Costing for a Wood Railing Design Project

Whether you're decorating stairs or a balcony, wood railings can be an excellent way to accent or update a home. But how can you determine how much a wood railing project will cost? There are a few factors that go into wood railing costing, including how involved the project is, what materials you want to use, and what finish you want to use.

Architecture and Design

While you may not need to consult an architect or designer on a straight, wooden railing, there are situations in which you'll need the help of a professional. Railings around spiral staircases, for instance, often need to be designed to exacting standards. The more complex your design is, the more likely you are to need someone to draw up initial blueprints and complete initial project planning. Your general contractor can hire a specialist.

Size and Style

One of the major factors contributing to cost will be how many railings are involved in the project. Depending on the style of railing, you could have a rail every few inches or every few feet. The style will also matter: if you're using plain, square railings, the costs are going to be different from those of detailed, turned railings. A fast way to reduce the costs of your wood railing project is to use fewer railings overall, but this may not be ideal if you're using railings for safety purposes. 

The build of the railing matters, too. A railing attached to a wall rather than the staircase itself is going to be cheaper, but it may not give you all of the safety you need. Wood railings that are paired with glass can be less expensive overall, while wood railings paired with metal will be more expensive. 

Materials and Finish

The type of wood that you use in your design project will count towards the final costs, as will whether you need the railing stained or painted. If you want, you can sometimes have a wood railing project installed and then complete the staining or painting on your own. Otherwise, you'll usually be primarily paying the cost of labor, as the paint and stain themselves are fairly affordable. Harder woods are often used for railings, as the railings do need to potentially support an individual's weight. 

While a wood railing may appear to be simple, there are a lot of things that go into this type of project. Visit websites like woodstairs4u.com for more information.