Do you have an existing deck or are you having one built for you? You will probably require railings on your deck in some places where the deck is too far off the ground. There are many different types, makes and models for railings out there, you need to make sure that if the railing is being used as a safety measure that it is legal when it is finished.
To have a legal deck railing there are many different factors that a building department will be looking for, how strong it is, the spacing on the spindles, the spacing on the posts, how high it is and how far off the deck it starts. So when shopping around for your deck railing there is actually a lot to think about.
If you spend any time in a big box story you come to realize that railings all start to look alike, every big box store makes the same kinds of railings with slight differences.
There is a way to get around this; you can have a custom railing created for you. There are many different ways and materials you can use to do this and the choices are almost endless. I will focus on the most popular of custom railings choices.
Wood
Wood spindles and railings are the most common; you can actually have custom railings and spindles created for you by a woodworker or a carpenter. There are many different designs that you can have created, you can have a picture or special patterns as long as in the end it confirms with the building code measurements. A good wood craftsman can do this with proper drawings and some special planning. You can have a custom piece of almost art that will make your deck stand out and because it’s wood will blend in to the surroundings especially if the rest of the deck is made from conventional wood decking as well.
Metal
This is becoming a much more popular thing to have for railings these days, metal railings and spindles are a very clean system to have installed and also do not weather like a wood railing. They don’t rot or twist in the sun, the only thing you really have to worry about is keeping the paint from chipping off.
A good metal fabricator can do almost anything you want, with proper plans and some foresight the possibilities are endless. The great thing about metal is that it can span larger distances, holds together with welds instead of screws, glue or nails and can be made extremely thin to fit in tight spaces. If the right paint is used the railing and spindles should look new and fresh for many years. With metal you can have whole murals cut out of flat sheets of metal and installed as railings, the look is wonderful.
Glass
Glass panels used to be only when people wanted an unobstructed view off their decks. This has changed as more and more people want the clean look that glass panels give. Instead of the cluttered look of railings and spindles one sheet of glass between posts can look really sharp and also create the illusion of the deck being bigger than it really is.
If you live in a windy location glass panels are a great way to cut down on the breeze and can help save things from being blown over from the winds. Glass does not rot, rust, split or need to be repainted. Glass for railings is made extremely durable and does not crack or brake unless hit with something heavy that would damage any kind of railing system.
These are the most popular custom options for your deck railings. Taking the time to look at the options and don’t be afraid to get creative.
Rob Abbott
Operations Manager
Village Builders Inc.
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