Deck railing installed on a residential deck in Thornton, CO

Fence Contractor · Thornton, CO

Railing Contractor in Thornton, CODeck, Stair & Iron Railings Built to Code, Not Just to Look Right

A railing isn’t just trim on a deck or stairway — it’s a safety code with specific numbers behind it. We build ours to actually meet them.

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Railing Services

Railing Contractor covers three specific needs for properties that want it built right the first time.

Deck Railing Installation

Guard rails sized and spaced to code for decks, patios, and any walking surface high enough to require one.

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Stair railing with graspable handrail installed in Thornton, CO

Stair Railing Installation

Handrails and guards built to the specific rules that apply to stairs, not the general deck railing code.

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Wrought iron railing on a porch entry in Thornton, CO

Wrought Iron Railings

Ornamental iron and steel railings for porches, entries, and anywhere you want the look of forged metal.

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Railing Contractor is one of our Fence Contractor specialties for decks, porches, stairs, and anywhere a walking surface needs a code-compliant guard. It’s a different kind of project than fencing — the rules come from building code, not local zoning, and getting the numbers wrong isn’t just a style problem, it’s a safety and inspection problem.

Railings Are a Safety Code, Not Just a Style Choice

30"

Height That Triggers Guard Requirement

36"

Minimum Guard Height

4"

Max Sphere Through Balusters

Most people picture a railing as a design decision. It’s actually a code requirement with specific numbers behind it. Any walking surface more than 30 inches above the ground or floor below needs a guard, and that guard has to be at least 36 inches tall — some jurisdictions require 42, so we confirm the exact number for your project before building anything.

The spacing between balusters matters just as much as the height. Code requires that no opening allow a 4-inch sphere to pass through, which works out to roughly 3.5 to 3.75 inches of clear space in practice. It’s not an arbitrary number — it’s sized around preventing a small child from getting a head or limb caught between balusters.

Guards and Handrails Aren’t the Same Thing

Guard

What it isFull railing system
Height36" minimum
JobStops you falling off the edge

The whole barrier along a deck, porch, or open stair side.

Handrail

What it isWhat you grip on stairs
Height34"–38" from nosing
JobMust be graspable by hand

A wide flat top rail can look right but not legally count if it’s too broad to grip.

Materials We Work In

Wood is the most common choice for standard decks and stairs, with the usual tradeoff: lower cost, needs staining every few years. Vinyl and composite cost more upfront but need almost no upkeep, and both hold color well through Colorado sun. Aluminum is common where you want a slim, modern profile without the weight or maintenance of other metals. Wrought iron and steel go where the look matters as much as the function — porches, entries, and railings meant to be a design feature, not just a safety requirement.

Commercial and Multi-Family Applications

Commercial and multi-family properties follow a stricter set of rules than a single-family deck — the International Building Code, not just the residential code, and it usually means taller guards, handrails required on both sides of a stairway, and an intermediate rail if the stairway runs wider than 44 inches. We handle guardrail and handrail installation for commercial properties and apartment or condo common areas with those requirements built in from the start.

Why Thornton Property Owners Choose Us for Railings

We build to the code numbers, not just what looks close enough. A railing that’s an inch short on height or a little wide on baluster spacing can fail inspection or, worse, actually fail to do its job — and we’d rather get it right the first time than have you dealing with either.

Leo or someone from his crew measures your specific application in person, since a deck railing, a stair railing, and a commercial guard all follow different rules even when they end up looking similar.

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