Step-By-Step Buying Guide
1. Pick Your Posts
Posts are the foundation of a cable railing system, supporting the top rail and bearing the tension of taut cable infill. We currently offer four material/shape options. Choose the one that appeals most to you:
- Lowest cost
- 5 color options
- Impervious to termites, ants, etc.
- Sustainable / LEED material
- Shortest lead time
- Strong, durable Grade 316 Stainless
- Corrosion resistant & low maintenance
- Ideal for coastal environments
- Clean look w/ a Brushed Finish
- Round shape is less visually obtrusive
- Lowest cost
- 5 color options
- Impervious to termites, ants, etc.
- Sustainable / LEED material
- Shortest lead time
- Naturally durable wood species
- Engineered, High-Grade Lumber
- Corrosion-free in any application
- Can be stained or painted
- Lower cost than Stainless Steel
Each post section contains several different types of posts, as well as post mounting hardware and top rail connection methods. Make sure to order everything you need for your specific project. While picking out your posts, keep these terms and options in mind:
- Deck Mount (posts attach to the top of a surface) or Fascia Mount (posts attach to the side of a surface)
- 36in (if local building codes permit) or 42in Final Height
- Drilled (pre-drilled prior to shipping) or Undrilled (for posts that don't need holes or need custom holes)
- Terminal (the first and last post in a run) or Intermediate (the posts between the terminals)
2. Pick Your Top Rail
The top rail, also called a cap rail, unites your posts into a complete frame. The top rail(s) you select will depend on your posts and personal preferences:
- Compatible Posts: Aluminum
- Most popular shape; matches posts
- Flat top makes it a usable surface
- Compatible Posts: Aluminum
- Smooth, domed design
- Unique shape for a top rail
- Compatible Posts: Aluminum / Wood
- Thinner rail. Ideal for stairs/curves
- Can support any wood top rail
- Compatible Posts: Stainless Round
- Multiple size & material options
- Stainless Round Rail matches posts
- Compatible Posts: Stainless Square
- Multiple size & material options
- Stainless Flat Rail is incredibly thin
- Compatible Posts: All
- High-grade Exotic and Cedar species
- Several length & dimension options
Be sure to include corner and connector pieces (in the above top rail categories) as needed. If supplying your own wood top rail, you may still want our Aluminum Post-to-Post Handrail to support it.
3. Pick Your Cable
Marine-Grade Stainless Steel Cable is the core component of a cable railing system. With it, any open frame can become a cable railing. Our cables are made of 316L Stainless Steel, the highest tier of Marine-Grade Stainless, with increased luster and longevity. They are also electropolished prior to shipping.
- 19 cable strands twisted together.
- Clean look; low-profile
- 1/8" option is most popular for residential. Lowest cost and greatest flexibility.
- 3/16" option is used for commercial and is more rigid.
- Grade 316L & electropolished
- 7 bundles of 7 wires wound together for a rope-like aesthetic.
- Industrial-looking, woven design
- 3/16" commercial diameter only
- Cheaper and more flexible than 1x19 3/16"; better for runs with many bends or 90deg corners.
- Grade 316L & electropolished
4. Pick Your Hardware
Cable railing hardware is used to secure the ends of your cables. These unique pieces are called "fittings", an "assembly" of which contains two fittings total, one for each end of a single cable. Usually an assembly will include one fitting that allows you to tension your cables (called a tensioner or turnbuckle) and one that does not (called a terminal or end). Browse the assemblies below based on the needs of your project.
- Fittings that go through the first and last post of a run.
- Need a crimping tool (if not pre-swaged). See our video about crimping
- Hardware partially hidden in post
- Includes our thinnest, lowest profile, and most popular hardware option: Field/Factory Assemblies
- Fittings that go through the first and last post of a run.
- Do not need a crimping tool. For 1/8" cable only.
- Type 1 includes our popular Factory Tensioner
- Type 2 includes our particularly minimal Low-Profile Button design
- Fittings that attach to the inside face of a metal post or other surface. Allow for single-post corners.
- Need a crimping tool (if not pre-swaged). See our video about crimping
- Includes our low-cost, stair-friendly Surface Mount Toggle Assembly, plus jaw options for tab and flat bar attachment.
- Fittings that attach to the inside face of a wood post or other surface.
- Need a crimping tool (if not pre-swaged). See our video about crimping
- Includes our low-cost, stair-friendly Surface Mount Toggle Assembly, plus lag assemblies for easy installation with wood posts
You can also choose your end hardware and/or turnbuckles individually, if you need specific quantities of certain pieces or want to mix end options from different assemblies.
5. Optional Railing Pieces
Beyond the railing itself, you may also need a gate and/or handrail depending on your project. If your railing includes stairs, you will likely need a handrail. Consult your local building codes for specific requirements.
These gates are made using our post pieces and cable hardware so they integrate seamlessly with the rest of your railing system.
Compatible with aluminum or wood posts. Use between posts or mount to a wall. Ideal for a handrail that runs continuously with the rest of the railing system
Compatible with stainless or wood posts. Two diameter options available. Our 2" Diameter matches our top rail. Our 1.5" Diameter is slightly thinner, for more visual variation and a lower-profile handrail.
6. Installation Tools & Maintenance Products
Now that the railing itself has been completed, all that's left are the tools to install and maintain it.
Includes cable crimpers, cable cutters, and drill bit kits for our various fittings and frame components.
Includes epoxy bonding stainless steel components, plus solutions for cleaning & protecting stainless frames and cables.
Wood Care Products
Includes end grain sealant and deep penetrating oil treatment to protect wood top rails and posts.