How to Choose the Best Deck Railing Materials: A Complete Guide

Whether you're a homeowner or a professional, you want to make sure you choose the best deck railing materials for your project. You'll be happier with the outcome when you know the pros and cons of various railing materials. Choosing the right material can either enhance or detract from the railing's safety, durability, and your home's aesthetics.

Cable Bullet helps you find the perfect railing material with this expert guide. We want you to be able to make an informed decision by understanding key factors such as aesthetics, durability, maintenance, cost, safety, and even building code regulations. 

Choosing the Best Deck Railing Material for Your Project

What is the best material for deck railing? You may be surprised at the number of deck railing materials that are available – and it can be confusing to choose. From cable railing to composites, each has its specific benefits and drawbacks. Read on to find out the pros and cons of each.

The Versatility of Cable Railing

One of the most popular railing options today, the cable is a life-long railing. Homeowners love the minimalist, sleek aesthetic that allows for unobstructed views and low maintenance. 

A cable railing is extremely versatile because it can be installed with various types of posts – from metal or wood to vinyl or concrete. This flexibility allows a homeowner to customize the cable railing with any type of architectural style. 

Cable Bullet is innovatively designed for easy DIY installation while featuring superior quality components and materials. The versatility of Cable Bullet’s products appeals to many aesthetic preferences and application needs.

Steel & Stainless Steel

Steel is especially strong and durable, key considerations for railing safety. Stainless steel is resistant to rust and corrosion, making it a top choice for seaside or four-season applications. 

Steel railings are a terrific choice to pair with modern or industrial style architecture. 

Stainless steel railing can cost twice as much as wood, vinyl, or composite railing but is easy to maintain. Cable Bullet's elevated Venture Series is a particularly durable, safe, view-enhancing, and low-maintenance railing made of T316 stainless steel.

Aluminum

Aluminum is an easy-to-install, low-maintenance, and durable railing material. Customization is easy because of the extensive range of beautiful finishes and colors. However, susceptible to rust and corrosion from sea air, aluminum railing isn't an ideal choice for coastal homes.

Aluminum posts are a very popular material to combine with cable railing. Cable Bullet's handsome Signature Series combines pre-threaded aluminum posts with the sleek clean span of stainless steel cable, providing optimum view-enhancing aspects.

Wood

Before cable railing rose to become the most popular deck railing choice, wood had been the traditional deck railing choice for decades. From insect-resistant cedar and redwood to less costly pressure-treated pine, wood remains a popular choice due to its beauty and natural, organic appeal. But before you decide on wood railing, it's important to understand that it's susceptible to weathering and requires extensive, ongoing maintenance. 

Homeowners who love the look of wood can have the best of both worlds by combining stainless steel cables with wood posts. The wooden posts provide an ideal transition between the wood decking – and the cables provide sleek, low-maintenance, view-enhancing qualities. With Cable Bullet’s hardware for wood railing, this combination of materials is easy for a DIYer to put together.

Vinyl

Homeowners looking for a budget alternative can choose cost-effective and low-maintenance vinyl railing. Because a variety of styles and colors are available, the vinyl railing can match a home's siding to create a seamless look. 

Vinyl post sleeves are gaining in popularity as they are durable and weather-resistant. It's easy to combine vinyl post sleeves with cable railing to create a modern, upscale look.

Composite

Composite deck railing material, made of wood fibers and recycled plastic, is engineered to outperform wood. The durability, versatility, and low maintenance of composite deck railing make it a popular choice because it's available in a variety of colors and styles, is rot-resistant, and is environmentally friendly. 

The cost is equivalent to wood and vinyl railing, making it a budget-friendly choice. Composite post sleeves are compatible with Cable Bullet's cable railing. The cost-effective post sleeves plus sleek cable railing combine to create a clean transitional or traditional aesthetic. 

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing Deck Railing Materials

Ease of maintenance is a key factor to consider but before choosing, compare the aesthetics, durability, cost, safety, and building code regulations of deck railing material options. 

Aesthetics

• Cable railing's sleek, modern design goes with just about any architectural style, especially if you want to capture a view with minimal interference. When combined with wood, aluminum, vinyl, or composite posts, cable railing looks beautiful with vintage, traditional, and classic home styles too.
• Steel and stainless steel railings are especially striking with industrial, rustic, urban, and contemporary style homes.
• Aluminum railing adapts to all architectural styles because of the many finish and color options available.  
• Wood railing looks beautiful when it's properly maintained. However, weather and the elements are tough on wood, causing it to lose its aesthetic appeal if it isn't regularly maintained.
• Vinyl railing is affordable and can offer a simple aesthetic.
• Composite railing can mimic wood but offers easier maintenance. 

Durability and Maintenance

• Cable railing is strong, highly durable, easy to maintain, and is a life-long railing.
• Marine-grade stainless steel is the most durable and maintenance-free material for homes exposed to salt air, although it's heavy and difficult to work with. It's also considered a life-long railing material.
• Aluminum is versitile, durable, and easy to maintain but needs extensive protection from corrosion in sea air.
• Wood is high-maintenance, requiring sanding and sealing or painting every one to two years.
• Vinyl is weatherproof, non-corrosive, and easy to clean and maintain.
• Composite railing is weather-resistant and easy to clean.

Cost

When you analyze cost, be sure to consider long-term value. You should calculate both the up-front material cost plus the cost of maintenance over time. Some materials, such as cable railing, cost more initially but cost very little to maintain over time. And the opposite can be true – wood railing is cheaper up front but maintenance is expensive and labor-intensive. 

Compare the average cost of common railing materials here:

• Metal is the most expensive railing material, but easiest and cheapest to maintain.
• Cable railing runs $60 - $500 per linear foot.
• Steel and stainless steel railing runs $50 - $250 per linear foot.
• Aluminum railing runs $50 - $200 per linear foot.
• Wood railing, the least expensive to purchase but most costly in maintenance, runs about $20 - $50 per linear foot.
• Vinyl railing costs about $25 - $60 per linear foot.
• Composite railing costs about $25 - $60 per linear foot.

Safety and Building Codes

Building codes are established to ensure safety, durability, and sustainability. Therefore, railings are required for decks built 30" or more above grade. The rail must be 36" from the top of the rail to the deck surface. Codes can vary from state to state. For example, California code requires a 42" rail height. 

Because code standards vary, it's important to check your local building regulations before you start your project. You want to make sure your railing passes inspection after you complete installation. Cable Bullet meets International Residential Code (IRC) requirements. It's fast and easy to give us a call so we can help you with any code requirement questions you may have. 

Find the Perfect Deck Railing Material with Cable Bullet

Cable Bullet comes with a plethora of advantages. Designed with the highest quality materials, Cable Bullet is a life-long, beautiful, DIY-friendly, versatile, safe, and durable railing. 

Essentially, Cable Bullet is the perfect deck railing material! Combine our aluminum posts with stainless cable to create a sleek modern look. Or, with wood posts you can achieve a more traditional vibe. Either way, Cable Bullet offers an array of innovative choices to meet your aesthetic requirements.

In addition to creating an ideal railing, Cable Bullet offers superior support that's just a phone call away. Whether you need help with materials, measurements, installation, or more, our friendly pros are ready to help you. Plus, we have a range of helpful online guides and videos that take the guesswork out of installation. Contact us today to get started!