Cable Railing Transparency

Disappearing Guardrails Using Stainless Steel Cable Railings- Cable Railing customers often request recommendations for the most “invisible” or “transparent” color selections when choosing a railing package. Opinions from different online sources will vary when it comes to this topic, however after constructing hundreds of decks and railings with all different types of backdrops we believe there are some clear choices. The most transparent railings will offer the fewest solid members and feature minimal profiles. Post and railing finishes should be muted, avoiding heavy solid colors and reflective surfaces. Disappearing guardrails will blend into surrounding landscapes of all different types and colors, and pick up or reflect hues from trees and shrubs. The same parameters must be met when dealing with coastal settings where transparency is usually the #1 factor for choosing a railing system. For our coastal and landscape railings and fencing, the clear choice is bare stainless steel. Much like stainless steel cables, bare stainless steel railing posts and rails pick up colors from the existing landscape and reflect their surroundings. When combined with stainless steel or hardwood top railings our bare stainless cable railing posts are the most utilized finish option for transparency. SDCR stainless posts are furnished with a non reflective clean matte finish which offers the beauty and durability of stainless steel. Bare stainless features neutral grey tones with a slight sparkle; no concerns about fingerprints or other drawbacks associated with polished finishes. For maximum daylight openings with the least amount of visible obstruction, “ultra slim”  stainless steel spreader posts can be utilized in between structural posts. The use of spreader posts will allow the installer to space structural posts up to 7′ for a wide open view and feel. We also offer powder coating to all of our stainless steel post options, usually recommending a neutral tone like medium grey when transparency is a must. Despite some popular articles and design theories about black railing posts for transparency; we have found black to be more visible during daylight hours in addition to drawing more UV rays. Stainless Steel Cable Railings are transparent even at close range with high resolution cameras, with no glass to clean or maintenance issues offered by other railing types. If you have questions about our bare stainless steel product line, give us a call at 844-277-7327 and speak with one of our cable railing pros 8am-5pm mon-fri.