used along roadways.

View Mortised and Notched Post & Rail Details in the Catalog

Blank Rail at Croton Gorge Water Falls