A wrought iron spiral staircase for a deck with metal step treads

Metal Deck Railings

There are many advantages to using a metal railing when building your dream deck:

  • Cost effective – over time, the metal railings will save you money in repairs and maintenance.
  • Low maintenance – once installed, a railing constructed entirely of metal will not require sanding and staining as is needed with a wood railing.
  • Warranty – metal railings usually come with a 15-year limited warranty (aluminum railings may offer up to a lifetime warranty).  The limited warranty also “covers cracking, peeling, and blistering of the finish”.
  • Easily customizable – manufacturers offer numerous options in railings, railing tops, balusters, post caps, etc., giving you seemingly unlimited ways to customize your railing.
  • View- because metal railings are typically built using thinner balusters than wood railings, this allows for a less obstructed view.  Also available are cable and glass railing options, which provide an even better from your new custom built deck.

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Metal Posts, Metal Panels, With Drink Cap

Composite deck with a metal panel railing system and a drink cap. The post caps are through the drink cap, creating a unique look.

1 – We installed this Fortress Fe26 railing with 2″ x 2″ posts, post caps, and a drink cap.  The composite drink cap is TimberTech Dark Roast and is designed to go over the posts.

Metal panel deck railing with raised posts and redwood drink cap.

2 – A Fortress Fe26 panel railing system with 3″ x 3″ raised posts and a Redwood drink cap installed lower than the post height.

Composite deck with a Fortress Fe26 panel railing system that has raised posts, post caps, and a composite drink cap installed lower than the post height.

3 – This is a Fortress Fe26 panel railing system that has 3″ x 3″ raised posts, pressed dome post caps, and a composite drink cap.  The drink cap is installed lower than the height of the posts.

Redwood deck with a Fortress Fe26 metal panel railing system and a wood drink cap.

4 – Another Fortress Fe26 panel railing with 3″ x 3″ posts, flat pyramid post caps, and a drink cap that has an end match with the posts and is installed just below the post caps.

Fortress Fe26 panel railing installed on a concrete patio with a composite flush drink cap.

5 – We installed this Fe26 panel railing on a concrete patio.  The posts are 3″ x 3″ and there is a flush, composite drink cap.

Composite deck with metal panel railing system that has a flush drink cap.

6 – The owners decided to install a Fortress Fe26 railing on their new composite deck.  They went with the color Black Sand, 3″ x 3″ posts, and a flush drink cap in Fiberon Moringa (the same material as used in the deck).  We added pressed dome post caps to only the end posts.

Metal Posts, Metal Panel, With No Drink Cap

MoistureShield Elevate composite deck with a F

7 – DBS installed a black RDI metal panel railing system with 2″ x 2″ posts and flat pyramid post caps on this deck.  The material is MoistureShield Elevate in Canoe.

A composite deck with single picture frame border and a metal panel railing system with 2

8 – This composite deck with a single picture frame border includes a black metal panel railing system with 2″ x 2″ posts and pressed dome post caps.

Gorgeous Redwood deck with a black metal panel railing system featuring 3

9 – A Fortress Fe26 Black Sand metal panel railing with 3″ x 3″ posts and pressed dome post caps was installed on this gorgeous Redwood deck.

Gorgeous outdoor living area - composite deck, Cedar pergola, and black metal panel railing - all create a wonderful area for entertaining..

10 – This gorgeous deck with Cedar pergola incorporated a Fortress Fe26 railing with 3″ x 3″ metal posts and flat pyramid post caps.

Elevated, composite deck with a Fortress Fe26 black metal panel railing.

11 – This elevated, composite deck was built with a Fortress Fe26 Black Sand metal panel railing system with 3″ x 3″ posts and pressed dome post caps.

A Composite deck that was built with Fortress steel framing and a Fortress Fe26 metal railing in Black Sand.

12 – We built this deck using not only a Fortress Fe26 railing, but also Fortress steel deck framing.  The railing includes 3″ x 3″ metal posts with flat pyramid post caps.

13 – This Redwood deck is enhanced by a white, aluminum railing system with 2″ x 2″ posts and flat pyramid post caps.

Aluminum deck railing installed on a large elevated deck and anchored by stucco columns

14 – This elevated deck features a Fortress Al-13 aluminum deck railing with 3″  3″ metal posts and is anchored by the stucco columns.

Wood or Composite Posts With Metal Panels

15 – A custom Redwood deck with 4″ x 4″ Redwood railing posts that are mounted on the outside of the deck, and flush drink cap.  The metal panels are from Fortress, as is the Ring Top accent piece added to the railing for a unique design element.

16 – The owners decided to use this Fortress metal panel railing system with 6″ x 6″ composite posts and flush drink cap.  We also installed Pikes Peak post lights from HighPoint Deck Lighting.

17 – We installed these metal railing panels between 6″ x 6″ raised composite posts and post caps.

18 – A large Redwood deck that uses metal railing panels in Black Sand installed between 4″ x 4″ wood posts mounted to the outside of the deck.  We also installed Mt. Evans lighted post caps on each post.

19 – This metal panel railing system includes 4″ x 4″ wood posts that are installed on the outside of the deck with the panels between posts.

Wood or Composite Components With Metal Balusters

Redwood deck with a railing built from wood components and round, metal, horizontal balusters.

20 – This railing was built using wood components and flush drink cap featuring round, metal, horizontal balusters in a brushed steel color.

Redwood components railing with black metal Vienna-style balusters, anchored by stone columns.

21 – This deck features a railing anchored by brick columns using Redwood posts mounted to the outside of the deck and a flush drink cap.  The black metal, Vienna Bow-style balusters are attached to the outside of the railing.

22 – This is a wood component deck railing with a drink cap and black, metal, square balusters. Some of the balusters feature a partial twist design.

Composite component deck railing with metal Vienna Belly style balusters.

23 – Deck railing built with 4″ x 4″ composite posts, side mount drink cap, and flat pyramid post caps.  The metal balusters are Fortress Vienna Belly-style, mounted on the outside.

Wood deck railing with flush drink cap and round metal basket-style balusters.

24 – This deck railing features 3″ x 3″ wood posts, flush drink cap, and Fortress black, metal, basket-style balusters.  We also installed Moab rail lights on the stucco columns.

Wood deck railing with white, round, metal balusters and a wood drink cap.

25 – Redwood deck railing with 3″ x 3″ posts installed on the outside of the deck, a flush drink cap and Fortress round, metal balusters in white.