Everything You Need For A Complete Trex Select Composite Deck Railing
If you love the timeless black-and-white look of Trex's Select deck railing, you're not alone. Trex Select delivers enduring style that's easy to customize to any deck space. But how do you make sure you get all the parts and pieces you need to add it to your deck?
That's what DecksDirect is here for. Check out our easy Trex Select Shopping Checklist of all the kits, pieces, and parts you'll need to install Trex Select railing onto your deck - no matter the size, shape, or odd angles of your space. For even more personalized planning help, give us a call at 1-888-824-5316.
Table of Contents
- Everything You Need For A Level Railing Section
- Everything You Need For A Stair Railing Section
- Everything You Need For An Angled Section
- Other Notes:
- How To Measure Your Deck For Railing Sections
- How To Cut a Railing Section To A Smaller Size
- What If You Don't Have Existing Wood Posts?
- Can You Cut One Rail Kit Into Two Smaller Sections?
- Optional Upgrades:
- Free Planning Help
Planning Your Deck Project
To make sure you get everything you need, the first step is taking stock of your deck's shape and dimensions. It's usually helpful to draw your deck's layout, noting its lengths and dimensions.
You can typically break down your deck railing needs into two categories: level railing sections (for the flat portions of your deck) and stair railing sections (angled railings alongside stairs). We'll run through the shopping checklist of items you'll need for each type of railing section below.
We'll also hit one slightly-less-common trait: irregular corners or angles. Traditional 90-degree corners are easy to navigate. Other angles (like a 45-degree corner cutout, for example) sometimes require unique brackets or connections. As always, we staff a team of experienced deck project planners to help you plan for all of your deck's unique features. Give us a call at 1-888-824-5316 for totally personalized project planning!
Everything You Need For A Trex Select Level Railing Section
The majority of your deck railing will be level railing sections connecting at posts. Luckily, Trex Select railing comes in easy-to-buy rail kits that include everything between the posts: top rail, bottom rail, brackets, balusters and installation hardware:
You'll also need to plan for the posts themselves. Trex Select uses post sleeves that fit around an existing post. (If you don't have existing wood posts on your deck, skip down to our section on wood posts vs structural posts.
There are a couple of finishing-touch pieces to add to your posts. A post cap conceals the wood post within the sleeve and a post skirt completes the polished, finished look of Trex Select.
One of the highlights of Trex Select deck railing is how great it looks with a composite deck board mounted as a drink rail. This is a totally optional addition, but is a great way to tie your decking and railing together visually. To learn more about what you need for a drink rail, skip ahead to our Drink Rail section below.
Everything You Need For A Trex Select Stair Railing Section
Stair railing sections work much the same way. The Stair Rail Kit is separate from the Level Rail Kit and features baluster holes designed for the balusters to insert at an angle, rather than the straight connections of a level section.
Just like the level section, you'll need to plan for posts. Trex Select Post Sleeves fit around existing wood deck posts. (If you don't have existing wood posts on your deck, skip down to our section on wood posts vs structural posts.
Finish your post with the same post caps and post skirts shown in the section above.
You can also extend the drink rail look to your stair sections by mounting the composite deck board of your choice. As with the level section, this is a totally optional upgrade, but delivers a clean look you'll love. To learn more about what you need for a drink rail, skip ahead to our Drink Rail section below.
Everything You Need For An Angled Section of Trex Select Railing
- Same as level or stair rail section - no extra parts needed
Some railing systems need special bracketry to handle corners that aren't square 90 degree turns. Not so with Trex Select. You can use the same rail support brackets that come with the Level Rail Kit or Stair Rail Kit to attach at an angle up to 45 degrees.
Just cut down your top and bottom rail at the angle you need. You may need to attach the bracket a little bit off-center on your post - you can learn more about this in the Trex Select installation guide or give our team a call at 1-888-824-5316 to walk through it.
One more note: if your deck has lots of irregular angles, you might want to buy your post sleeves in the larger 5-1/2-inch size - that'll give you a little more space to attach your rails at an angle.
Other Notes
Here are a few other things to keep in mind as you plan your Trex Select railing:
How To Measure Your Deck For Railing Sections
Trex Select comes in either 6-foot or 8-foot rail kits - that means you'll need a post at least every 8 feet to keep your railing sturdy and secure. When you're measuring the railing sections you need, keep in mind that Trex Select railing sections are measured from post to post, on-center. That means an 8-foot section is exactly 8 feet from the middle of one post to the middle of the other post. The rail section itself will be slightly shorter - roughly 91-1/2 inches. The remaining 4-1/2 inches in length come from the posts on the ends of each section.
How To Cut a Railing Section To A Smaller Size
You don't have to plan your railing around 6-foot or 8-foot sections, either. It's easy to cut down a longer section into a shorter one. If your deck needs a five-foot section, buy a 6-foot section and use a saw with a regular wood-cutting blade to cut the rails down to the exact size you need.
What If You Don't Have Existing Wood Posts?
Trex Select uses post sleeves designed to slide right over the top of existing wood posts. That's because composite railing is often used to upgrade old, weathered wooden railings that have seen better days. Composite railing has the look and feel of a traditional wood railing, but lasts longer without needing to be stained or painted like wood.
But if your deck doesn't have wood posts, don't worry! You can still install Trex Select. Just use Trex Structural Posts in place of wood posts. They mount securely to a deck surface and create the perfect sturdy framework for post sleeves.
Shop Structural Posts
Can You Cut One Rail Kit Into Two Smaller Sections?
Trex Select railings come in 6-foot or 8-foot sections that are easy to cut down to fit into smaller sections. If the sections are small enough, you can cut down on wasted material by cutting a long rail kit to cover two short sections.
For example, if you have two 3-foot sections of railing to cover, you could buy an 8-foot rail kit and cut it into two 3-foot sections.
A few things to keep in mind if you plan to cut down a longer section into two shorter sections:
You'll need an extra set of brackets: Each rail kit only comes with enough brackets to fit a single rail section. So if you're cutting one rail kit into two, you'll need to buy an extra set of rail brackets, as shown below:
Allow for some lost length during cutting: you'll want to buy a rail long enough to fit both of your sections plus some extra. As you cut the rail apart, you'll have to make sure the baluster holes are spaced properly from your posts - that means it's inevitable that some of the rail will have to be cut and thrown away. You won't be able to buy an 8-foot section to cover two 4-foot sections - we'd recommend buying at least one extra foot. For example, buy an 8-foot rail section to cut down into two 3-1/2-foot rail sections.
Optional Upgrades:
So far, we've dealt with the pieces you need to complete a railing. But beyond that, there are several optional upgrades that might be a priority for you, depending on how you plan to use your deck and railing.
Trex ADA Compliant Handrail
If you'll have older relatives or small children using your deck, it's a good idea to prioritize stair safety by adding a handrail. Trex produces an ADA-compliant handrail that's easy to install on Trex Select deck railing.
The system includes long, round handrail sections and end returns, as shown below, along with other pieces to handle turns or create longer handrail sections.
Shop Trex ADA Handrail
Trex Deck Lighting
With an amazing new deck railing, you'll want to use your deck more than ever. Adding lighting is a great way to extend your deck hours, allowing you to use your outdoor space even after the sun goes down.
Trex Select makes it easy to add lighting, too. Instead of the post caps we showed above, you can add low voltage post caps with easy plug-and-play wiring, or solar post caps that require no wiring at all.
There are lighting options that fit right under your rails, options that mount to your posts, and even recessed lights you can set right into your deck boards or stair risers.
Shop LightingTrex Deck Board As A Drink Rail
As we noted above, Trex Select railing looks amazing with a deck board mounted on top as a functional drink rail. Matching your drink rail to your deck surface creates a beautiful, finished look for your deck as a whole:
A drink rail is beautiful and functional - it allows you to rest plates of food or beverages, saving valuable deck space by taking the place of tables.
To add a drink rail to your Trex Select railing, all you have to add to your shopping list is the board itself. Just make sure to get a board with a flat, square bottom - not a scalloped bottom board. Trex Select decking, shown below, is a great choice:
Shop Trex Deck Boards