Your railing is the part of the deck everyone touches. Kids lean on it, guests rest drinks on it, and the inspector gives it a hard shove. We install deck railings in Lenexa that look clean, stay tight through hail season and freeze-thaw winters, and meet the Johnson County deck guidelines the city gives homeowners.
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The city points homeowners to the Johnson County residential deck guidelines, based on the 2018 IRC. Here’s what your railing has to do to pass:
Good to know: stair and handrail mistakes are on the city’s own list of problems inspectors find most often. A wide, flat cap board on a stair is a common failure because a hand can’t wrap around it.
The post connection does the real work. A 200-pound lean on a 36-inch post pulls about 1,250 to 2,370 pounds on the top bolt, depending on rim joist size. Nails in end grain can’t hold that, which is why old rails wobble.
How we build against it:
Most railing problems we see here trace back to a few causes:
We’re a Westbury Certified Master Pro, so Westbury is our main deck railing system. We also install Deckorators, Fortress, DekPro, and RailFX when a project calls for them. See the full lineup on our railing products page.
Aluminum is the workhorse for most homes. It doesn’t rot, swell or need staining, and a powder-coated finish resists rust and fading. Your options:
Sections come pre-assembled or as kits, accept post lighting, and carry a lifetime limited warranty from Westbury. Aluminum posts don’t hold the load on their own. They need solid blocking under the deck boards or a reinforced rim, which is where most of our install time goes.
Cable keeps the view open toward tree lines, ponds or a greenway. The tradeoff is engineering: tensioned cables pull hard on the end and corner posts, so those posts need stiff frames and solid connections.
Cable has to keep the 4-inch sphere rule even when someone pushes on it, so spacers and tension both matter. Plan on a quick re-tension check after the first season as the cable settles.
Veranda uses tempered glass panels in an aluminum frame for a fully open view. On an exposed upper deck, glass also cuts the wind. Panels are heavier than balusters, so layout and post spacing get planned before ordering. Plan on wiping them down now and then to keep water spots and pollen off.
Sorrento uses welded stainless steel mesh in an aluminum frame. It keeps small dogs and toddlers in, lets air and light through, and installs as pre-assembled sections that work with other Westbury systems.
Stairs are where inspections fail most, so we size them right from the start: at least 36 inches wide, risers no taller than 7-3/4 inches, treads at least 10 inches deep, and no more than 3/8 inch of variation within a flight. The handrail goes on as a continuous, graspable rail with returned ends.
When a project calls for a different look, we also install Deckorators, Fortress, DekPro, and RailFX. That includes composite-style railing that matches composite decking and black aluminum kits.
| If your priority is… | Look at |
| Keeping the view of trees or water | Cable or glass |
| Kids or pets on the deck | Mesh or vertical cable |
| A strict HOA or traditional brick exterior | Tuscany or Montego in a trim-matching color |
| A modern exterior | Riviera or Bella Cavo in a black finish |
| The least upkeep possible | Any powder-coated aluminum system |
New deck: we plan the rails with the framing, so posts are blocked and bolted before decking goes down. Pair your railing with synthetic decking or wood decking, and see how we build the structure on our framing options page.
Existing deck with rails that wobble: a railing is only as strong as its framing, so we check that first:
Sound frame? We install the new system on fresh connections. Rot or a weak ledger? We show you photos first so you can choose repair or rebuild.
Permits: the city requires one for new decks, expansions, and framing repairs. We confirm whether your job needs one and handle it.
Decks & railings look best when they’re designed as one project. A few pairings our clients ask about:
Tell us who uses the deck and what you want to see from it, from kids and dogs to the tree line out back. We measure height off grade at every open edge, check posts, rim joist, and stairs.
We match a railing system to your budget, house, and HOA rules, then send an itemized bid. We handle the drawings, permit, and any HOA review. See every option on our railing products page.
Our crew reinforces the frame, bolts every post solid, then installs the railing and stair rails to code. We walk the finished deck with you and show you what to check each year.
Serving nearby too: Lenexa deck builder · Shawnee · Overland Park · Olathe
A guard is required when the deck floor is more than 30 inches above grade, measured within 36 inches of the edge. Lower decks don’t need one, but any railing you add still has to be built safely.
The Johnson County guidelines call for at least 36 inches on the deck. Stair guards need 34 inches above the tread nosing, and stair handrails sit between 34 and 38 inches.
The city requires permits for new decks, expansions, and repairs that change the framing. A railing swap may or may not fall under that, so we confirm with the building division before work starts.
A 4-inch sphere can’t fit between balusters or under the bottom rail. Most code-listed aluminum systems are built to meet that spacing out of the box.
Yes, when the system keeps cable openings under 4 inches and holds the required loads. If climbing is a worry with young kids, vertical cable is a popular middle ground.
Any flight with 4 or more risers needs a handrail on at least one side. It has to be continuous, graspable, and returned at the ends.
Often, yes. We inspect the posts, rim joist, and ledger first, since a new railing is only as strong as the framing it’s bolted to.
Powder-coated aluminum is the low-maintenance pick for most homes because it resists rust and fading. Cable and glass work well too if keeping the view matters most.
Price depends on the system, linear footage, stairs, deck height, and extras like lighting. We give you an itemized bid after measuring on site.
Usually the post connection has loosened or the rim joist is rolling outward under load. Nails and screws in joist end grain pull out over time, so the fix is through-bolts, blocking, and sometimes hold-down hardware.
Yes. The aluminum posts bolt to solid wood blocking or a reinforced rim joist, which is what gives the railing its strength.
See recent projects, browse pricing. Call (913) 782-7575 or request a bid, and we’ll help you choose the right deck railings in Lenexa for your home.
Granted a Class A building license for operation in Johnson County, Kansas. This is the top license type for any contractor.
Deckorators chose DW Elite Decks as its First Certified Pro Spotlight Feature.
Awarded the coveted Angie's List Super Service Award (many times), which is only given to the top 5% of all Kansas City deck builders.
Nationally recognized by Rich Noonan, the Eight Time Emmy Award-Winning Reporter for Fox News!
Westbury Certified Master Pro. Beacon of distinction as the bar is set high to earn this coveted status.
At DW Elite Decks, we pride ourselves on delivering craftsmanship that meets and exceeds industry standards. As Kansas City’s premier custom deck builder since 1997, we ensure every project is executed with proper permits and passes final inspections, guaranteeing code compliance and long-term safety.
