Luxury Housing Trends & Home Improvement Ideas

Railings created from unusual materials can add more visual interest to your deck. Using a wooden frame and unexpected elements still makes for a safe railing. Alternatives to wood railing include painted steel or copper tubing, galvanized steel cable, painted steel mesh, acrylic glass panels and welded steel tubing.

If you live in a farm home or enjoy country elements, a wire mesh and wooden framed railing with white columns can mimic this theme. Pipe railing is inexpensive and can be painted any color, and it can give a seaside deck a nautical feel. For more contemporary homes, a railing of tightly spaced horizontal steel cables might reflect the house’s design better.

Another option is to use a transparent balustrade such as aircraft cable. This particular cable can be found at specialty hardware and stair and railing stores. Attaching the aircraft cable horizontally between steel up-rights and a wooden top rail creates a simple and functional design.