Railing News

How to Estimate Deck Railing Materials

Knowing how to estimate deck railing materials will help you easily determine exactly how much material you need to purchase. At Vista Railings, we understand how important it is to create a proper budget and material list before purchasing deck railings. That is why our team of railing experts will always make the time to help you estimate how much deck railing material you need.

Estimating Deck Railing Materials

Ordering deck railings online can often feel daunting, as there are so many different railing products to choose from, making it difficult to know exactly what you need. When estimating deck railing materials, consider creating a 2D drawing of your deck space to help you visualize how many posts you will need for the size of the deck and how far apart they will be placed.

Some of the things that you will need to take into consideration when estimating deck railing materials include:

Does Your Deck Need Railings?

In most cases, decks that range from 24 inches to 30 inches from the ground are required to have railings of at least three feet high, extending from the surface of the deck to the top of the railing; however, before building a deck railing, it is important to check local building codes to ensure that your deck will meet all of the necessary requirements.

If your deck does require a railing, it will need to extend on both sides of the stairs and around the perimeter of the deck. The railing will also need balusters, also known as spindles, and vertical posts to anchor the railing in place and to tie the deck frame and railing together.

How Many Balusters are Needed?

In order to determine how many balusters are needed for your railing, you will first need to figure out how much space should be between the deck balusters. In most cases, balusters should not be spaced out more than four inches apart on centre with at least three balusters for every 12 inches. The length of the deck railing in total linear feet will play a key role in determining exactly how many balusters are needed to ensure that the deck railing meets the required safety standards.

If you would like to learn more about how to estimate deck railing materials, or if you are interested in one of our deck railing products, please contact Vista Railings at 1-800-667-8247.