Getting outdoors… enjoying the sun, a barbeque, an after-work moment of relaxation on your deck also includes the notion that you, your kids, pets and friends are safely enclosed by way of engineered and stylish railings. No longer the province of plain pressure treated timber, contemporary rails express style through cool designs, modern engineered materials, and an artist’s color palette of tonal choices.
Deck Railing Ideas To Know About. Any deck railing plan is only as good as your creativity and anticipation of the many ways that you might use your deck… from quiet lounging and book reading… to barbeque meals… to 3-season use where you might need weather and bug protection. All these “potential uses” should be built-in to your final railing design. What sort of look balances with what sort of structural support you’ll need in order to meet your town’s building code, as well as give you future expandability.
Metal Deck Railing. If you’re looking for a modern finish… light weight… structural strength… and longevity, then examine the range of aluminum systems currently available. Easy to install. No sharp edges. Hardware adapts easily to deck posts. Colors and finish run the spectrum. Aluminum rails are produced in standard lengths, and your contractor can quickly and safely cut these metal rails to a custom length in order to reach a post.
Composite Railing. Long life, low maintenance, earth-tone coloring but higher “front end” costs characterize the current breed of composite systems. Composite deck rails… manufactured utilizing polymers, resins and synthetic blends… provide safety to keep people, pets and object on the “safe” side of your deck. However, composite rails are not considered “structural” or intensively load-bearing, so installation is limited strictly to railing and horizontal plane containment.
Glass Railing. Impact resistant… transparent… clear or subtly toned glass systems are perfect ultra-modern design finishes for a deck. Glass railing is typically manufactured from polymer resins, such as Lexan, in order to provide high levels of safety and impact resistance, rather than pure “glass”, which would pose safety risk issues. Glass deck rails are produced in long, wide “runs” and accept most common fastener hardware set-ups, for easy installation and long low maintenance outdoors life.
Cable Railing. Everyone has seen “suspension bridges”… with structural cables providing support and flex. Outdoor decks have attracted the same design attention, with a range of steel-strong cable designs. Benefits? Cable deck rails are easy for a professional to install. Torque or tightening tools accompany the cable system, so it’s relatively simple to obtain the correct tensioning, in order to meet local building code specifications for safety. Cable lengths and “gauge” diameters vary, so pricing should be quoted in advance.
Cedar Rail. Amongst the wooden deck railing choices, the cedar deck rail may be Nature’s best choice. Cedar, rich in resins and dense by nature, is perfectly adapted to withstand the elements… weather and burrowing bugs… for many years. A true “natural” look, wood railings may rank #1 in clean outdoor aesthetics. Plus, a cedar deck railing system can be stained-finished to marry with both wooden decks as well as the earth tone colored composite deck finishes now available.
Deck Planters. While deck railing systems are all about “keeping people and stuff” inside and safe, home owners inevitably “decorate” decks with plants, chairs and other stuff in order to create a relaxing outdoor experience. Deck planters are another design element, easy to install with clips to “hang” flower trays… or utilize decking material to custom-build planters, which can be secured onto the railing system.