The two biggest design choices you have to make when planning your deck are your deck boards and your railing. While most people start with picking a board color to complement their home, it’s the railing that will define your overall look.

With so many railing options available — like color, material, shape, and infill — you have all the components you need to customize your railing. It’s how you combine them that determines whether your rail style is Timeless and Traditional, Sleek and Contemporary, or Blended and Transitional.

Timeless and traditional

Known for its classic beauty, traditional railing adds an elegant look to your home and adds an elegant, timeless look to your home. With shapely top rails complemented by infills like simple square balusters or intricate decorative panels, traditional railing is ideal for perfecting the outdoor look of a wide range of architectural styles — from historic farmhouse to stately colonial and Victorian.

While traditionally made from wood, TimberTech’s advanced materials technology produces durable railing options that feature milled wood-inspired designs with none of the wood maintenance.

Reserve Collection in Driftwood^™, Pinnacle Rail^™ with Square Web infill

Classic Composite Series with Premier top rail

Sleek and contemporary

With a focus on functionality and simplicity, contemporary railing is all about clean lines and minimalism. Often made from metal like steel or aluminum, these low-profile rails pair best with an equally minimalist infill like cable rail or glass panels — which gives you all the safety of traditional infills, but with a virtually unobstructed view.

Contemporary railing is the clear choice for modern and mid-century styles and can create a seamless and harmonious transition that really lets the architectural elements shine. For those that like to mix things up, contemporary rail styles can also give you a pop of contrast that makes a clear distinction between your indoor and outdoor spaces.

Legacy Collection in Pecan, Impression Rail Express with Modern top rail

Terrain® Collection in Stone Ash (Special Order), Classic Composite Series with RadianceRail^® top rail

Blended and transitional

Transitional rail style is a little bit of traditional and a little bit of contemporary. Pair white rails with black balusters. Blend traditional rail shapes with modern cable rail infill. Taking this hybrid approach to your rail design gives you more room for creativity and personalization.

The beauty of this versatile rail style is you can customize it to complement whatever architectural style your home may be. Explore, mix, and match until you find the perfect combination to match your outdoor vision — your options are endless.

Classic Composite Series with Premier top rail and Horizontal Cable Rail infill

Classic Composite Series with Drink Rail

Tips to narrow down your rail style

When it comes to practical benefits like safety, durability, and low-maintenance outdoor living, choosing TimberTech Railing is an easy decision. But, with so many beautiful options, finding your rail style might be more of a challenge — try these tips to help you find your style.

1. Look at your home’s architecture: Identify your home’s style and decide whether you want your railing to create a cohesive look or add a pop of contrast.
2. Get inspired: Look at as many deck and railing images you can find, whether they’re in design magazines, on Pinterest boards, or our Inspiration Gallery.
3. Express yourself: Ultimately, the most important factor to consider is what you want. Let your personal style and preferences be your guide and you’ll design a deck that makes you feel at home.

Explore design options and find your style

Our 3D Deck Designer tool lets you play with deck and railing colors, lighting, infills and more so you can bring your deck ideas to life.

LAUNCH DECK DESIGNER