Are you in the market for a new stair railing (guardrail)? If so, you are in the right place. This complete guide will cover how to buy the right stair railing. Whether you need a railing for stairs, decks, porches, patios, balconies, you name it, we're here to help you Nail Your Rail project.
Please Note: This guide is focused on helping you buy the right assembled stair railing (guardrail).
- If you are interested in buying a wall-mounted handrail, please read our guide on How to Buy a Wall-Mounted Handrail.
- If you are interested in how to buy a ground-mounted handrail for steps, please read our guide on How to Buy a Ground-mounted Handrail.
- If you do not know the difference, please read our guide on the 3 main types of handrails and railings.
Before You Start:
- Know Your Handrail & Railing Code Requirements
- You should be aware of the code requirements and the benefits of code compliant railings and handrails, and whether or not you will be required to meet building code.
- All of our Assembled Stair Railings meet code compliance standards.
- For more information on this topic, please read our Guide to Code Requirements for Handrails and Railings.
What this Guide Covers:
- The different types/styles of assembled railings (guardrails)
- Why pre-assembled railings are a great choice
- How to measure and order an assembled railing
Determine What Style of Railing (Guardrail) Is Right for You
There are different styles of railings to choose from. The main styles you will come across are:
- Horizontal Railings
- Vertical Railings
- Cable Railings
- Angled Stair Railings
- Angled stair railings can be any type of railing (horizontal, vertical, or cable) that is angled to run the slope of the stairs like a handrail
- If you would like your railing customized to run the slope of your stairs, please submit a custom railing order form or call us
We will cover an example for each type of railing below.
Horizontal Railings
Horizontal railings are named after the direction in which the balusters run (horizontally across the guardrail).
Vertical Railings
Vertical railings are also named after the direction in which the balusters run (vertically up and down across the guardrail). As you can see in the above image, railings can have unique designs incorporated into the balusters, so you are not stuck with balusters that run straight horizontally or vertically.
Cable Railings
Cable railings typically have wire "cables" that are made of steel and that run across the guardrail horizontally. The cables are tightened into place and give a different appeal compared to standard horizontal railings.
Angled Stair Railings (Guardrails):
Angled Stair Railings can be a great design element and work very well in areas that do not have a wall. We can customize your railing to run the slope of your stairs such as in the example image above and below.
Consider If You Value The Convenience of a Pre-assembled Railing or Customization
Now that you know the 3 main styles of railings/guardrails, the next step is to determine how much you value convenience vs customization.
For example, our Assembled Stair Railings (Guardrails) are pre-assembled, meaning you do not have to put them together when they arrive. We sell pre-assembled railings because it saves our customers a ton of time, frustration, and it greatly simplifies the buying process.
We currently sell about 10 styles of pre-assembled railings on our site and we do a lot of custom railing orders for our clients.
We can do a ton of creative work with these designs, but if you desire more options than what we offer, there are websites that sell all the parts separately so you can essentially build your own railing from scratch.
Measure & Order Your Railing (Guardrail)
Now that you understand the styles and convenience of assembled railings / guardrails, next you need to know how to measure, order, and install your assembled stair railing.
Let's go over how to measure and order your railing.
Tools needed for this step:
- Just a tape measurer
Measurements you need to take/know:
- Railing Height
- You need to know the height at which you want to order your railing
- We offer heights of 36" and 42" on our website (if you need a different height contact us)
- 36" or higher is normally code compliant for residential properties (unless it's a 2nd floor as noted in our video, then a 42" height is normally required) while 42" or higher is typically code compliant for commercial properties
- For more information on code compliance for railings and handrails, please reference our guide on Railing and Handrail Code Requirements
- Railing Width (also referred to as railing length)
- You need to measure the total width of the surface you will be installing the railing on
- Subtract a total of 2 inches off of the total width (1 inch off for each side) so that your railing is not too close to the edges of the stairs or whatever surface you are installing the railing on
- This helps by 1) giving the railing a better look and 2) helps further reduce the risk of splitting wood if your installing the railing on a wooden surface
- Please Note:
- When you order a specific "width" with us for your railing, that width will include the total width from end-to-end
- For our railings, the widest point of the railings is the ends of the base plates, so if you order a 45" wide railing, your railing width end-to-end will be 45" (please reference the video above if this is unclear)
Up Next: How to Install Your Railing (Guardrail)
To help you with the next steps, check out our guide below: