Faced with a choice between horizontal or vertical cable railing, you could find yourself wondering which is the better option. Some people know immediately based on personal taste; others have questions before they’re ready to decide. 

Here are some considerations to help you make your cable railing decision!

Fall leaves mean time to clean the cable!

Cold weather is approaching and now is the time to take care of some essential tasks to help protect your cable railing going into a new season. Here at Key-Link, we recommend these three ways to prep your cable railing for the winter.

Key-Link Aluminum Fence

As a railing and fencing manufacturer, the Key-Link team gets asked about mixing aluminum fencing and railing in different installation situations. A common question involves pools: customers want to know if they can use fence as a railing or railing as a pool barrier and still meet code requirements. Unfortunately mixing and matching when codes are involved is not a good idea, simply because the codes are different. Pool fence codes and guard railing codes have different (almost opposing) purposes and address different safety issues entirely

Black aluminum post wrap

You've chosen your decking. You've selected your railing. Now you're faced with the question: what about the support posts? Support posts are the posts that hold up your deck, normally pressure treated 6x6s. Quality deck builders will offer ways to address these posts, but here are 4 of the most common ways to handle them, with pros and cons of each. 

As sleek lines and minimalism continue to dominate the trends in outdoor living, railing is no exception! Cable continues to grow in popularity as an infill and homeowners gravitate toward the looks that will maximize their views and minimize obstructions. 

Posts are a necessary part of most railing systems, lending stability and long-term security to the rails. But there are ways to make the posts less obtrusive and minimize their effect on the overall look of the railing. Here are three things you can do to cut down on posts' visual impact. 

As families head outside for another summer of fun, it's time to think about outdoor living spaces! Outdoor spaces like decks and porches let you enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and all that summer has to offer without ever leaving the comfort of your home. Getting outside and spending time with family and friends are some of the biggest reasons that people want to add or expand outdoor spaces.

If you're dreaming about an outdoor space of your own,  here are four things you should consider before beginning a deck build or remodeling project:

Did you know you can create your own cable railing with cable fittings? These handy little fittings fasten into wood and let you update your space in a modern, on-trend way.

Key-Link has one of the easiest horizontal cable systems on the market, but you can still run into the occasional issue when it comes to running cable through the posts. After you’ve done a few jobs you’ll be a pro, but to get you started, our in-house training team shared these tips for an even easier installation of horizontal cable! 

Railing is not everyone’s first consideration when building a deck, but it should be! Railing sets a tone and style that can be seen from a distance (unlike decking) and gives your deck its character. If you’re not considering your railing options, you’re missing out.  

Here are some of your choices when selecting a railing to really make it your own.