Deck Railing Ideas
Look out your back window at a deck and the railing is the first thing you see, before the boards, before the furniture. It can frame and enhance your view, or it get in the way. So even though most people pick their decking first, the railing is what ends up defining how the whole deck looks from the house and from the yard.
This page is here to help you find a look you like. Below are a wide variety of railing styles and combinations we've personally built into decks all over the west and southwest metro, from open cable that nearly disappears into the background, to powder-coated aluminum that holds its finish through every Minnesota winter. Browse the galleries, get a feel for what fits your home, and reach out when you want to talk it through. We've been doing this since 1996, and we stand behind every install.
Browse Deck Railing Styles
Each style below opens a gallery of real decks we've built. If a look catches your eye, then it's the best place to start.
Aluminum Railing Styles
Powder-coated aluminum, mostly from Westbury Railing, in a variety of classic baluster and picket profiles. It doesn't rust, rot, or need repainting, and the slim posts keep the look light.
Cable Railing
Thin stainless cable in place of balusters, so your sightlines stay wide open. Whether vertical or horizontal, it's the look people ask for when taking in the view is the goal.
Glass Railing
Tempered glass panels for a clean, modern edge, and a view with absolutely nothing in the way.
If you already know you want aluminum, our Westbury aluminum railing page goes deeper on profiles, colors, and why it holds up so well here in the cold midwestern climate.
Picking a Railing Material
Most of what we install falls into three buckets. Here's the short version of how they differ, so you can narrow things down before we ever talk.
Aluminum
The most common style we install. Powder-coated aluminum is finished so the color is bonded to the metal rather than painted on top, which is why it doesn't peel or fade the way old wood rails did. It comes in black, bronze, white, and other colors, with baluster styles to match traditional or more modern homes. Most of our aluminum railing is manufactured by Westbury Railing, which gives us the widest range of profiles to work with. Once it's up, no maintenance is required.
Cable
Cable railing swaps the balusters for runs of stainless steel cable inside an aluminum frame. The appeal is the open view, and it's a favorite around here because so many decks look out over a lake or a stand of trees. The cable and hardware are stainless so they won't corrode, and the frame is the same maintenance-free powder-coated aluminum. We run cable systems from Westbury, Vista and Deckorators. Horizontal gives you the most open look; vertical gets you a similar feel with a different structure.
Glass
Glass is the most see-through option there is, tempered panels that give you a completely clear view and a modern, architectural look. It's striking on the right house. Worth knowing: glass shows water spots and needs a wipe-down now and then to stay crystal clear, and it's worth thinking about how exposed your deck is to wind before you commit. For the right setting, nothing else looks like it.
Want to see more? The Westbury railing page has a full breakdown of most of the styles we install.
Let the View Make the Railing Disappear
On a lake lot or a wooded backyard, the goal is usually to see as little railing as possible. Horizontal cable and glass do that better than anything. From a few feet back, glass and cables read as almost nothing, and you're looking at the water or trees instead of a row of balusters. Black aluminum framing helps the whole thing recede even further.
Go Black and Keep It Simple
A slim black aluminum railing is the safe-but-never-boring choice, and it's popular for a reason. Dark finishes step back visually, so the railing reads as a clean line rather than a fence. It pairs with almost any decking color, from light gray to deep brown, which is why so many of our decks end up here.
Use Contrast on Purpose
Matching everything isn't the only option. A white top rail with black balusters, or a railing color that plays off the house trim instead of the deck, gives the perimeter some intention. It's a small choice that changes how finished the deck looks.
Build In the Lighting
Post cap lights, under-rail lighting, and lit stair risers turn a deck into somewhere you actually sit after dark. We install Aurora deck lighting, and it's one of those upgrades nobody regrets once the long summer evenings start. Lighting also makes stairs safer, which keeps the inspector happy too.
Give the Stairs Their Own Moment
Stair railing can be an afterthought, and on some project, it shows. Carrying your railing style cleanly down the stairs, with a graspable handrail that meets code, is one of those details that separates a deck that looks built-in from one that looks bolted-on.
Add a Top Rail You Can Set a Drink On
A wider, flat top rail, sometimes called a drink rail, gives you a surface for a coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night. It's a nice touch along the edge that faces the yard or wherever people gather.
What Minnesota Code Says About Deck Railing
Railing isn't only a style decision. Once a deck surface sits more than 30 inches above the ground, Minnesota's residential code requires a guardrail, and there are specifics worth knowing before you fall in love with a look that won't pass inspection.
Height
Guardrails have to be at least 36 inches tall, measured from the deck surface.
Spacing
The openings can't let a 4-inch sphere pass through. On stairs the rule loosens slightly, to a 4 3/8-inch sphere. That's what dictates baluster spacing and the cable tension on a cable rail.
Strength
The railing has to withstand a 200-pound force applied in any direction, which is part of why a properly anchored post matters as much as the infill you pick.
Stairs
Any stairway with four or more risers needs a graspable handrail, set between 34 and 38 inches above the stair nosing.
Codes are enforced locally, so the exact details can shift a little from one city to the next across the metro. The good news is that every railing system we install is built to meet Minnesota requirements, and we handle the permitting and inspection as part of the job. You don't have to memorize any of this. It just helps to know why your railing ends up the height it does.
Why Maintenance-Free Is the Whole Point
The railings here have one big thing in common. You don't have to take care of them. A wood rail means sanding and re-staining every couple of years, usually on the one nice weekend in spring you'd rather spend doing anything else. Powder-coated aluminum, stainless cable, and tempered glass are all designed to skip that chore completely. It's the same reason most of the decks we build use composite boards instead of wood. The surface and the railing work as a system, and the system is designed to look finished for years without you touching it.
Color is where the railing and the decking start talking to each other. Pull two colors from the same family and the deck looks harmonious. Contrast the railing against the boards and you get a defined edge. There's no wrong answer, and we'll show you how a few combinations look before anything gets ordered.
What Goes Into the Cost of a Railing
Railing isn't a flat per-foot number, so instead of quoting something that might not fit your deck, here's what actually moves the price:
- How much railing you need. The length around your deck's perimeter is the biggest single factor.
- Corners and stairs. Every corner and every run of stairs adds posts and labor beyond a straight run.
- The style you choose. A standard aluminum picket, a cable system, and glass panels are different materials with different hardware.
- Height and terrain. A low deck and an elevated deck over a slope call for different posts and structure underneath.
The only way to get a real number is to look at your actual deck. Contact us for an estimate and we'll walk through the options that fit your home and the look you're after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find Your Railing Style
The best railing is the one that suits how you actually use your deck and what you want to be looking at when you're out on it. Browse the galleries above for ideas, take a closer look at Westbury aluminum railing if that's the direction you're leaning, and when you're ready to get specific, contact us for an estimate. We'll build you a maintenance-free deck, railing and all, that looks right on your home.