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How Much Does Vinyl Deck Railing Cost?

$18.00 – $39.00 Per Linear Foot

The cost to have PVC vinyl deck railing installed by a professional is $18.00 to $39.00 per linear foot. Based on the cost factors below, projects with 50 Linear feet of vinyl railing would cost $900 to $1,950.

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Average Cost of PVC Vinyl Deck Rail Installation

The average cost to have vinyl railing professionally installed is $32.00 per linear foot. DIY cost for just the materials averages about $25.00 per linear foot.

For pro jobs, the cost of PVC deck railing will include the materials and installation labor costs plus the cost of a permit. When old railings are removed, disposal fees might raise the cost unless you save money by doing that part of the work yourself.

Average Do It Yourself cost
$23 – $28 / Linear Foot
Average Contractor Installed Cost
$29 – $36 / Linear Foot
Typical Cost Average
$33 / Linear Foot
Updated: November 16, 2023

vinyl deck railing installed on composite deck

Overview of Vinyl Deck Railing

Vinyl deck railing, also called plastic or PVC deck railing, is an affordable option for any deck. Vinyl porch railing is often used to cut the cost compared with using composite railing on a composite deck. It costs about a third of the price of aluminum railing, and considerably less than iron deck railings, though provides a different look and might not be as durable.

Another benefit is that it is much easier to maintain than wood deck rails. Vinyl deck and porch railing is available in a range of attractive styles but just different colors choices.

This page of Costimates includes vinyl deck railing cost factors, retail railing prices for all materials plus sample project costs we prepared and those contributed by homeowners. Consider bookmarking this page to return and share your vinyl railing price for the benefit of other readers. Note: To clear up any confusion, this page does not contain pricing for composite deck railing, most of which contains some PVC.

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Product and Installation Supplies Cost Details

Vinyl Deck Rail Cost Factors

How much does a vinyl deck railing cost? The Deck Cost Guide puts it at $13.00 to $25.50, quite a bit lower than our costs. That site might not consider that some premium-color vinyl railing materials cost quite a bit more than standard white vinyl materials. Home Advisor, at $20 to $40 per foot is closer to our estimate.

These factors will help you narrow your costs.

  • Quality of the Deck Railing – This has to do with thickness of the PVC, its anti-fade or stain properties, and whether it is likely to turn brittle. For example, vinyl railing from Home Depot is available in Veranda panels at less than $8 per linear foot. Weatherables brand vinyl panels start at about twice that. RDI is a premium brand Home Depot sells for closer to $30 per linear foot.
  • Color – When you choose a color option other than white, cost goes up about 15%. We noted a Weatherables 6-foot panel in white at $110 while tan version is $127.
  • Baluster Material – Most brands offer all-vinyl panels and vinyl panels with steel or aluminum balusters, aka pickets. Metal raises cost slightly, especially if the metal is aluminum.
  • Panel Type: Straight vs Stair – In some brands, angled panels for stairs are slightly more expensive. It varies by brand.
  • Post Insert Material – Heavy duty steel post inserts are sold, but quite costly. Most homeowners choose treated wood posts at a fraction of the cost, as shown below.
  • Whether a Gate is Included – As you’ll see in the Retail Cost section below, deck gates are very expensive relative to the rest of the decking material.
  • Rail Height – 42” rail panels cost slightly more than 36” panels.
  • Lights – Solar lights within caps or those that can be attached to stairs improve security and ambiance. Their costs are shown below.
  • Cap Style – More decorative vinyl rail post caps cost a few bucks more than standard flat caps.
  • Who Does the Work – Labor installation cost is shown below. It’s what DIY homeowners save as long as they do the job safely.
  • Size of your Deck – Obviously, the more linear feet of deck or porch railing you have, the higher the cost. However, installation cost per linear foot usually goes down a little as the number of linear feet goes up.
  • Deck Shape – Degree of installation difficulty increases for complex decks and will raise labor costs. We show the impact in our sample deck project costs below.
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Cost of Supplies

Vinyl makes excellent replacement deck railing, and of course many install it on new decks.

Most vinyl deck and porch railing is built with railing sections with top and bottom rails and integrated balusters (aka pickets), treated pine or steel post inserts and feet that attach to the deck, vinyl post jackets, caps in various styles and bracket kits to hold railing panels to posts or the house. Another option is to buy top and bottom rails plus individual balusters and build the panels on-site. This can save you a little in materials, but if you plan pro installation, your total project cost will be much lower if you buy pre-made panels.

Your two main panel options are all-vinyl panels and those with metal balusters/pickets. All-vinyl panels cost less, but the balusters are wider, so they obscure the view a bit more than metal.

  • $9.00 – $18.00 per Linear Foot | Straight Panels with Vinyl Rails and Pickets
  • $14.00 – $27.00 per Linear Foot | Straight Panels with Vinyl Rails and Steel or Aluminum Pickets
  • $12.00 – $22.00 per Linear Foot | Stair Panels with Vinyl Rails and Pickets
  • $18.00 – $33.00 per Linear Foot | Stair Panels with Vinyl Rails and Steel or Aluminum Pickets
  • $40.00 – $100.00 per Linear Foot | Vinyl Deck Gates in either All Vinyl or Vinyl with Metal Pickets
  • $2.00 – $3.00 each | Pressure Treated Pine Post Insert
  • $40.00 – $75.00 each | Steel Post Insert
  • $12.00 – $50.00 each | Vinyl Post Sleeves or Jackets
  • $4.00 – $15.00 each| Vinyl Post Caps
  • $38.00 – $60.00 each | Vinyl Post Caps with Lights
  • $4.00 – $6.00 each | Vinyl Post Base Trim
  • $12.00 – $22.00 each | Post and Rail Bracket Kits

Popular brands include:

  • Veranda: $
  • Designer’s Image (Menards): $
  • Fypon: $-$$
  • Weatherables: $$
  • Hengs: $$
  • Durables: $$-$$$
  • RDI: $$$
  • Illusions: $$$-$$$$
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Cost of Disposal for Damaged Decking

Got an old or damaged deck that needs to go to make way for the new one?

Many homeowners rent a dumpster for around $300 and do it themselves. If it is just railings you’re removing, you might be able to dispose of them a little at a time in your weekly trash pickup at no extra cost. Are they vinyl or metal? Your local recycling facility might take them.

For decking planks too, a dumpster or larger roll-off container is a better bet. They come in a range of sizes from about 5 to 40 cubic yards to meet your disposal needs.

Here’s a pro tip: Cost per cubic yard of space often goes down a little the larger the container. So you’ll save money by doing that major clean-out you’ve been planning or by going in with a neighbor or two also planning a renovation or clean up project.

Full details are in our Dumpster Rental Costimate.

Paying the contractor to remove and dispose of old decking will cost $5.00 to $7.50 per square foot. If just railing is removed, the cost will be $2-$3 per linear foot.

Sample Vinyl Railing Deck Railing Project Costs

Let’s consider 3 decks, each 500 square feet:

Rectangular, Single-level Deck, 65 Linear feet of Railing:

  • Basic quality railing: $1,170
  • Better quality railing: $1,475
  • Best quality railing: $1,820
  • Installed Cost Range: $18 – $28 per linear foot

Non-rectangular, Single-level Deck, 80 linear feet of Railing:

  • Basic quality railing: $2,080
  • Better quality railing: $2,450
  • Best quality railing: $2,720
  • Installed Cost Range:  $26 – $34 per linear foot

Two-level Deck with Stairs between levels, 115 linear feet of Railing:

  • Basic quality railing: $3,680
  • Better quality railing: $4,135
  • Best quality railing: $4,485
  • Installed Cost Range: $32 – $39 per linear foot
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Permits, Inspection, Related Costs and Installation Time

Permits and Inspection Cost

  • $30 – $150 | A permit including an inspection is required to ensure the deck is safely built to code. Deck size and where you live determines exact cost of the deck permit.

Related Costs and Installation Time

Here’s what DIY vinyl deck railing installation will save you.

  • $8 – $14 per linear foot | Labor Cost to install vinyl deck railing.

A team of two experienced installers can install 15 to 40 linear feet of vinyl deck railing per hour based on job complexity. There will be a little setup and clean-up time too.

  • 3-5 Hours | 80 Feet of “Easy” Railing Installation
  • 4-7 Hours | 80 Feet of “Average” Railing Installation
  • 6-8 Hours | 80 Feet of “Complex” Railing Installation

DIY or Hire a Pro?

Installing railing using pre-made panels is an easy-to-moderate DIY project. The PVC is easy to cut where necessary.

“Stick building” the railings using top and bottom rails and pickets is at least moderately difficult and far more time-consuming. This 9-minute video shows you what your in for with this type of railing installation. It will help you decide if your comfortable tackling the project.

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