When you think of green, red, silver, or brown, you probably don’t think of your deck railing! Many people have trouble envisioning how a colorful railing would look on their porch or deck, or how it would coordinate with their home colors.

It’s an exciting thing to build or remodel a deck! Together with your contractor, you are creating a beautiful outdoor living space for friends and family to connect or simply a relaxing place to take a breath, unwind, and enjoy the fresh air after a busy day.

With all the customization available, adding outdoor living to your home can be a fun (and occasionally exhausting) process. From the initial planning phases to the product selection to the building and finally to the finished product, there are many choices to make.

One choice most people don’t often think about at length is their deck railing. Sure they might have an opinion on color or material, but do they take the time to compare different styles of railing? Or ask their contractors for additional options?

Posts are the anchors of a railing system. Poorly mounted posts jeopardize the safety of the entire railing, making it insecure and even prone to failure. Posts that aren’t securely mounted can fail at the attachment point, and on a second story deck or balcony (or higher) that could mean disaster. Code officials who are looking at post mounting will investigate where the post is mounted (for example, if it is surface-mounted, it should not be too close to the edge of the deck) and how (it should be secured into the substrate, not just the deckboard).   

If you’ve installed cable railing near the coast or next to a pool, you might have noticed some unsightly white deposits staining the posts or rail and wondered what it was.

Traditional black aluminum railing and balusters is a classic look

Vertical cable overlooking a Cincinnati neighborhood. Installation by Eads Fence. 

Cable railing continues to be a popular choice for homeowners all across the country, with many homeowners opting for horizontal cable railing. Numerous railing manufacturers make horizontal cable systems, and more installers are familiar with it.

But there is an alternative! Vertical cable railing is another option on the cable railing scene and is a fun, unique offering that still provides the modern style and open feel of cable infill. Here are some things you should know about vertical cable railing.

An extensive multi-level deck, built by a quality contractor.

Uncoated aluminum railings on hangers on the conveyor