If you have ever tripped and grabbed onto handrails, you know that railings and banisters aren’t just there for aesthetics. They are essential for safety. Aluminum railings are some of the most low-maintenance, durable, and nice railings on today’s market, and the best part is that you can install them quite easily. Understanding aluminum railing components is a crucial step for installation. Before installing your handrail, you should understand a few things to save yourself time, frustration, and money. However, you could avoid the entire headache by hiring Eastern Shore Porch and Patio to install them onto your deck instead. Read on to learn more!

The Aluminum Railing

When aluminum handrails are delivered, the actual rail is pretty hard to miss. Before we install the rails, we measure from the top landing’s nose all the way to the floor at the bottom of the deck stairs. From here, we add about two feet to figure out the exact length of the rail that you’ll need for your project.

End Caps

The end cap of your handrail package will also be relatively easy to recognize. End caps are small components that insert right into the handrail, covering the end of the railing to keep out insects or other debris. You might use wall returns instead of any traditional end caps. Wall returns are the end caps that snugly fit at the end of the railing to the adjacent wall. We will make sure to double-check the railing package, as you will need two returns for any given railing system, too.

Wall Mounts

A wall mount will secure the middle of the railing to the wall. It might also be used to support the weight of the longer aluminum rails. This is more for railings for stairs on front porches, but can also be used for decks indoors or outdoors with wood, brick, vinyl, stucco, or concrete.

Connectors

Do you have an especially long outdoor area to cover with your railing? If this is the case, we at Eastern Shore Porch and Patio will use a connector. As you may expect, handrail connectors attach lengths of railing together to form an extended railing system. Depending on your railing system, these connectors might be external or internal.

Mounting Screws

Of course, you will have to securely attach your railings to any walls too. That is where mounting screws and anchors come in. We’ll use mounting screws or anchors to securely attach your wall returns or mounts to any type of wall in your outdoor living space.

Trust Eastern Shore Porch and Patio

When you embark on your next project for your property, trust Eastern Shore Porch and Patio to help. We service Bethany Beach, Ocean City, Lewes, Salisbury, and the Delmarva area. You can request a quote today! If you have questions or concerns, call us at 302-436-9520 or send us an email at info@esvinylproducts.com. For updates and ideas, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Youtube.