We wanted a very transparent deck railing that would conform to code. A simple way to gain transparency is to use glass fill-in panels. However, we were looking for a lower cost solution and did not like the idea of having to regularly clean glass.

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Our solution was to use 3’’ x 2’’ mesh made of green vinyl coated16 gauge galvanized steel wire. A 36 inch by 50 foot long roll at Tractor Supply cost $40. (I did discuss the use of steel mesh with the building inspector before going ahead with this method.)

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Total material cost for 48 linear feet of railing was around $300 – including pressure treated lumber, mesh and all fastening materials.

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A very commonly used fill-in for wooden deck railing, 2x2 balusters with 4’’ spacing between, is 62% transparent. The transparency of the green vinyl coated 16 gauge 2’’x3’’ wire mesh is 95%.