Railing News

Aluminum Railing Installation Mistakes to Avoid

Aluminum Railings | October 15, 2020

Vista aluminum railings are known for both their style and simplicity. So naturally, installing your own aluminum railings might seem like a great way to save money. Before doing so, it is important to keep in mind that this is an engineered product that must be installed properly to ensure it means local building codes as a guardrail. To avoid potential costly mistakes, we know that having a professional install your new aluminum railing is the best option for having the installation completed quickly, efficiently, and properly the first time around; however, if you are determined to install your own railings, our team has put together a list of some common aluminum railing installation mistakes to avoid to help your DIY project go as smoothly as possible.

1. Not Following Instructions

Most railing systems, including railing kits, come with installation instructions that will tell you how to measure and fasten the railings, as well as what types of brackets, fasteners, and other materials to use. Since each aluminum railing system is different, make sure to familiarize yourself with all of the parts, pieces, measurements, and other aspects of the railing system before starting the installation process. Doing so will help make the entire process faster and smoother.

2. Not Understanding Measurement Guidelines

When reading the aluminum railing’s instruction guide, it is particularly important to pay attention to the measurement details. Depending on the aluminum railing system you purchased, the measurements might be provided in actual sizes or in nominal sizes. Make sure you understand the system of measurement being used for the railings before making any cuts.

3. Not Measuring Correctly

One of the biggest mistakes that anyone can make when installing aluminum railings is not measuring correctly. Make sure to consider any code requirements for your area when measuring how high the railings should be on your deck to avoid any missteps. The best way to avoid making a mistake is to measure everything twice—bottom rail, top rail, baluster, rail cap, etc.—before making any cuts or drilling any holes.

4. Not Cleaning Up

Not cleaning up your deck properly after installing an aluminum railing might not seem like a mistake that needs to be avoided; however, forgetting to clean up any installation debris, such as metal shavings, will not only make your deck look messy but also poses the risk of the debris becoming embedded in the deck, which could permanently impact its overall appearance.

If you would like to learn more aluminum railing installation mistakes to avoid, or if you are interested in our aluminum railing products, please contact Vista Railings at 1-800-667-8247.


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We are Washago Timber Mart and we've been a stocking dealer for nearly 15 years. Vista Railings are the absolute #1 best choice when it comes to Aluminum & Glass Railing Systems.

Chris Denne
Washago Timber Mart

James is wonderful! He continuously supports us and our Customers by ensuring that we receive our stock promptly and efficiently. He helps in rectifying issues that arise and at times he is known to personally drop off product either to our store or job sites to make sure we over deliver to our Customers! We appreciate you James and your team for all of your support!!

Rona Filsinger

The BEST railing in Canada… Customer Service is amazing. Thanks Team Vista the look of Vista railing is a beautiful sleek design it compliments any home and definitely increases the value of your home.

Brad Vermolen
Castle Niagara Building Centre

Top notch, sturdy and easy to install railing. Always a great experience dealing with James, Dwayne and Jim. From product knowledge, to solving any issues, they are always eager to help and on stand-by… Great working with them.

Mr Duncan

Vista has been a dream to work with, the program makes life so much easier and efficient to do quotes. Dwayne, Jim and the rest of the team I have dealt with are always willing to answer questions and go the extra mile to help fix any issues or getting pieces and parts to us promptly.

Matt Walker

We love working with the Vista Team! HF Smith Lumber in Cookstown, Ontario has been a proud stocking dealer since day one, carrying their four top colours. Vista’s quoting program is super easy to use and saves us a ton of time. The sales team is fantastic – always friendly, quick to help, and great to work with! We also love seeing the new products they continue to add. It’s exciting to expand our offerings and keep things fresh for our customers! Keep up the great work

Kim Ytsma
HF Smith Lumber

I purchase many different types of items in the building industry and have been at all levels from putting away lumber, customer service management and purchasing at wholesale level. The Vista railing company by far has been the best company to deal with in my entire 41 years in the industry. It’s just unbelievable the support and quality they produce from all levels — from manufacturing, pulling the product, design team and of course the sales support. Railing is a very difficult item for some yards to sell due to the complexity, but Vista makes it real easy with the least complicated quoting system, the Vista planner.
Thank you Team Vista for all you do for me and the industry!!

Randy Muentener