Exterior railings can age your home when they look outdated or worn. But you can spruce up these railings to improve your property’s curb appeal.
Below are some tips for updating outdoor banisters and handrails that you can complete on your own or with the help of a quality contractor.
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Use Quality Materials and Workmanship
Before updating your exterior railings, remember that the quality of your materials and workmanship matter. Although some types of railings look good at first, they do not wear well over time. This is true of many aluminum kits.
Being a soft metal, aluminum easily dents, scratches, and dings unless properly designed and protected. This metal can also chip and corrode, if not properly coated.
If you choose aluminum for your railings, ensure you select a well-engineered product like those from McLean Railings. Otherwise, you face replacing your railings again.
Besides aluminum, you must be careful when considering wood railings for the outdoors. Being careful means protecting the wood from rotting, a condition that quickly undermines the integrity of any wooden rail structure.
If you choose to use wood outdoors, ensure you select a durable type like cedar. Whether you go with cedar or choose something like fir, spruce, or pine, you need to apply an anti-rot coating.
Regardless of the coating, you can expect fading, warping, and splintering unless you periodically refinish the rail.
As for other materials, each type comes with its own issues. For example, plastic or vinyl railings can crack.
Composite materials of wood, plastic, and colorants tend to look cheap and you should avoid them if you want a timeless or elegant look.
Some of the best materials for timeless or contemporary appearance and enduring quality are glass, stainless steel, and wrought iron.
Of these, wrought iron is the most labor-intensive, requiring ongoing maintenance of the painted coating to prevent rust.
Because your home’s exterior is the first impression people gain of your property, ensure you apply quality workmanship. If you question your ability to update your railings, consider hiring professionals.
The pros do not just do a great job according to your specifications. They do so more quickly, with little life disruption or inconvenience.
But when you buy McLean Railings, you receive easy-to-assemble custom designs with an elegant appearance that you can install yourself.
This saves you time and money that you can apply elsewhere to spruce up your home exterior.
Consider Infill Options
Exterior railings do not need to be boring. Consider modern cabling or wiring in lieu of traditional posts and rails for low maintenance and modern look.
Using railing cables also gives your outside spaces a more open appearance, preserving your beautiful views.
Talk to your local professionals at McLean Railings about stainless steel railings, also called wire deck railing.
Electropolished cables of stainless steel prove almost maintenance-free and resist corrosion. Your options include horizontal or vertical infill cabling.
Like cabling, stainless steel bar railing is a low maintenance option for outdoor railings. These are also available for vertical or horizontal installations with designer-quality components like a brushed finish, powder coating, or mirror finish.
Upgrade Your Hardware and Accessories
To improve the appearance of your outdoor railings, you can also choose to upgrade components and accessories.
Simply modifying some of these parts provides a fresh look without having to redo the entire railing system.
You must ensure the help of an expert when ordering new railing parts, however. Many cheaper components or knock-offs available on the mass market do not fit existing railings.
Some options for updating your hardware and accessories include new handrail brackets and railing lighting. Lighting really makes your spruced up railings stand out and include solar-powered options.
Of course, before applying new lighting, you need to refresh your existing railing’s appearance with a fresh coat of paint or other maintenance. Avoid putting the spotlight on cracked or peeling paint, rust, or damaged sections.
