RAILINGS ARE FUNCTIONAL, of course. They keep chairs from blowing away, and people from falling. They can also enhance the beauty of outdoor spaces, and complement a home's colours, style and landscaping. Traditionally seen in slatted wood treatments, they are now available in other materials, including aluminum, vinyl, wrought iron and steel. Steel rails can be shaped and welded to create everything from sleek ultra-modern to ornate Victorian designs. "People are choosing the look," says Mike Cole, of Steelmet Supply in Saskatoon. "It draws your eye to the railing." Steel is more expensive than other railings, but it's highly durable, and offers advantages for unusual and hard-to-fit spaces. Steel railings can be custom fit to a particular deck. Cole says most homeowners choose from various styles of spindle rails, which are held in place with a line of wooden supports at the top and bottom. For the more adventurous, flowery scenes or geometric designs can be fabricated in wide panels, that can be attached to posts, obelisks, or even oversize brick or stone-faced posts. To reduce rusting, steel products are treated with a professionally applied, baked-on powder coating, available in assorted colours. Touching up the powder coating every decade or so is all that's needed to keep steel railings attractive. The no- to low-maintenance options in rails and decking materials are growing in popularity with homeowners, says Rob Keep of The Dexperts in Saskatoon. "You put a little more out front and the benefit to that is you're not going to put it out again," he says. Vinyl and aluminum railings are offered in a range of prices, from a seamless look at the higher end to a less expensive option revealing joins and welds. If the view is all-important, try lowering the rail to 36 inches from the standard 42, Keep suggests. That's not permissible in some municipalities, so check local regulations and building codes before tackling a railing project. Glass panels are another way to maintain maximum viewing pleasure on your favourite deck space. Glass offers the added benefit of blocking the breeze. The panels come in numerous styles, including smoked, clear, and etched glass, that can be mounted between posts or set into supports for the appearance of a seamless wall of glass. Keep says these panels of tempered glass are designed to take whatever blows their way. "It's meant to be out there." One disadvantage of glass panels is that they frost up occasionally during cold weather. Some clients opt for picket rails on the working side of the house, facing the driveway or road allowance, while installing glass panels on private decks exposed to more scenic vistas. For greater privacy around deck hot tubs, smoked glass or solid wood panels are available. Railing options are as varied as the people choosing them. Depending on the materials selected, they can give the effect of millwork without delivering the resulting maintenance of wood. Balusters supporting the railing can be plain or dressy, capped with spears, ball or square shapes. Colours can be mixed and matched to co-ordinate with a home. For instance, beige railings and white pickets look crisp. White rails and pickets set into a grey deck floor create a nice contrast. Rob Kraynyk is with Holmgren Homes, in Sprague, Manitoba. The company builds on-site and ready-to-move houses in southern and southeastern Manitoba. He says wood is the top railing material, largely because of its lower initial cost. By the time they get around to building decks, those who've built new homes may find their funds depleted, he adds. They'll choose less expensive options or delay completing decks and railings. In addition, he says, many acreage owners prefer a wooden deck and railing that suits their home's country setting. Holmgren Homes constructs mainly wooden railings, but has built some with such materials as white PVC pipes that are slipped over metal posts. The company has also used aluminum tubing fitted into horizontal frames. An aluminum railing is a "maintenance-free, worry-free" option that keeps its beauty over time, Kraynyk says. This material lasts 30 years or more, comes with a 10-year warranty, and adds great value to a country home. Wood surfaces must be retreated from time to time, involving the cost of stain or paint and labour. Kraynyk's advises choosing durable, long-lasting materials that give homeowners more time to play and enjoy an outdoor space. "It's probably more expensive to have wood, over time, than metal," he says.