Railing is the part of a deck that homeowners look at every day. It frames the view, and it is what makes the deck look finished. It also has to hold, structurally, for as long as the deck is standing. The railing you choose will determine how much work it takes to keep up. It will determine how well it holds up through Northeast Ohio winters. And it will determine whether the deck still looks good ten years from now.
At Hen-House Decks, we install custom deck railing designs in Northeast Ohio that enhance both the appearance and functionality of your outdoor space. One of the systems we install most often for homeowners who want long-term performance with minimal upkeep is Regal Ideas aluminum railing. Here is what that system includes, how it works, and what goes into choosing the right railing for your deck.
Why Regal Ideas Aluminum Railing
Regal Ideas manufactures aluminum railing systems from 100% pure high-strength aluminum alloys with a UV-resistant powder coat finish applied to every component. It does not rust. It does not warp when the temperature swings from single digits to 90 degrees. And it does not need painting, staining, or sealing. In Northeast Ohio, winters are hard, we get a lot of rain, and the temperature swings are real. That matters for anything you are leaving outside year-round.
One manufacturing detail worth noting: Regal Ideas applies powder coating to the base of every post, not just the visible surfaces. ACQ pressure-treated lumber, the standard substrate used in deck framing, contains copper-based preservatives that can corrode unprotected metal at the point of contact over time. Regal Ideas addresses this at the factory rather than leaving it to the project site.
The system carries a 20-year limited warranty and is engineered to meet or exceed both the National Building Code (NBC) and the International Building Code (IBC). It is approved for residential use and for multi-family applications up to 12 stories.
Regal Ideas Product Lines We Install
Regal Aluminum Railing: The Picket System
The Regal Aluminum Railing system is the core product line and the most widely installed aluminum railing in North America. The system uses a patented locking picket design that allows the 3/4-inch pickets to be secured without screws driven into the top and bottom rails, which is how most competing systems work. The locking approach is faster to install and eliminates screw penetrations that can let moisture in over time.
Posts come with pre-welded brackets already positioned for the top and bottom rails, which takes the guesswork out of field measurement. This matters on long railing runs where small errors add up and become visible. The maximum span between posts is 8 feet, which is longer than most comparable aluminum systems allow, and reduces the total number of posts needed on larger decks.
The picket system is available in multiple colors and can be configured with decorative post caps, post inserts, and accessories to match the deck’s overall look. Pickets and glass panels are interchangeable within the same system. A homeowner who starts with a picket configuration can add glass panels later without replacing the posts or rails.
Regal Tempered Glass Panels
For homeowners who want the safety of a railing without cutting off the view, the Regal glass panel system uses 6mm tempered glass infill panels within the standard aluminum rail framework. These panels are available in widths ranging from 6 inches to 66 inches, in 3-inch increments. That range allows the system to accommodate varied post spacing without custom fabrication.
The glass meets Miami-Dade County hurricane wind load requirements, one of the most demanding standards for glazing in residential construction. This is a tested and certified performance specification, not a general marketing claim.
Glass panels work well on decks that overlook a yard, a pond, or a drop in elevation. A solid railing or a picket railing will cut off that view. Glass keeps it open. They also look right on a modern house, where you do not want a lot of visual noise at the edge. And parents with young children consistently choose glass for one simple reason: Kids will climb the horizontal rails on a picket system. Glass gives them nothing to grab.
CrystalRail: Frameless Glass Railing
CrystalRail is Regal Ideas’ frameless glass railing system. There are no posts. There are no top or bottom rails. 10mm tempered glass panels mount directly to the deck framing using low-profile base channel hardware. What you see from the seating area is glass and nothing else.
The glass used in CrystalRail is 98% iron-free. Standard tempered glass has a visible green cast when viewed edge-on. This glass does not. It reads as clear water, not green-tinted float glass.
CrystalRail is the right call when the view is the whole point and you do not want anything between your chair and the yard. It also works well for pool enclosures and wind walls where you need a barrier that does not block airflow or sightlines.
Regal LED Lighting System
The Regal LED system integrates directly with the standard aluminum railing components. LED fixtures mount into the post caps or the post bodies, putting low-level light along the railing perimeter. That light hits the deck surface and the stair edges without requiring separate fixtures or conduit runs in most installations.
Post cap LEDs point down onto the decking so you can see where you are walking. In-rail LEDs mark the stair edge and railing line, where most outdoor trips and falls occur. If you entertain outdoors or want to be on the deck after the kids are in bed, the LED system is the most practical way to make it work without calling in a separate electrician.
QuickStep Outdoor Stair System
Regal Ideas also manufactures the QuickStep outdoor stair system, a building-code-approved kit that includes designer stair stringers, stair treads, and connector kits designed to work with the Regal railing system. Using a matched stair and railing system produces a more cohesive finished appearance and simplifies the permit inspection process, since both systems are engineered to the same code standards.
What Goes Into a Railing Installation
A deck railing construction project involves more decisions than most homeowners expect before the work begins.
Post mounting method is the first. Posts can be fascia-mounted to the face of the decking frame or through-mounted to the structural framing below. Fascia mounting keeps the post hardware below the deck surface line and looks cleaner. Through-deck mounting can make a strong connection, but it requires careful flashing. If that flashing gets missed, moisture gets into the framing. In a climate that gets as much rain as Northeast Ohio, that becomes a real problem.
Post spacing interacts with the infill choice. For a glass panel system, the post spacing determines the panel width. In a picket system, the picket pattern affects how it lands at the corners and around stair openings. Planning the layout before the first post location is marked prevents the visual inconsistencies that come from treating post placement as a purely structural decision.
Stair railing has its own requirements. Building codes in most jurisdictions specify graspable rail diameter, required height on stair runs, the angle of the rail relative to the stair pitch, and the clearance between balusters. These are the minimum standards the deck has to meet to pass inspection. The Regal system handles stair configurations with angle brackets and rail components engineered for standard stair pitches.
Corner connections and gate openings require specific components. A deck with a gate to a pool or yard, or a railing that turns a corner, needs hardware designed for those transitions. Regal Ideas engineers these as part of the component system rather than requiring field fabrication.
Choosing the Right System for Your Project
Most homeowners ask us which deck railing system best fits their project. The answer depends on how they plan to use the deck and the surrounding landscape. That’s why many homeowners choose Hen-House Decks as one of the trusted deck railing companies in Northeast Ohio.
For a traditional or craftsman-style home with a wooded backdrop or a screened view, the picket system in a neutral color, bronze, black, or white, looks like it belongs there. The 3/4-inch pickets are heavier-looking than most competing aluminum options, which makes the railing feel more solid.
For a modern home, or a deck with an open view worth keeping, glass panels or CrystalRail are the stronger choice. If the deck is elevated and you want a railing that does not feel like a fence, glass is the right call.
For homeowners who entertain after dark, adding the LED system is the most practical way to get usable evening light without bringing in a separate electrician in most cases.
If the project includes new stairs, matching the QuickStep system to the railing ensures the result holds up during permit inspections and looks like one designed job rather than two separate parts that ended up next to each other.
Working With Hen-House Decks on Your Railing Project
Hen-House Decks is a trusted deck railing contractor serving Uniontown, Akron, Canton, North Canton, Green, Clinton, Hartville, and throughout Northeast Ohio. Railing replacement is one of the most common upgrades we do. An old railing, faded and corroded, drags the whole deck down with it. Put up the right railing, and the whole deck looks like a different space.
If you are building a new deck and have not yet decided on a railing, we can walk you through the options for your specific project, including the deck’s view, the home’s style, and how you plan to use the space.
We have installed enough of these systems to know what holds up in Northeast Ohio conditions and what does not. That is the conversation we want to have with you before any decisions get made.
Contact Hen-House Decks to get a quote. We will review the deck, go through the railing options that fit, and explain what the installation involves before you commit to anything.
Deck Railing Systems FAQs
How long will an aluminum railing actually last in Northeast Ohio weather?
Regal Ideas aluminum is covered by a 20-year limited warranty, and in practice, it holds up well beyond that. It does not rust, it does not warp when temperatures swing wildly, and the powder coat finish does not fade the way painted wood or vinyl does. The freeze-thaw cycles that damage many outdoor materials are not a problem for this system.
Can I add glass panels later if I start with pickets?
Yes. The Regal system is built so that pickets and glass panels are interchangeable within the same posts and rails. You do not have to replace the whole railing to make that change down the road.
Will a glass railing hold up if a kid runs into it or leans on it hard?
The glass used in these systems is tempered and, for the frameless CrystalRail system, 10mm thick. It meets Miami-Dade County hurricane wind load requirements, which is one of the toughest glazing standards in the country. It is not decorative glass. It is structural glass.
