The floor of your deck may get the most traffic, but your deck railings that cover your wall posts are also important elements of your deck design. The top rail of your deck will help your deck stand out from others in the neighborhood. Railings for deck construction will also make a difference in the stability of your deck.

Keep reading to learn about the different types of railings for deck projects, such as wood deck railings, metal railings and some railing ideas for deck building.

Deck and Railings: Material Choices

Many people think that the material of the railing needs to match the deck exactly, but this is not always the case. You can create a nice contrast by using white wood deck railings with a wooden deck floor. You can also make your deck railings metal for an interesting contemporary look. Railings can be made of virtually any material, as long as it is sturdy, and you follow your deck building plans.

Deck Building and Deck Railings

Once you’ve settled on the material that will be used for your railing, you need to consider the top rail design. Most deck sides are very similar with their vertical slats. It’s the top rail design that makes a difference in how a design will look. Here are some deck design ideas to consider:

• A continuous rail top will be flat all the way through with no posts extending upward. A continuous rail top makes a nice ledge for potted plants or other decorative items, but they can collect water because of their flat surface. To minimize this, you can use a slightly domed rail top. Many people who choose this deck building design opt to have decorative caps at the deck’s corners.

• Intermittent protruding posts will feature posts extending through the railing with a decorative cap on top. Intermittent protruding posts add a lot of interest to the top rail design, but it can sometimes make the deck and railings look too “busy.”

• Alternating protruding posts have decorative caps over every second or third posts. Alternating protruding posts are a nice compromise between the two previous options. This deck building option also adds strength to the railing: Each time you protrude the posts through the railing, the area between the post and the railing will be a weak link in your strong siding. By using the protruding posts only intermittently, you can reduce these weak points.

Bottom railings for deck projects are generally made the same way, regardless of the deck building design you choose. They are composed of 2X4s that are nailed to the posts. The sometimes have notches that the posts sit inside. By beveling the edges up slightly, you will prevent water from pooling in the notches, which will reduce deck rot.