Cable Railing Systems

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Built with 1/8" 6061 Aluminum, Best Railings aluminum cable railings are great for any home or business including coastal and corrosive environments. Posts and top rails can be purchased powder coated flat black, gloss white or left raw for a brushed look. Custom colors and layouts are available by contacting Best Railings. 

Post Size: 

43.5"x2"x2". (height, width, depth) 

Railing layout: 

The post is designed to be 36" tall overall. 35" of the post to be above the deck leaving 1" for a top rail of your choice. (required for tension rails) Best Railings aluminum top rail or hardwood of your choice are both great options!

Cable Layout: 

There are 11 cables spaced at 3" leaving the bottom cable 2" above the deck/walkway. Take the overall linear feet of your railing and multiply by 11 for length of cable needed. 

Custom Colors: 

We use Prismatic Powders as our powder coat supplier. For custom colors we highly recommend going to their website and ordering free color samples enabling you to see the color and sheen in person. 

When ordering custom posts and rails you can specify an exact color code from Prismatic Powders, or that the color is not yet picked in the "SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/CUSTOM COLOR INFORMATION" box during check out. You can also request hole configuration changes for posts as needed. 

Local building code: 

As always, check your local building code and permit requirements.

Figuring product needed: 

Posts: 

For both aluminum cable railings and steel cable railings the max distance between cable posts is normally 48". Each side of a deck or walkway will need 2 end posts, and enough posts between so that they are in increments of 48" or less. 

Cable:

Measure the total length of each section, the total sum of all sections will be the total linear feet/inches. Multiply this number by 11 and that is how much cable is needed. Many contractors add the length of the longest section as extra to account for mistakes. 

Top Railing:

The top rail will have to be fitted so that all junctions are landing on posts. Best Railings hand rails, hardwood stained/sealed or treated lumber are all great options for this application. (Note that a top railing is required for cable rails) 

Installation: 

1. Install end posts plumb with 35" of the post above the surface. It's important that post blocking is correct using current building code. 
2. Run a string line between the two end posts (or use a laser) and install center posts plumb with even spacing between. Use the string line to ensure everything stays in line.
3. Install top rail. 1" minimum thickness is needed to meet code but when using wood 1.5" is recommended. Hardwood stained and sealed or treated are both great options. 
4. Run cable though all the posts and once thought the end post crimp the tensioner on the cable. (loosen tensioner about 80%) On the other side put tensioner through post and pulling cable tight mark where the cable need cut with enough length to go into the other tensioner. Once cut crimp tensioner on cable and screw into end. Repeat for all cables. 
5. Tension each cable to 300-350lbs.