Story at a glance:
- Fascia mounted railing can add significant square footage to your deck project.
- Fascia mounting eliminates the risk of water penetrating the deck.
- Key-Link powder coats brackets with the same standard coating as its posts and railing, so everything matches for a seamless look.
What if we told you there was a way to increase the size of a deck without adding any extra material?
There is! It’s called fascia mounted railing, and it can add serious square footage to your deck, balcony, or porch simply by moving the posts off the deck’s surface and on to the fascia.
But in addition to space, there are other reasons to use fascia mounted railing. Here are our top three reasons you should choose fascia mounted railing for your next deck project.
1. More Space
Photo courtesy of Key-Link Fencing & Railing
As aforementioned, when you choose to move your deck posts off your deck surface, you gain deck square footage. In fact, for every 1 linear foot of railing, you gain 6 inches of square footage. So 20 feet of railing means an additional 10 square feet of space for furniture, entertaining, or, if you have a small deck, some important extra elbow room.
While space is important on a residential deck, on a commercial deck it can translate into literal dollars. Mounting posts to the fascia gives a restaurant or entertainment venue more room for tables, which means more money on those busy nights when deck seating is in demand.
2. Keeping the Under Deck Dry
Photo courtesy of Key-Link Fencing & Railing
Under deck options have come a long way, with complete systems for waterproofing. But if you have a membrane and a watertight under deck space with a wood or metal ceiling, there’s always a chance that drilling into the deck surface to mount posts will allow water to penetrate the deck, even with good flashing. Fascia mounting eliminates that risk and helps keep the watertight system intact.
3. Aesthetics
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- Photo courtesy of Key-Link Fencing & Railing
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- Photo courtesy of Key-Link Fencing & Railing
Some people really love the industrial look of the fascia mounted brackets, but more likely, homeowners won’t want to drill into their floor. Beautiful flooring doesn’t have to be marred by posts and bolts—you can mount your railing posts to the fascia and preserve its beauty.
There are a few considerations when choosing a fascia mounted railing system. For one, make sure the fascia mounting system you choose is code compliant and backed with testing reports. This is essential for safety and in case of questions from code officials.
Also note the style and quality of the brackets. Key-Link powder coats our brackets with the same standard coating as we do our posts and railing, so everything matches for a seamless look, long-lasting quality, and uniform weathering.
While traditional surface mounted posts will continue to be the most popular choice for mounting railing, fascia mounted railing can serve an important role in specific situations and provide a solution to some common homeowner concerns.
