Since the weather’s finally getting better, more homeowners are taking the opportunity to get some exterior projects done around their homes. One of those projects might be updating that old deck you’ve always hated. However, don’t forget to update the whole deck while you’re at it—that includes railings. You don’t want to be that person in the neighborhood that has a Frankenstein deck. So, before you start the project (or hire somebody), check out the different types of deck railings.
Composite
Wood is overrated, but if we’re being honest, it still looks nice. However, if you want to try something different, and you don’t want to paint or stain your deck every year, consider composite decking. Composite is essentially an extremely strong and durable plastic that requires little to no maintenance. Not to mention, composite decking is cost-effective and lasts a long time.
Metal
There are various routes you could go with a metal railing: go modern or gothic. For fun, let’s say you’re going for a 16th-century gothic look. You can get a wrought iron railing; that’ll surely scare your neighbors away. Of course, you could always just get a smooth iron or aluminum railing to match your modern suburban home décor. Whatever you’re into folks.
Cable
One cool railing type is a cable railing. This is a fairly new type of railing that’s great for homes and commercial use. There are two reasons a lot of people enjoy a cable railing: affordability and uniqueness. People say they need to “keep up with the Joneses,” but if we’re being honest, what we really want is to stand apart from our neighbors. Cable railings will certainly make you stand out from the average wood deck––and, of course, the competition is all in good fun. Just make sure you’re getting all the cable railing hardware you need before starting.
Glass
If you want to be extra, you could get glass railings for your deck. While the glass railings might make you seem a bit out-of-the-box, glass railings actually look really cool. However, you have to be willing to keep up with the maintenance. Just like you have to clean the windows in your house, you’re essentially adding windows to your deck now.
With all the different types of deck railings, you can totally set yourself apart from everyone else. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wood decks, they’re just a bit predictable––especially when there are so many alternatives. So, take advantage of the nice weather that’s on the way and spruce up that deck and those railings.
