Deck Balustrades Point Cook, Stairs and Railings Built to Code

The edges and steps of a deck are where safety and looks meet. A balustrade has to stop a fall, and a set of stairs has to be easy and safe to use every day, but both are also among the most visible parts of the deck from the house and the yard. In Point Cook and across Wyndham, they also have to stand up to the afternoon wind: Laverton RAAF, the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station, records a mean afternoon wind of 21 km/h across the year, rising to 23.5 km/h in December. Peak Decking designs and builds deck balustrades and stairs in glass, aluminium, stainless wire, timber and composite, for new decks and for replacing old railings, built to the National Construction Code and fixed firmly into the deck frame.

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Point Cook and nearby suburbs covered

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Measure and written quote

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Measure, permit, build

Why Choose Peak Decking for Deck Stairs & Balustrades

Free on-site measure
Written, itemised quotes
Footings sized to a soil test
Boards fixed for sun and wind
Permits handled

Peak Decking Point Cook

Deck Balustrades Point Cook: When a Deck Needs One

Not every deck needs a balustrade, but once a deck is high enough, the National Construction Code sets clear rules for how it must be guarded.

Height above the ground

Under the Code, a balustrade is generally required wherever it is possible to fall more than 1 metre from the deck to the surface below. Most low decks off an alfresco slab in Point Cook stay under that height and can be left open or edged with a step. Decks on a slope or off an upper floor almost always need one. See elevated decks.

Balustrade height and gaps

Where a balustrade is required, it is generally at least 1 metre high above the deck floor, measured from the finished boards, with any openings small enough that a 125 mm sphere cannot pass through. Along stairs, the required height is measured from the line of the stair nosings. The gaps between pickets, wires or rails are set and checked to these limits.

Stopping children climbing

On higher decks, the Code also limits horizontal rails and footholds in the lower part of the balustrade, so a child cannot use them as a ladder. That is why horizontal wire and slat designs need care on tall decks, and why vertical pickets and glass are common choices for upper-floor decks.

Hoppers Crossing Deck Stairs & Balustrades

Altona Meadows Deck Stairs & Balustrades

Peak Decking Point Cook

Deck Balustrade Styles: Glass, Aluminium, Wire and Timber

Balustrades come in four main styles. The choice affects the view, the upkeep and how the deck looks from the yard.

Frameless and semi-frameless glass

Glass balustrades keep the view completely open, which suits decks with an outlook toward the bay, the wetlands or the garden. Frameless glass is held in clamps or a channel at the base with no posts, while semi-frameless glass sits between slim posts with a top rail. Toughened safety glass is used, and the panels block wind while letting light through.

Aluminium and steel balustrades

Powder-coated aluminium and steel balustrades come in vertical picket and slat designs in a wide range of colours. They need almost no upkeep, cannot rot and suit modern homes, and aluminium is light enough for long runs on upper decks.

Stainless wire balustrades

Stainless steel wires strung between timber, steel or aluminium posts give a light, open balustrade with an almost invisible infill. The wires are tensioned so the gaps stay within the limits, and their climbability is checked on high decks.

Timber and composite balustrades

Timber posts and pickets, or composite balustrade systems, match a timber or composite deck and give a traditional look. Timber needs oiling or painting like the deck boards; composite needs only a wash.

Peak Decking Point Cook

Deck Stairs and Steps

Every deck that sits above the yard needs a way down. The stairs are designed with the deck, not added at the end.

Broad steps off a low deck

On a low deck, broad timber or composite steps running along one edge connect the deck to the lawn and double as extra seating. They suit the compact estate yards of Point Cook, Tarneit and Truganina, where a narrow staircase would waste space.

Stair risers, treads and handrails

Stairs need riser and tread sizes that are consistent from top to bottom and within the limits the Code sets, so people do not trip. Treads are sized for a full foot, nosings are kept flush and grippy, and a handrail is fitted where the Code requires it. Stringers are fixed to the deck frame and to a footing at the bottom so the stairs do not move.

Landings and turns

Long flights from an upper deck are broken with a landing, and the stairs can turn at the landing to fit along a side fence or around a corner of the house. Landings also give a safe place to stop and a spot for a pot plant. Each landing is framed and footed like a small deck, and the balustrade continues around it at full height.

Lighting on steps

Low LED lights set into the risers or the stair stringers make steps easy to see at night without lighting up the whole yard. They are wired during the build so the cabling stays hidden, and they can run on a timer or sensor so the steps light up only when needed, which helps on dark winter evenings.

Williams Landing Deck Stairs & Balustrades

Peak Decking Point Cook

Deck Balustrade Installers in Point Cook: Posts, Fixing and Wind

Deck balustrade installers in Point Cook need to fix every post so it stays solid for years. Peak Decking builds the deck, stairs and balustrade with the same team.

Post fixing into the deck frame

A balustrade is only as strong as its posts. Posts are bolted through the deck frame or into blocking between the joists, never just screwed to the edge boards, so the balustrade can resist a person leaning or falling against it. Glass channels and spigots are fixed into reinforced framing or concrete.

Balustrades on windy decks

Glass and close-slatted balustrades catch wind like a screen. On exposed decks on Wyndham's open plains, post spacing, fixings and the deck framing are designed for the wind load, and open picket or wire designs can be used where wind is strongest.

Peak Decking Point Cook

Replacing Old Deck Railings

Many older decks in Werribee and Hoppers Crossing have railings that have aged badly or were never built to today's standards.

Rotted posts and loose rails

Timber balustrade posts often rot where water sits at the base or where they were notched into the deck. A wobbly railing is a fall risk. Rotted posts and rails are replaced, the fixing to the frame is strengthened, and the new posts are capped and sealed so water runs off. See deck repairs.

Bringing an old railing up to code

Older balustrades may be too low, have gaps wider than 125 mm or have horizontal rails a child could climb. Replacing them with a compliant glass, aluminium, wire or timber balustrade makes the deck safer and can refresh the whole look of the house at the same time.

Peak Decking Point Cook

What Sets the Price of Deck Stairs and Balustrades in Point Cook

Every balustrade and set of stairs is priced from a free measure and a written, itemised quote, so each part of the job is listed on its own line.

Length, height and material

The length of balustrade and the number of steps set most of the cost. Timber is generally the most economical, aluminium and wire sit in the middle and frameless glass is at the upper end. Stairs with landings, turns or lighting cost more than a single straight flight, and replacing old railings includes removal. Height adds cost too: a taller deck needs a longer flight of stairs, and on higher decks the balustrade must resist climbing, which rules out cheaper horizontal designs and may call for stronger post fixings. Where the work is part of a new or raised deck, it is covered by the deck's building permit. See deck permits.

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What Our Deck Stairs & Balustrades Customers Say About Us

The Process

3 Step Process For Your Deck Stairs & Balustrades Needs

1. Free measure and written quote

A visit to measure the house and the yard, talk through boards, layouts and finishes, and then a written, itemised quote.

2. Drawings, engineering and permit

Drawings, engineering and a soil test are prepared, overlays are checked and the building permit is lodged.

3. Build, inspect and hand over

Footings, frame and boards are built and inspected at each stage, the site is cleaned up and the finished deck is handed over.

Deck Stairs & Balustrades In Point Cook

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Everything you need to know about our Deck Stairs & Balustrades In Point Cook

How much do deck balustrades cost in Point Cook?

The cost depends on the length, height and material. Timber is generally the most economical and frameless glass the most expensive. Stairs are priced by the number of steps and landings. A free measure gives a written, itemised quote.