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What railing fits your deck life? Are you looking for a picturesque view? DIY-friendly install? A look to match your home's architecture? We'll find you a railing that doesn't just fit your deck - it fits your life.
Max options & trusted guidance with DecksDirect: we've got a huge selection of railing options in all materials, styles, colors and functions. Let us guide you to the perfect railing for you - then we’ll ship it to you fast!
Investing in deck railing can enhance your outdoor space's safety and visual appeal. Deck rails are vital for preventing accidents, particularly in homes with children or pets. In fact, deck railing is required to meet building codes if your deck is 30 inches or more off the ground. Beyond safety, it adds a decorative touch that boosts your property's curb appeal while extending the decor style of your home interior outwards to your outdoor spaces.
Whether you're a DIY enthusiast, contractor, or a total deck project novice, we've got good news for you: DecksDirect has a deck railing system tailored to both your vision and experience level. If you want a completely new railing, check out our massive in-stock selection of complete deck railing systems, including metal, cable, composite, vinyl, and glass options. If you want to keep your existing wood posts and rails, check out our wood railing upgrades like new balusters, cable infill kits, and mesh panels.
No deck railing is complete without the critical accessories you need to finish your project. DecksDirect offers everything you want for your decking rails. Our inventory includes post caps and covers, structural posts, and other railing accessories like handrails, gates, and attachments.
Certain features are crucial when selecting decking railings to ensure the best quality and enhance and protect your outdoor space. Considering these crucial elements can help you make an informed decision.
Our customers use deck railings from DecksDirect to achieve beautiful results. We're proud to provide the railing and other supplies they need to achieve their decking dreams. Visit our photo gallery for examples of their projects.
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Deck railings provide safety by preventing falls and accidents. It also enhances the visual appeal of your deck area. And the right deck railing can add rich character to your deck, extending your home's interior style outwards to your deck and yard.
Deck railing is made up of (1) rails, (2) posts, and (3) infill, as shown below:
Rails are the long, horizontal bars — most railing systems will have a top rail and a bottom rail. Posts are the thick, vertical pieces that give your railing strength. Posts and rails create a square or rectangle; infill sits inside that square or rectangle. Infill can be balusters — smaller, vertical bars parallel to your posts. But railing can also use glass balusters, glass panels, or metal cables as infill.
There are a wealth of options when it comes to deck railings. At DecksDirect, we research them all and select only the best, highest-quality options to carry in our warehouse. Here are the main railing options we carry:
Replacing your deck’s railing can instantly improve home safety, and an upgraded deck railing completely transforms the look and feel of your deck. If you’re interested in a railing refresh, here’s how to start:
The great thing about railing replacement is that you can often spread out the cost and labor by breaking your project into phases. If you’re looking to replace an old, weathered wood railing, consider first replacing your infill with metal balusters for a sharp, contrasting look. Then you can replace your rails and posts later without having to buy new balusters.
DecksDirect is the best place to buy deck railing. Here are three of the many reasons why:
Get Real Service: We have a team of deck enthusiasts ready to learn about your railing needs and help you plan your project. When you call DecksDirect, you don’t get a robot or a pushy salesperson. You reach a real person who cares about getting to know you and then building you a railing project plan that fits your needs, timeline, and budget.
Get It Completely Fast: We ship 99.5% of our orders the same day they’re placed, and we reach most of the United States in three days or less. Don’t delay your project—we’ll make sure you stay on schedule!
Get the Largest In-Stock Selection: We have the biggest in-stock selection anywhere, period. Get the most choices when it comes to railing materials, styles, and setups without waiting on back-ordered items.
You can always order online, or you can call us during regular business hours at 1-888-824-5316 and talk to a trained deck project planner. When you call DecksDirect, you reach a real person with a real passion for decking — not a robot or an automated system.
If your deck is more than 30 inches (two-and-a-half feet) off the ground, you need a railing to meet building codes.
Even decks or patios shorter than two and a half feet can benefit from a deck railing, though they aren’t required in most areas. You should always check your local building codes to make sure your deck and railing are compliant.
The International Residential Code (IRC) requires railings to be at least 36 inches high — that’s three feet from your deck surface to the top of the railing. Always check your local building codes, though, as some local or state authorities require taller railings.
The IRC requires stair railings to be 34 inches high, though you should once again check with your local building codes to make sure you’re in compliance.
If your deck or patio is 30 inches or less off the ground, the International Residential Code (IRC) doesn’t require railings. Two important caveats:
If your stairs are more than 30 inches from the ground at any point, the International Residential Code requires railings. Stairs shorter than 30 inches aren’t common, so if you have deck stairs, odds are you need to have railings.
Local and state authorities can have stricter requirements than the IRC, so it’s always important to check your local building codes to make sure your project is up to standards.
The best railing for your deck depends on how you use your outdoor space and what type of look fits your vision.
Metal, composite, and vinyl railings are sturdy, durable, and don’t require much regular maintenance. Vinyl is a bit more cost-effective, composite offers more color options and the look of natural wood, and metal railings are the strongest and most scratch-resistant.
Wood Railings provide a beautiful, rustic look, but also require more maintenance.
Glass and cable railing are the most eye-catching options and give your deck the most open view, though they cost slightly more and usually require a little more work to install.
Glass railing and cable railing systems are the best options for opening up your view. If your deck sits near a lake or has a grand nature view, browse our glass or cable options to keep your view at center stage.
The colors you choose for posts and rails will also impact how much your railing either stands out or stays out of the way of your view. Snap a photo from your deck and give our team a call to tailor your railing color to your environment.
If children and pets will regularly be enjoying your deck, we’d recommend browsing our railing options that feature a coordinating gate. That will make it easier to secure your deck entrances and stairs to keep kids and pets safe. Fortress FE26 is an especially good option. Made of steel, it’s the strongest railing you’ll find, plus DecksDirect carries a prefabricated gate to complete your railing system. You can always give us a call to help design a deck project plan that will keep your loved ones safe in your outdoor space.
When picking out a railing color for your deck, you should consider the colors of your house and decking, but also what you want your railing to do for your deck view.
You can try to match colors already present in your deck area: for example, white railings are a great visual accent to your deck if your house has white siding or a lot of white trim. But you can also look for different accenting colors: a trendy gray deck area will go great with sleek black railings.
If you have a view of nature, bronze railings have an amazing feature: the organic bronze color tone virtually disappears into the background, opening up your deck view.
These are just a few examples of how different railing colors can add different features to your deck.
Wood deck railing will usually be the most cost-effective option up-front, though you will have some recurring maintenance costs..
Vinyl railing is another cost-effective option, and will save you even more over the long run by being extremely durable and low-maintenance.
Vinyl and metal railing systems will usually give you the most durability. Metal balusters, glass infill, and cable railings are all highly durable infill options. At DecksDirect, we prioritize long-lasting and low-maintenance options, so every railing you’ll find in our selection is built to last.
At DecksDirect, we only carry high-quality railings we can recommend with confidence, so any brand you find in our selection makes a premium product that you can trust. Among our brands, Trex is one of the best-known decking and railing brands in the nation, and TimberTech tends to be very popular with contractors and pros.
Installing deck railing is easier than you might imagine. Many metal railing options come in pre-welded panels so that all you need to do is attach them to your deck surface.
Other metal, vinyl, or composite railing options require some assembly but are easy enough for the average DIYer to put together with ease. DecksDirect sends out detailed installation instructions with every purchase, and our team is always available by phone to help out with any install snags or questions. With one of our knowledgeable guides on the phone, even most glass and cable railing options are very doable for deck owners of all experience levels.
Give us a call, and we’ll learn more about you and your experience level. Then, we'll help you connect with a railing system and project plan that fits your skills and experience.
Metal deck railing systems with pre-welded panels will be the easiest to install. This includes the Fortress Al13 Home, Fortress FE26, and Fortress AL13 Pro railing lines. The pre-bracketed posts in the Fortress FE26 and Fortress AL13 Pro lines add even more simplicity to installation.
You can always give our team a call for free recommendations on the best railing options that you’ll be able to install based on your experience level with home and deck projects. We love to help connect customers with the perfect project for them.
Each deck railing system will have its own set of installation instructions, including guides on how to connect posts securely to your deck surface. Depending on your setup, you may have to install some blocking underneath your deck. (You can read more in our Railing Guide here). You can also browse our post anchor options for more ways to secure posts to your deck floor.
We're always glad to share our store of knowledge. Check out these articles for actionable tips from our experts.
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