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!
Design
Horizontal and vertical cable each have their own unique aesthetic, but the trend continues to lean toward horizontal infill generally. You can’t go wrong with gorgeous horizontal cable and if you choose this look you will be keeping up with the trends.
Some people prefer to lean away from trends to something slightly different, and in that case vertical cable might be the preferred option. Key-Link’s vertical cable has unique stainless steel support rods to support the sections and blend with the cable so your view isn’t interrupted.
Safety
Both railings are safe, and if you choose Key-Link railing, you get code-compliant options in either vertical or horizontal cable.
But what about the ladder effect? Can’t children climb horizontal cable railing?
Years of investigation by code officials didn’t find any cases of children suffering injury due to climbing horizontal railing. While a ban on horizontal railing members appeared in one ICC code manual, it was removed in the next version.
That doesn’t mean that some municipalities (or even countries—hello, Canada) don’t ban horizontal cable entirely. Make sure you know the rules in your area before you choose your railing!
And of course, if the idea of horizontal cable makes you uncomfortable, vertical cable stands ready to offer worry-free enjoyment. Commercial establishments like restaurants often gravitate toward vertical cable for this reason.
Views
When you’re looking off of your deck, what does your view entail? Those with a long uninterrupted view of the horizon, like on a lake, might gravitate toward horizontal cable because of the way it reflects that view. Meanwhile, those with a view into the woods might prefer vertical cable because it echoes the vertical orientation of the trees and blends in that way.
Either way, your view will be maximized and obstructions minimized when you choose cable railing.
See all of Key-Link's cable railing options on our cable railing page!