nextluxury logo
nextluxury logo
upload upload
Upload
  • Men’s Style
    • Fashion
    • Footwear
    • Accessories
    • Grooming
    • Hair Care and Styling
  • Tattoos
  • Home Design
  • Lifestyle
    • Relationships
    • Food and Travel
    • Vehicles
  • Entertainment
  • Interesting
  • Funny
  • Gear
  • Shop

Next Luxury • Home Design • 59 Deck Railing Ideas

59 Deck Railing Ideas

Sleigh by Design/Shutterstock

59 Deck Railing Ideas

  • by — Tom Scalisi

Backyard Ideas Deck Ideas

The outdoor deck is no doubt essential for the modern home–a place to recline, relax, and entertain friends under sunny and starry skies alike. Much like a frame for a classic painting or family photograph, the perfect deck railing ideas encompass your deck and ensure that you and your guests are in good hands.

Safety should be your first priority, but now is the time to really enjoy selecting a deck railing design that reflects your home’s aesthetic, as well as your personal taste. While traditional New England white keeps your deck on the classier side of cool, Chinese Chippendale creates the look and feel of a true pastoral retreat.

Repurposed wood and stainless cabling are sure to catch a few admiring glances, while privacy railing and metal spindles create a more mature feel for your deck.

Take a look at the following categories to see how the right deck railing can really improve your deck’s appeal.

See more about - 68 Deck Color Ideas

Contents

1. Stylish Cable Deck Railing Ideas

In recent years, the cable deck railing trend has really taken off. In modern spaces or on modern decks, they look great and are actually very secure. This railings system should be purchased as a DIY deck railing kit. They use turnbuckles, brackets, and other threaded hardware to create a strong system that provides an excellent line of sight while also adding a contemporary touch to a cable rail deck.

If you’ve got a modern or contemporary style home, a cable railing may be the perfect addition for you. Most of the kits come in stainless steel, so they look great around a matching barbecue grill or smoker.

The industrial look and feel of cable railings should also be considered while you’re planning your railing. If you like the cable railing look but don’t really want to incorporate stainless steel fittings, you may be able to speak to your building department about using rope instead.

wood deck cable railing
black painted metal with stainless steel wire backyard deck railing
deck railing ideas wood deck orange chairs
contemporary luxury wood deck cable railing
curved white and brown deck railing
exterior deck and stairs railing
wood deck cable railing
wood deck railing with steel wire
wood deck metal cable railing
wood deck white posts cable railing water
wood deck railing with led lighting under handrail

2. The Natural Beauty of Wood

If you’re a traditional type of guy, a wood railing on your deck probably appeals to you. These are the most common and typical railings. They’re seen on million-dollar wood deck railing creations and porches as well as basic builder-grade homes.

A wood railing system is relatively inexpensive to build, depending on the species chosen, and is plenty strong to keep everyone top-side. They can be basic, built with dimensional 2×4 lumber for the top and bottom plates, and 2×2 wood spindles that you can purchase by the dozen. They can also be very intricate and formal, with top-tier wood species and hidden fasteners.

While the basic framework of your wooden deck should be built with inexpensive pressure-treated pine, you have some choices for wood railings. There are a wide variety of wood species suitable for outdoor use, the most popular being pressure-treated, redwood, cedar, and ipe. These railings can be painted or stained and then sealed.

If you look through the following pictures, you will see railings that consist of only wood, a combination of wood and other materials, and even branches repurposed as railings. Keep in mind there are no hard and fast rules on this, so consider not just one deck railing idea but a few possible railing designs that you like and figure out what will look best for your deck.

wood deck railing with black round Metal balusters
stained wood deck railing stairs
wood deck railing with metal grates
small wood deck and railing patio
traditional white deck railing pool patio
traditional wood deck railing with metal balusters
unique wood deck railing with metal

3. Enhance Your View

When you’re lucky enough to have a great view from your deck, you don’t want to go covering it up or distracting from its splendor with an obtrusive metal deck railing. Fortunately, for those with an amazing backdrop, glass panels can be used in place of railings to create an open feel while still providing security and meeting local codes.

There are some really cool ways to install these glass panel systems. While you can go the traditional route and install 4×4 posts every several feet, there are other options that create a nearly seamless glass deck railing. Small, barely noticeable brackets can secure panels side by side, while the included hardware can be used to secure the panels to the deck. There’s enough rigidity in these panels that they can be installed without posts. The end result is an amazing, unobstructed view behind a strong, secure railing.

The first time anyone sees a glass railing, they’re concerned with the safety and strength it provides. This is understandable; glass is kind of a scary material. If you’d like to see just how far you can push these glass panels, check out the video below to see what they can withstand.

backyard deck railing wood posts with glass
pool deck glass railing
modern floating glass panels deck railing
metal and glass panels deck railing
large glass panel deck railing

See more about - 47 Above Ground Pool Ideas

4. Sleek and Sturdy Metal Solutions

One of the more traditional choices for railings on our list, a metal deck railing can make an awesome addition to the topside of a well-designed contemporary deck. These railings can be painted in an array of colors, and they’re incredibly strong, so you never have to worry about the safety of your family or guests.

We won’t deny that the initial cost may be a little higher than you would pay for a standard wood deck railing. There are reasons for that, and they’ll make sense once we explain them. Metal is a more expensive material than most wood, so you’ve got the material cost alone working against you. Factor in the skills required to fabricate the railing and make it safe, and you’ll realize the rest of the cost lies there. Experienced welders don’t come cheap.

It’s unfair to say that metal railings are only expensive due to material and labor. They’re also a “buy once, cry once” investment. They will last a lifetime with very minimal maintenance. A quick painting every ten years will keep a metal railing looking as good as it did when it was new, saving you money in the long run.

wood deck railing with metal mesh
metal deck railing country home
modern black metal deck railing lush garden
metal deck railing with wood
wood deck with black metal railing
wood deck with black metal railing white posts
long white deck with black metal railing
modern metal deck railing
wood deck with black metal railing
wood deck white railing abstract design
second story balcony metal deck railing

5. Composite Materials

If you’re looking for a low-maintenance deck railing design but you just don’t like the look of a metal railing, composite railings can be an excellent option that meets in the middle. While it’s difficult to find the materials to construct a 100 percent composite railing, the lion’s share of the railing design can be made of composite materials.

There are a lot of companies out there now developing their own composite decking product lines. They create these products by combining wood and plastic through a complex process that ends up producing a very strong, light, and durable wood-like product.

Composite systems can be expensive, but they’re incredibly easy to install. They are a great DIY deck. They come in kits complete with brackets and spindle holes already drilled in them. With a few basic tools and some gumption, you could be installing a composite deck railing system that will last for a very long time.

There are a lot of designs to choose from, and if you don’t want to purchase a full kit, you can piece a system together using wood, metal, or other materials in conjunction with the composite handrails or posts.

curved white and brown composite deck railing
wood deck railing black metal balusters
white posts black metal balusters deck railing
wood deck with white painted posts and black balusters

6. Exploring Vinyl and PVC

Even more man-made than a composite railing, vinyl or PVC railings are other low-maintenance options that look great and can last a long time. These railings also come in DIY deck kits with all the necessary hardware and fittings to get your deck rail project going.

There are some downsides to using a PVC or vinyl railing though. They simply do not feel as solid as other options on our list. Even the composite decking consists of a fair amount of wood, which lends it a more natural and solid feel. You should also be careful attempting to install a railing during a cold spell as vinyl can crack very easily when cold. Temperatures around 50 degrees should be safe.

The benefit of using a PVC or vinyl railing is that they’re generally less expensive than a composite railing system. Also, because vinyl expands and contracts quite a bit with temperature, many of the systems attempt to hide the joints. This means the actual installation is a little easier than a precise metal or wood railing job.

black vinyl home deck railing
white railing black balusters balcony deck
white vinyl deck railing

See more about - 108 Pool Deck Ideas

7. Embrace Rustic Charm

Something would be amiss if you decided to use an ultra-modern railing design on your cabin or country-style home deck. While there are some decks that can pull off the modern look, a rustic deck rail is usually a better fit for these scenarios.

Take a look at these rustic deck rail ideas to get a good understanding of how this works. There may be very little fit-and-finish, but the end products look really cool and may actually save you a little money.

What makes a railing rustic, you ask? Well, there are a number of ways to achieve a rustic-looking railing, but we’ll point you in the right direction to get you started. The backbone of a rustic railing is almost always wood. It can be made from pine, redwood, or ipe, but cedar reigns supreme for a wood post. Large, cedar posts and handrails are the starting players here.

What makes rustic railings so great is the fact that you can use so many different materials to make up the field, or spindle area, of your railing. Metal fencing panels, tree branches, or live edge slabs all make great choices for use in a rustic railing.

rustic wood deck railing with metal mesh
wood deck with tree branch deck railing
rustic wood deck railing with metal mesh
industrial look wood and metal mesh wire deck railing
rustic wood deck railing stone house

8. Modern and Contemporary Possibilities

The style of your home can play a part in determining the design you choose for deck railing. Farmhouses and colonial homes will look best with a traditional style, while a contemporary home requires a more modern approach.

Modern railing designs are hard to define, but they’re usually constructed of metals like aluminum or stainless steel and may include pre-fabricated panels with designs or patterns. You’re less likely to find composite or vinyl touches, but the industrial feel often incorporates wood features like posts and handrails.

If a modern or industrial look is your idea of the perfect style, you should look at these next few images and take a few design cues. There are so many different styles and materials available that will work in this realm that finding the right design for your deck railing system may take you some time and research. With enough effort, you’ll come up with a deck railing idea that works for you.

wood board deck railing small backyard deck
wood deck railing front porch
glass panels deck railing design
modern wood deck with metal mesh railing
glass panels with artwork deck railing idea
satin stainless with glass panels deck railing
stained wood and metal deck railing
wood deck white railing with glass panels and blackvbalusters
unique metal patterns deck railing

9. Creating Privacy

You may have great neighbors, but that doesn’t mean you want to interact with them every time you step out onto your deck to grab some sunshine or sip a glass of wine under the stars. You have the option of planting large privacy shrubs, but you’ll either get short shrubs that take years to grow or pay a premium for a landscaper to dig large holes and plant expensive, mature shrubs.

The other option for lounging on your deck without being invited to game night next Thursday is to install a privacy railing. They’re great for keeping to yourself and enjoying a quiet night at home while providing a safe alternative to standard railings.

For an idea of how to create some solitude on your back deck, check out the ideas below. Notice how most of the railings are designed with at least a little space to allow air to move through the railing. You can also see how a half-wall 8 feet in the air can shield you from prying eyes on the ground level.

There are a few things to consider when designing your privacy railing. Building a solid wall creates more of a sail effect than you’ll probably want. No one wants a strong wind to make the deck sway, and you don’t want your privacy railing to break away from the structure and cause damage or hurt someone. Also, a full-size wall may seem ideal for privacy purposes, but if you consider that most of your outdoor lounging is done sitting down, a half-wall railing will usually do the trick.

privacy wood wall deck railing
modern wood deck with wood and cable railing
ultra modern ipe wood board slat deck railing
lattice work wood deck railing

See more about - 83 Deck Decorating Ideas

More Must-Read Articles

  • 25 of the Best Stand-Up Comedians of All Time
    /Entertainment
    25 of the Best Stand-Up Comedians of All Time September 20, 2023
  • 10 of the Most Expensive US Homes
    /Home Design
    10 of the Most Expensive US Homes September 18, 2023
  • 20 Best Denzel Washington Movies of All Time
    /Entertainment
    20 Best Denzel Washington Movies of All Time September 13, 2023
  • Ten Scented Man Candles for Manly Bachelor Pads
    /Home Design
    Ten Scented Man Candles for Manly Bachelor Pads September 11, 2023

Deck Railing FAQ

What are some popular materials used for deck railings?

Popular materials for deck railings include wood, metal, glass, composite, and vinyl. Each material offers its own unique aesthetic and level of durability.

How do I choose the right deck railing design?

When choosing a deck railing design, consider factors such as your personal style, the architectural style of your home, safety requirements, and the level of maintenance you’re willing to undertake. Take inspiration from various sources and consult with professionals if needed.

How can I maintain and care for my deck railings?

Maintenance requirements vary based on the material of your deck railings. Wood railings may require regular staining or sealing, while metal railings may need occasional cleaning and touch-ups. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and perform routine inspections to address any issues promptly.

Tom Scalisi

Writer

Tom Scalisi spent over 15 years learning the ins and outs of construction, remodeling, DIY, and home renovation. He has also curated quite an impressive collection of tools.

Tom Scalisi spent over 15 years learning the ins and outs of construction, remodeling, DIY, and home renovation. He has also curated quite an impressive collection of tools.

More Must-Read Articles

  • 10 of the Most Expensive US Homes
    10 of the Most Expensive US Homes September 18, 2023
  • Ten Scented Man Candles for Manly Bachelor Pads
    Ten Scented Man Candles for Manly Bachelor Pads September 11, 2023
  • 12 Of the Most Expensive Celebrity Homes
    12 Of the Most Expensive Celebrity Homes September 4, 2023
  • 12 Cool Alarm Clocks for Men
    12 Cool Alarm Clocks for Men August 28, 2023
Discover Greatness
Subscribe for Free
Real gentlemen know quality when they see it. 100% Privacy.
  • Upload Your Image
  • Advertise
  • FTC Disclosure
  • Our Authors
  • Our Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© COPYRIGHT 2023 Next Luxury ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

NEXTLUXURYDOTCOM LLC IS A PARTICIPANT IN THE AMAZON SERVICES LLC ASSOCIATES PROGRAM, AN AFFILIATE ADVERTISING PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR SITES TO EARN ADVERTISING FEES BY ADVERTISING AND LINKING TO AMAZON.COM. SOME LINKS MAY BE AFFILIATE LINKS. WE MAY GET PAID IF YOU BUY SOMETHING OR TAKE AN ACTION AFTER CLICKING ONE OF THESE