need some advice. I have a poured concrete porch and steps. I want to add wooden railing. Would I be better served to set my 4x4 in quickcrete or side mount them with concrete anchors and burying the bottom of the posts.

You don't want to bury wood in the ground, it sucks up water and rots. Bury them in concrete.

Yep or you can use galvanized base plates with wedge anchors if the posts can sit on the concrete

I'll be honest I'm struggling to design the porch. It's an awkward split level. If I just put up railing it's going to look hokey. I also need to incorporate a flower bed or retaining wall on both sides. They left us with a slope of large gravel.

Do you have roughly a 6'x6' porch, with about 4 or 5 steps?
And that slope is just off one edge of your home and you need to tie all together? Is the other side just grass all the way to the house?
I'm trying to visualize what the front of your home looks like. The land lay out.

I don't have a newer pic but there are not more shrubs. From the drive way there are 3 steps to the first 3x3 landing then turns to house 3 more steps to a 6x6 slab. On the left going up there is a 2 tier flower bed. To the right is the gravel slope.

You can't tell from the pic but the slope on the right erodes onto the steps. I've planted monkey grass which helps

Oh ok, you should look into iron hand rails, there's a lot of styles and you can even get custom made ones if you're feeling fancy. But iron will blend in more because they are skinny.
It's weird there's a gravel slope on the right.
If you made the hand rails out of wood I get what you mean it would look hokey. I'll have to think about that. I don't build a lot of things like this regularly so I need to brainstorm.

I agree with the fabricated iron. And my earlier comment about base plates only really works if the posts are used in framing something up. Doesn't work so well just for handrails

@Placidseven - MO bro I haven't forgotten about you, I've been talking with some others guys who build decks for a living, trying to get you some sort of classy game plan.

The flower beds on the left, are they like wooden retaining wall. Railroad ties?

Sorry I use the word like a lot, I'm a valley girl!! Haha

Please excuse my nigger teir landscaping

Lol

So I was thinking of doing something similar on the other side but redoing the existing flower beds with 2×8 and 4x4 cedar

Like so

You forgot the pyramids, bruh. To be nigger tier you have to have pyramids. They wuz kangz

Epic fail at cultural appropriation

Lol. Couldn't resist the temptation on that one.

@Placidseven - MO very nice

and I know it would increase my cost but I was thinking about using concrete form tube and these post bases to make it easier to replace the posts when needed. Instead of having to dig out the concrete.

@Placidseven - MO I like that flower bed. So you're thinking of doing that flower bed on both sides? That would look really nice.
Do you have to bust some concrete on the driveway to set that post against the house?

I know you're not pulling a permit but you need to check code for railing in your state so if you sell your home you won't have to replace it. In KY rail height is 36in and handrails are 34in, measuring from the nose of the tread.
Sorry I'm scatter brained today, had to work in rain on scaffolding 60ft up, I'm not very happy today haha.
And sorry I ask so many questions, I love this stuff.
@Deleted User suggested something like that anchor for concrete, I totally agree if you plan on living in that house that long. Haha
They say that pressure treated lumber can last for 40 years buried.

@RevStench i don't mind the questions. I feel guilty for monopolizing the chat.
Yeah, I'm going to do the flower bed on both sides. I'm not sure if I'll have to bust concrete or not. Not 100% sure what's under that flower bed already. That may be the bigger job. Tbh I may reuse the existing bottom rows and just replace the rest of railroad ties with the cedar boards.

You could get some cedar 1x and do a veneer, dress up the old. If it's solid and not rotted out that could be an option.

It surprisingly is solid

I like that idea

You could get fancy and do a dovetail joint to go around the corner, it would look good and you wouldn't have a failure point because of a nail or bolt.
Check out this chart, just throwing out ideas haha

Get a little Japanese with your carpentry haha.

I do need to get some better blades and saws. What i have is only good for rough cuts. I can't even get a decent miter on trim pieces.

Haha I feel you man, if you don't use those tools a lot they turn into expensive paper weights.
Good luck on your project, are you going to start it soon?

I'm probably going to have to spend a couple months accumulating the martial. Getting ready to insulate and frame the basement.

@Placidseven - MO damn bro, you have a lot going on.

Need any advice framing that's where I started in carpentry.

Actually now that you mention it. So I left the header in place for one of the walls and removed the footer (It was dry rot) so I'm replacing it with pressure treated wood. I've got my chalk line. But how do I ensure my footer is square with the header before I anchor it to the floor? I know the correct way is to build the frame on the ground and then lift into place.

Not sure I'm visualizing what you're doing correctly but usually I anchor rim joists to the wall the build the frame and use temp supports until I set footers and posts. Use levels to plumb down to where anchors should sit. Square up by using the 345 method of measuring corner to corner

@Placidseven - MO there's this thing called a plumb bob, basically a weight on a string. Attach to the header. And it will show you where you need to put the footer.
Level the studs. And you'll be good

Ok sorry for the short answer, busy at work doing some African engineering.
The plumb bob is the best tool for setting rafters, finding a level point and other things. It's an old way of levelling walls.

Tack a nail or put a screw in the side of the header wrap the string around the nail tight against the board, the plumb bob will attached to the end of the string, the plumb bob has a point on the bottom and will show you the outside of the footer. Run a string line or put a mark on the floor and that will line you up.

@Placidseven - MO

I want to go over how to use a speed/hand square but the best way for me to explain it is by talking rafters. Give me a few days and I'll get on it, I'll have to write a book.

Now thats a lesson i need! A speed sq cunfuses the hell out of me. Never had a proper lesson on one