Watch the spacing. Some fool kid will get his head stuck. I believe code is a 4" spacing on balusters. I'd think the bottom rail to deck would be the same. That's what I did in Vermont (4" spacing from deck to rail) and it really wasn't enough to get the snow under easily. I like the moveable railing idea.
I think you're missing (the other) Keith's (Nuttle) post. Not sure where he lives.
For light snow, sure. For a foot or three, it's going to be hard to get it under, too. At some point it's easier to go over. ...or wait for spring.
Not true. Regardless of the amount of snow, you can always take some off the top and toss it side to side until you have a path to the under-rail opening. Then it's just a matter of knocking the sides down into the path and pushing it through. BTDT lots of times.
I've sometimes had enough snow on the deck that I've opened the sliding door and started shoveling from inside the house, tossing the snow side to side until I've got enough room to get out on the deck and close the door behind me. If I would have tried to step out, I would have knocked snow backwards into the house.
Waiting until spring is not really an option for me. Even if I don't clear the entire deck after a snowfall, I always shovel a path to the grill. ;-)
Until the snow on the outside the railing gets higher than the deck.
Oh, I remember those days. Never again!
I wasn't really serious about waiting. It would have been more like summer. ;-)
If that ever happens to me, I'll have more issues than snow on my deck.
As I said earlier, my deck is 6' off the ground. If I ever have that much snow piled up in the back yard, we're screwed!
I spent a year in AK. I remember building snow stairs to get out the buildings. The 1 story buildings would get buried on the windward side. The only way to maintain the entrances on that side was to cut stairs in the snow as it piled up.
Outside of the door by the radio room we had an official weather station like the one shown below. Most of the year we used a step ladder to access the instruments inside it. In the winter, we kept it dug out just enough to be able to open the doors while we knelt in front of it.
We used to ski off the roofs of the buildings. If you want to test your balance and agility, buy a pair of seal skin slippers from a local Eskimo. When new, they still have the seal fur on the bottom. Ever notice how easily a seal slides along the snow? Now climb up on the roof and try to ski down the drift in those slippers. It's really hard not to spill your beer.
I've had more than 6' of snow in my back yard any number of times. This deck was only 18" off the ground, though. The snow was deeper than that most winters.
I can imagine. I've seen barns "buried" like that.
"Watch this!" ;-)
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