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A Cost-Conscious "See Through" Deck Railing

6/26/2017

15 Comments

 
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Last week I showed off a new deck which I recently built near Asheville, but there's one aspect which deserves its own post: the "see through" deck railing made from livestock fence panels.

The problem with building new porch and deck railings is that Asheville's building code restricts openings in the railing to a 4-inch maximum for safety reasons. Traditional pickets get in the way of the view when they're spaced so close together.
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Some people use glass railings, but they can be expensive and hard to keep clean. You can also choose steel cable railings, but they can be expensive, too, and in this case they were a little too modern for this rustic home.

Fortunately, we found a solution that fits the bill: livestock panels.
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I got the wire panels at Tractor Supply, where they said that livestock fence panels are very popular for deck railings. There are several kinds, made with different-sized openings between the wire, in order to keep in different kinds of animals. "Goat Panels" have the right-size openings to meet building code standards.

The materials for this railing cost about the same as a traditional railing, but the installation was much faster than it would have been if I were installing pickets.
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Zooming in closer, you can see how it was all put together. The posts have holes drilled into them to accept the wire ends of the panels. The tops and bottoms of the panels are held in place by wooden batten strips.

Once it's all screwed together, it's very firm and sturdy. You can sit in the deck chairs and look right down into the yard, which is really nice for keeping an eye on kids or pets.
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The panels wrap around the corner and follow the railing down the stairs.
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As you can see, they're totally unobtrusive.

We don't just do deck railing installation... we also repair railings, porches, decks and stairs in the Asheville area. If your deck or porch needs a little TLC, give us a call. We'll be glad to help!
Get the Perfect Railing
15 Comments
Amy Winters link
10/15/2018 03:50:39 pm

I really love the idea of creating a see-through deck railing for your home using livestock panels! My husband and I are planning to have a deck installed, so we've been looking into our options for material and design of the railing. I love the way the livestock panels look, and it's such a unique and surprising design!

Reply
Sean Camby
6/12/2019 01:51:27 pm

Could you go into more detail about how you attached the panels to posts and batten? What size batten and screws/nails were used? Thanks.

Reply
Arthur Teel
6/12/2019 06:26:32 pm

Hi Sean,

The ends of the live stock panels are inserted into drilled holes. For the top and bottom, the livestock panels are sandwiched on both sides and screwed together. As well as screwed into the bottom and top railing.

Thanks for reading the blog and best of luck with your project!

Reply
Derek
6/20/2019 09:06:12 pm

Is the goat panel flimsy enough so you can wedge it between the two posts and into the drill holes? Also how deep would you suggest drilling the holes that receive the goat panel? Looks amazing! Thanks!

Reply
Sean Camby
6/21/2019 01:59:26 pm

I just picked up some of these (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/ok-brand-handy-panel-8-ft-l-x-50-in-h) to use and they seem like they will be able to be wedged between the posts. Depending on how you have to cut the panel I would think holes 1-2" should suffice.

Reply
Arthur Teel
6/21/2019 08:52:33 pm

Just the ticket! I used bolt cutters, which worked great. It goes a lot faster than wood railing. Best of luck!

Kristyn Dumont Achilich
4/25/2020 06:19:47 am

Did you have to make the battens or did you strip them down from a PT 2x4? Thanks.

Reply
Arthur Teel
4/25/2020 07:59:09 am

I ripped then down.

Reply
Donna
6/27/2020 09:41:05 am

Do you have to worry about it rusting and have you come up with a solution to prevent rusting? I love this look, but my husband is concerned with rust.

Reply
Arthur Teel
6/27/2020 09:44:12 am

I think it's galvanized. Ours has been up for 4-5 years with no evidence of rust. These panels were easy to install and fairly cheap for the goat panel. I'd just replace it if I didn't like the rust. So far so good though.

Reply
Bobby X
7/6/2020 09:33:22 am

What is the length of your rails from post to post? I want to do something similar with composite wood top rail but am uncertain it can hold the weight beyond 6 feet. Would love to extend the post distances to maybe 8-10 feet so that the yard beyond is more visible.

Reply
Arthur Teel
7/6/2020 09:57:04 am

They are 9 feet at the longest. Composite material isn't as stiff, but it may work still. The goat panel will give it some support. But the top peice couldn't be very wide. Also the 1x2's on either side of the goat panel will add some support.. You could test it first, before committing to the whole railing. It does seem a little on the flimsy side for a top rail, but it might be just fine.

Reply
Bobby X
7/6/2020 02:02:00 pm

I meant to say that the 1x6 composite wood will be the rail cap that will rest on a 2x4 treated wood top rail if that makes any sense. I will take your advice and test it out on one panel first. Thanks!

Michael Smith
7/27/2020 05:41:40 pm

Is the top of the railing a 2x8 notched on the inside and even with the 6x6 on the outside? Love the idea just need some more details

Reply
Arthur Teel link
7/27/2020 06:36:48 pm

Yes, it's 8" wide and notched around the 6x6 post.

Reply

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  • Home
  • About
    • Craftsmen >
      • Arthur Teel
      • Allan Bailey
      • Frank Dapkus
      • Jesse Scott
      • Joshua Babbish
      • Ricardo Blanco
      • Sam Hubbard
      • Steven Rector
    • Service Area
  • Handyman Services
    • Cabinets and Built-Ins
    • Closets and Storage
    • Doors, Locks and Knobs >
      • Door Repair
      • Door Replacement
      • Knobs and Locks
    • For Interior Designers >
      • Hanging Pictures & Mirrors
      • Interior Painting
      • Light Fixture Installation
      • Window Treatments
    • Furniture Assembly
    • Kitchen Islands
    • Light Fixture Installations
    • Outdoor Spaces >
      • Decks and Deck Repair
      • Porch Repair
      • Railings and Stairs
      • Screen Doors and Porches
      • Sheds and Storage Buildings
    • Painting >
      • Cabinet Painting
      • Exterior Painting
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