Building A Balcony Railing For Your Animals To Enjoy The Outdoors

If you own cats or dogs, you know that they love to be around you. Many pets will follow you around the home from room to room when they are able to. If you have a small balcony that is right off of the house, there may or may not be the proper safety precautions to let your pet onto the deck. If you want to erect a barrier so that your dogs or cats cannot fall or jump off the balcony, you may want to have this built to your own specifications. Here are some steps on how to build a barrier that will let you and your pet enjoy the outdoors but keep everyone safe. 

Opt for a stainless steel cable railing 

If you want to be able to enjoy an unobstructed view of the outside on your balcony, a stainless steel cable railing would be the best type of balcony barrier. Stainless steel cable railings will create a hard barrier with the help of cable lines, but will not in any way block the outside. If you have a smaller deck or balcony or if you want a cohesive look to your home's exterior, a stainless steel cable will be a great idea. Contact a business, such as Cable Rail Direct, for more information. 

Have the railing set in accordance with your animals size

One of the positive points about having a stainless steel cable railing is that you can have the cables set further apart in width or closer together in width, depending on your needs. In this case, you will need to allow the size of your animal to dictate just how far apart the cables cords are on the railing. If you have a larger dog with a big body, the railings can be further apart. If you have a small lap dog or a cat, the railings should only be inches apart so that the animal cannot stick their head out of the balcony or fall off. 

Round the rods of the barrier

If the balcony or deck on which you intend to erect the barrier is on the second floor or above, it is also a good idea to help keep your animal from jumping on the top of the barrier. In order to stop smaller dogs or cats from attempting to jump and sit on the railing, install a rounded, thin railing as opposed to a wide railing or a rectangular railing. This will allow the humans of the family members to stay safe with a railing to hold on to, but stop the cats and dogs from being able to access anything other than the standing area of the deck.   

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