Category Archives: Railings

What’s black and white and has rail caps all over?

woodNot your grandma’s porch railing!  Not too long ago, a deck would be a big rectangle with a railing of 2×2 wood pickets ringing the outside.  You’ve probably rested many a drink on the flat board that sits atop one of those wooden rails because they are a feature of so many decks.  They were a great option for DIY deck projects as they matched the rest of the deck (no imagination required!) and they were simple to build (easy!). On the flip side, these wood railings came with plenty of maintenance issues including durability issues, cracking, splintering, and rotting issues as the railings aged.

AZEK Morado Deck with AZEK railing

AZEK Morado Deck with AZEK railing

Today’s homeowners want more options. They want low maintenance options and they want stronger railings. In short, homeowners want to have their cake and eat it too. It needs to look great, work well, and last long. Discerning Kansas City area homeowners are willing to pay for railing that meets these requirements.

Deck material manufacturers have solved many of these durability issues by developing stronger, longer lasting alternatives.  Metal balusters/pickets reduce maintenance costs while giving the the deck a current, more stylish look.  Common metal choices include steel, iron and aluminum. In addition, many composite decking companies now offer composite railing options.

Other non-metal material options include vinyl and fiberglass.  You can mix and match different materials for a unique or interesting look and no-fuss maintenance.  Color contrast rather than color matching is becoming popular.  Using a darker rail material draws the eye past the deck and into the yard.  Black railings are by far the most popular color in the Kansas Lenexa custom designed screened porchCity market, followed by bronze.  One way to update the look of an older, existing deck or porch is to change the railing.  You’ll be amazed at what a difference it makes!

Take a look at some of the project photos on our site with an eye on the railings.  Take note of the different colors, shapes and materials.  Then give Archadeck a call to schedule a free consultation on your project.  We will help you select the best materials and design options for your porch or deck– for today and the years to come.

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

If you’re considering adding a new deck, porch, or other outdoor living space to your Kansas City area home, give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 851 – 3325 or drop us an email at kansascity@archadeck.net.

 

 

Do you love the sound of the summer rain?

Most people love the sound of the summer rain. It’s probably because of the amazing smells that comes with it. There is nothing like the smell of summer and the smell in summer just after the rain. The other great thing that goes with summer rain is usually a nice cool breeze. Are you one of those people that goes to a favorite spot in your home when the rain begins because you know you can best hear and smell and feel everything that goes with the rain?

My customers tell me the same thing — my customers that I have built a sunroom for. Now imagine that the special place you go in your house when it rains is actually outside your house. A screened porch fits the bill for this just perfectly. With a screened porch…

You can eat outdoors without the bugs

You can be outdoors and control privacy and sun

You can be outdoors in the rain – it’s great to sit out there in summer rain

You can be out there with laptop or radio or TV because you have shelter from the elements

Before picture

When these Leawood KS homeowners called us, they had a number of problems with their old deck. The deck had issues and the awning which had served as sun and rain protection was ripped and leaked.

We decided to build a new deck and an adjoining screened porch. The style of this home is unique and has a lot of character so we came up with a couple of creative design ideas and presented the ideas to the homeowners. One of the roof designs that we presented for the sunroom was very unique and fitting of the charming look of this tudor-style home. It has a gable on a shed roof.

Another design detail was the redesign of the stairs. They wanted to design stairs to work with landscaping so we designed steps to be completely different than before and to work with their landscaping plans.

Kansas City Screen Porch by Archadeck

Kansas City Screen Porch by Archadeck

Here are some more details about the project and materials. We used Fiberon composite decking in Ipe color. This color imitates look of a tropical hardwood such as Ipe. We used Smart trim is designed to be painted to match the color of the house. We used Fortress railing which is galvanized steel rail that’s powder coated. This rail is very popular nationwide.

Kansas City Screened Porch inside tongue and groove ceiling

Kansas City Screened Porch inside tongue and groove ceiling

Here is a picture of the inside of the sunroom. You can see how the detail on the roof design really adds to the aesthetic appeal inside the screened porch as well. You’ll also note from the picture how much sun comes into the screened porch while still providing some sun protection.

 

 

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

Bonnie and Dan Hall, Archadeck of Kansas City Owners

 

Give us a call to discuss some ideas for your next outdoor project. (913) 851 – 3325 or email kansascity@archadeck.net