If you’ve decided to use composite decking in your next home project, another component you’ll look at next is composite railing. Any deck would just look incomplete without a proper railing. Plus, if the project involves an elevated deck (no matter the height from the ground), adding railing along the edges guarantees safety to anyone enjoying the deck.
Those who have already begun their deck construction or repair with Veranda HD decking would likely gravitate towards a deck railing of the same brand. For others, Veranda railing may be an intriguing choice simply because they’ve seen the railing kits at Home Depot before.
Either way, Veranda railing kits are worthy contenders for composite railing and this review shows you why.
Overview
Fiberon is the mother company of Veranda railing. It’s been manufacturing decking, railing, fastener, and other deck-building supplies since 1997 when it was founded by Doug Mancosh in New London, North Carolina.
Fiberon manufactures Veranda decking, railing, fencing, and accessories, and sells it exclusively through Home Depot.
Veranda Railing complements the Veranda decks. It is made with a PolyComposite core and a durable cap stock outer layer. You can choose between two elegant black or white versions, in either 6-foot or 8-foot lengths. You also have an option between Traditional and Williamsburg styles.
In the past, Veranda used to have two railing options – Regency and Enclaved – available. Today, you’ll find Veranda rails are just sold as kits (with everything needed for installation already included). There is also a kit specific for gate or stair railing, which is essential to most decks with stairs.
Veranda also sells compatible balusters, the horizontal rail at the bottom that adds strength and stability to all the rails.
Pros and Cons
Veranda railing products are classically beautiful, but they’re also durable thanks to modern technology and the quality components used to manufacture these wood-alternative rails. Other advantages of Veranda rails include:
Price and Hidden Costs
Veranda rail kits are aimed at do-it-yourself homeowners, so expect no hidden costs involved when you buy them. Of course, if you outsource the job to a construction company, you’d likely pay a lot more than just the cost of the materials. Which should be about:
- Veranda Rail kit (measuring 8 feet x 36 inches) with balusters and handrail included costs around $90 to $100.
- Veranda Stair Rail kit (measuring about 6 feet x 36 inches slanted) with brackets included costs around $60 to $70.
Baluster kits, post sleeves, and decorative fascia are sold separately.
Installation
If you buy the Veranda railing kit, it comes with a bracket-and-cover system. You just have to align and attach the rail bracket to the post, then snap the cover into place for a fastener-free appearance.
The kits already have the connectors installed, which means you don’t need to measure for spacing the balusters. It is nearly impossible to mess up leveling, spacing, or fastening the rail to the post, especially for pre-assembled kits.
If you’re working on stair rails, make sure you buy the appropriate stair kit that comes with baluster stair adapters.
Do note that all rail sections wider than 36 inches between connection points (post-to-wall, wall-to-wall, or post-to-post) require crush blocks to build the Veranda railing. 72-inch rail sections need two crush blocks, 108-inch rail sections need 3 crush blocks, and so on.
Not only do crush blocks add strength to your entire railing system, but you’ll also guarantee that your rails won’t sag under weight. It is recommended to align crush blocks under a baluster when you’re installing the Veranda rail kit since this setup provides maximum support.
Installing Veranda rails could be as quick as only two hours or an entire weekend. Of course, the size of your deck and the complexity of the project (such as multiple stairs) will affect how long you’ll need to work to install the railings.
Care and Maintenance
Veranda railing is user-friendly and requires little upkeep.
Cleaning the deck, rails and other components only requires soap and water. If you have a pressure washer, only use it occasionally for deeper cleaning (and not for blasting off soiling agents). As for grease, oil stains, and stubborn dirt, spot removers could be used but only after the accident occurred.
Scratches do not need to be repainted. Just let the scratch marks fade normally and blend in with the weathered color of your rails. However, if the caps become damaged, replace them immediately before water seeps into the core.
Veranda backs its railing kits with a 20-year limited warranty, which guarantees the rails will not splinter, crack or rot within this period.
Overall Opinion
Veranda rails are perfect for do-it-yourself homeowners looking for a weekend project to either restore an old deck or create new decking. Of course, since these are just rails, you should have already chosen composite decking (Veranda has them too, as well as fencing and all other accessories needed to complete the deck project).
Trex composite deck railing is the most recommended by professional deck builders and the biggest competition for Veranda railing kits. Price-wise, Veranda rails are slightly more affordable than Trex and most brands on the market. But if you’ve already started your deck with Veranda composite deck boards, it is best to stick to the same Veranda brand to guarantee the components all fit together.
