DECKING
ARE YOU FAILING
AT RAILING ?
5 TIPS FOR SIMPLIFYING THE DECK RAILING SELECTION PROCESS
By Karl Harrison , TrexPro and professional landscape engineer
When people look at a deck , what is the first thing they see ? It ’ s not the footings or joists – or even the deck boards for that matter . Chances are , it ’ s the railing that catches the eye before anything else . So , why is it that railings are so often an afterthought ?
Railing is experiencing an uptick in the UK as Brits are discovering the many benefits of this simple , yet transformative , decking addon . In addition to enhancing safety and structural integrity , the right railing can create a decorative frame around a deck .
Given its visual appeal , railing is a style-driven choice where clients are more likely to splurge – but only if selections are made before they ’ ve allocated their project budgets elsewhere . For the best results , decking and railing decisions should be made simultaneously – as a purposeful pairing .
As a TrexPro , my clients have access to more than 1,200 different decking and railing pairings . While it ’ s great to be able to offer choices , that ’ s simply too many for most homeowners to consider , or even to comprehend . To help streamline the process , following are five conversation touchpoints I use to help guide my clients to the right railing choices for their home and lifestyle .
1 . Consider views and privacy If a client has a garden setting that they want to accentuate , suggest railings that are designed to optimise views . Thin balusters finished in black are a good choice as they tend to blend into
38 www . landud . co . uk Follow us @ ludmagazine