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Building a patio in your backyard is not only an investment in the worth of your home, it can provide you and your family with an entertainment and relaxation venue for years to come. While commonly thought of as decorative additions to a house, style is not the only concern for homeowners who choose to take on the project. Safety is also a valid and present consideration and it is to the contractor's folly that they fail to implement it. One of the biggest concentrations of these considerations should be in the deck railing. Of course, safety doesn't mean sacrificing style. Here's how you implement both. Overview Deck railing is a simple aspect of a patio, but a homeowner will have a surprising amount of choice when it comes to exact specifications. It will be implemented in sections, each of them connecting to primary posts. Generally speaking, these sections will be approximately five feet in length. Most contractors advise staying below six feet for maximum strength. For the sake of style, some people choose to go with even smaller segments and additional posts. For each section, there will be a top and bottom rail, connected with balusters of some kind. Materials Deck railing comes in a variety of types and materials. While wood will probably always be the "classic" choice, many people are moving away from that choice in favor of other, more durable materials. Glass, composite materials, and aluminum have made extensive inroads into the popularity of wood. Some of these types are preferred for the greater style afforded by their appearance, while others are chosen for their increased strength and resistance to the elements. You'll need to take both security and style into consideration when making your choice. Function Unless you're buying pre-fabricated deck railing sections, they will likely be created at the same time the rest of your patio is built. If so, the contractor will build the posts into the main platform of the patio and then use these posts as the attachment point for the rails. In the situation where the patio is built first to host the rails as a later time, the builder will need to attach the posts first. The overarching concern in either scenario is to provide a strong base for the deck railing. The point of the rails is not just to complete the look of the patio, of course, but to keep people from falling off the platform! Make sure you remember this when making your design decisions. Your deck railing can be both functional and stylish. Find out how to best serve your family's needs with http://www.latitudesdeck.com
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