National ramp Liberty Vertical Picket User manual

National Ramp New Vertical Pickets Quick Installation Guide
Thank you for purchasing from National Ramp! This quick installation guide will focus on the differences
between a vertical picket handrail vs. dual rail handrail (Liberty/Breeze) install. It is a prerequisite to
understand how to install dual rail handrails on the Liberty or Breeze system before proceeding with this
guide. Please read through entire guide before installation.
Tools Required:
 Tools required to install Liberty / Breeze system
 9/16” open end wrench (will be used for inside corner configurations)
 7/16” socket and/or wrench (used for vertical picket handrail through-bolts)
Vertical Picket – Legs:
What’s different?
Dual Rail Handrail (Liberty/Breeze) New Vertical Picket Handrail
Legs are fixed sizes and once piece. Leg channel and
foot plate are one piece.
Vertical picket legs can be cut and customized. Leg
channel and foot plate are 2 separate components.
Leg channel can be cut and installed into foot plate.
The length is customizable due to potential
interference with bottom rail of the vertical picket
handrails.
Instructions:
1. Determine required leg sizes and cut leg
channels to required lengths. Top of leg should
extend 3” from walking surface (2-3” for
platforms, 3-4” for ramps sections).
(ramp) (platform)

2. Cut bottom of leg channel (opposite side of
slot). Cut below red line. Do not cut through
slot on leg channel.
3. Attach foot plate to bottom of leg channel using
two 1/4”-14 x 1” drilling screws
4. Install leg to ramp/platform using 3” universal
brackets, 3/8”-16 x 1.5” bolts and 3/8”-16
serrated flange nuts. Slide the universal
bracket assembly into the ramp/platform
channel and attach leg to universal bracket
assembly using 3/8”-16 serrated flange nuts.
Vertical picket legs are assembled in-between
the handrail square posts (as oppose to
installing outboard of the dual rail handrail
square posts)

Vertical Picket Handrails:
What’s different?
Dual Rail Handrail (Liberty/Breeze) New Vertical Picket Handrail
Handrails uses 3” universal brackets with 3/8”-16 x
1.25” bolts
Handrail uses 2.5” universal brackets with 3/8”-16 x
2.5” bolts
Handrails are joined using plastic straight
connectors and elbows.
Handrails are joined using:
 Through-bolts for straight connections
 Corner brackets for corner connections
Instructions:
1. The new vertical picket handrails are
symmetrical and can be installed on either the
left or right side of the ramp/platform.
Assemble vertical picket handrail to
ramp/platform using 2.5” universal brackets,
3/8”-16 x 2.5” bolts and 3/8”-16 serrated flange
nuts.
Top assembly shows the 3” universal bracket
with 1.25” bolts for dual rail handrails
(Liberty/Breeze).
Bottom assembly shows the 2.5” universal
brackets with 2.5” bolts assembly for vertical
picket handrails.
2. Once the universal bracket assemblies for
vertical picket handrail is assembled, slide the
universal bracket assembly into the
ramp/platform channel and attach the handrails
to the universal bracket assembly using 3/8”-16
serrated flange nuts.
Tip: Start handrail installation from the top of
the ramp and work your way down. Don’t fully
tighten to allow for adjustment after all
handrails have been installed.

3a. Inside corner installation:
These steps will go over how to install vertical
picket handrails at an inside corner. The layout
depicted will be a ramp into a platform into
another ramp turning left off the platform.
Install the first inside corner vertical picket
handrail onto the platform that has the channel
to accept universal brackets.

3b. Use a universal bracket assembly for the side
closest to the off-going ramp.
Use a switchback bracket on the other end
(corner of platform).
Tip: It may help to loosely assemble the vertical
picket handrail to the switchback bracket, then
slide entire assembly into the channel.
3c. Once the first inside corner vertical picket
handrail is assembled to the platform channel,
snug the serrated nuts but don’t fully tighten to
allow for adjustment after all handrails have
been installed.
We are ready to install the other inside vertical
picket handrail to the tongue side of the
platform.

3d. Install vertical picket handrail on the tongue
side of the platform using the extended bolts
from the ramp section vertical picket handrail
coming onto the platform
and the switchback bracket installed in step
3a/b.
In the case of a switchback layout, install the
vertical picket handrail onto the platforms using
the extended bolts from the ramp section picket
coming onto the platform and a universal
bracket assembly in the channel of the other
platform.
3e. The picture to the right shows the universal
bracket assembly used for the vertical picket
handrail square post coming onto the platform
– it is assembled using a 2.5” universal bracket
and two 3/8”-16 x 5” bolts.
Tip: Keep the serrated nuts loose until the inside
corner picket is mounted and positioned.
3f. Mount vertical picket handrail to extended bolts
from step 3e.

3g. Mount other side of vertical picket handrail to
switchback bracket installed in steps 3a/b using
one 3/8”-16 x 2.5” bolt on the bottom slot.
3h. Once the vertical picket handrail is positioned,
tighten the serrated nuts holding the on-coming
ramp with a 9/16” open end wrench.
Install another set of serrated nuts to the 5”
bolts to attach the vertical picket handrail.
4. Once all hand rails have been installed, insert
round plug caps to ends of all handrails.

5a. Fasten all handrails together using through-
bolts for straight connections or corner support
brackets for corner connections.
Connect straight connections using through
bolts, washers and acorn nuts:
 ¼”-20 x 4.5” bolt for Ramp-to-Ramp or
Ramp-to-Platform connections
 ¼”-20 x 5.0” bolt for Platform-to-Ramp
connections
5b. Connect all corners using the corner support
bracket.
Make sure the handrails are plumb. Line the
corner support bracket up with the top rail and
fasten using two 1/4”-14 x 1” drilling screws.

6. Install two 1/4"-14 x 1" pan head drilling screw
to secure the switchback bracket to the
platform.
7. Once all straight and corner picket connections
have been made and switchback bracket is
secured to platform, fully tighten all leg and
handrail nuts.
Inspect entire installation by walking and
jumping on each ramp section/platform to be
sure it is secure. Run your hands along all the
handrails double checking for any sharp edges.
Review with the homeowner how to care &
maintain the ramp.
Installation complete!