Railings, other accessories can help deck projects stand out.
The average decking and other outdoor living projects are getting larger and more extensive, so it’s no surprise that the demand for railings, lighting and other accessories is growing as well. Homeowners want the wow factor that an impressive railing system or extra trim options can bring to a project.
“People who want to be outside and who are building homes with views want to truly feel like they’re outside and part of nature, as opposed to separating themselves from it with bulky, obtrusive railing,” says Melanie Hess, Key-Link Fencing & Railing marketing coordinator. “Uncluttered, clean and simple looks (both interior and exterior) are definitely trending.”
Customers are looking for the ability to customize their outdoor projects, just as they would a kitchen or other interior remodel. “People are no longer satisfied with cookie cutter solutions,” says John Moss, RailFX national sales manager. “They want to be able to create a deck that blends in with their home and fits their lifestyle.”
At the same time, contractors are looking for solutions that will make sure a deck lasts as long as the new alternative decking and railing options on the market. With that in mind, Fortress Building Products has introduced its Evolution Steel Framing.
“Most alternative decking and railing materials have 25- year to lifetime warranties while a typical wood frame has a life of about 12 years,” says Marketing Programs Supervisor Alyx Armstrong. “The steel framing will stay perfectly straight without warping, crowning, twisting or rotting. Additionally, the Evolution Steel Framing system allows you to span farther than wood, resulting in less post and footers that block the views of the deck.” Steel framing is the natural evolution of the demand for low maintenance products that started with alternative decking and railing products, Armstrong says.
“From our research, the deck builder who is an early adopter of steel framing is looking to offer something different from the competition, looking for a product that looks and installs like wood and is looking to eliminate fasteners and speed up installation,” Armstrong says. “We have provided all of these attributes to the Evolution Steel Framing system. Additionally, because the joists stay perfectly straight, the contractor will get less call backs due to the wood shifting, warping and rotting allowing them to save on time and labor.”
An explosion of options
The demand for improved aesthetics has resulted in a number of new products this year and last, as manufacturers look to offer new railings and other options.
Feeney is rolling out three new panelized infill systems for its Design Rail aluminum railing systems in the second quarter of 2019.
The infill panel options will include laser-cut aluminum panels, available in a variety of designs, including custom patterns. Other options will include stainless steel mesh panels and resin panels with organic materials, such as leaves and branches, embedded in the material. The steel and aluminum panels are for exterior and interior use, while the resin panels are for interior projects only.
“We were really looking for ways to expand the diversity of Design Rail and what you can do with it,” says Brad Adsit, director of product development. “We wanted to see what types of materials are out there that we can incorporate into our existing pre-engineered frame. And just offer more selection for our customers and for designers and for contractors, but still keeping in mind the ease of ordering and installation of that product.”
The mesh option has been an especially common request. In the past, says Feeney Chief Product Officer Andrew Toimil, contractors would have to work with a custom metal fabricator to get a product like that. Now, there is a stock option that makes it easier and less ex- pensive to deliver that solution. Feeney sells its railings in both 36″ and 42″ heights, so the panels will be stocked in those heights.
“The only thing that the installer might have to do is trim the width, depending on the spacing of the posts,” Toimil says. “But the height will be pre-determined because we know our top and bottom rails are at a fixed height, so we can control that. There is not going to be lead time, custom design, all the stuff that goes with something like that.”
AGS Stainless is also working to make railing options simpler for con- tractors and dealers by making it easy to deliver a high-end, custom look without tying up money in inventory.
“We do all the cutting, welding, and polishing. We number all the components,” says Kevin Harris, director of sales & marketing. “When we ship the rails out, they’re ready to be installed. And what that does is give the dealer the ability to capture a part of the railing market that would normally not come their way.”
Instead of having to send that work elsewhere, dealers can capture that business because AGS Stainless will do all the fabrication on behalf of the lumberyard.
“The builder comes in, he gives the plans to the desk, they send that information over to us, we work up the estimate, send it back to them, they present it to the dealer, the dealer presents it to the builder, the builder says, ‘I’m in,’” Harris says. “A few weeks later, the rails show up at the store. Everything’s cut, welded, polished, numbered, and there are clear installation instructions.”
Source: https://bit.ly/2DIItHe
