Fortress Railing Reviews and Cost

Fortress Railing prides itself on toughness, durability, and quality. The brand fancies itself as “one of the strongest in the industry". 

The railing solutions offered by Fortress Building Products are the result of 40 years of innovative thinking, culminating in the Outdurable Living mindset. 

Outdurable Living means Fortress products are a durable, one-stop solution for an outdoor living lifestyle made by people who do the outdoors right.

The Fortress 5 Standards

Fortress offers five standards proving its commitment to their customers to ensure all products leaving a Fortress manufacturing facility meet the expectations of quality, strength, innovation, versatility and easy installation.

  1. Quality: Fortress uses coating technology based on those featured in high-end automobiles. The end product is one that is anti-corrosive, low-maintenance, and long-lasting.
  2. Strength: Rigorous product testing combined with high-quality manufacturing processes allows Fortress to offer its customers products that meet and exceed codes in a variety of building applications.
  3. Innovation: Proprietary designs and systems make Fortress railing products leaders in the industry. Fortress aims to stay ahead of competitors by creating new, groundbreaking products. 
  4. Versatility: Customization opportunities abound in the Fortress railing catalog, allowing for countless combinations that fit nearly any design.
  5. Easy Installation: Install times are reduced significantly due to Fortress’ simple bracket systems and other manageable installation components.

Types of Fortress Railing

#1 FortressCable H-Series

The ‘H’ is for horizontal in the FortressCable H-Series cable railing design. The simple system is installed in panels, eliminating the typical installation  challenges of cable railing infill.

FortressCable H-Series
  • Pre-assembled - easy installation
  • Marine grade, stainless-steel cable for durability
  • Compatable with wood or metal posts
  • Installation feature Fortress easy bracket system
  • Customizable panel lengths
  • Low-maintenance and worry free (no tensioning)

Warranty: 15 years

Available Colors: Black Sand

Installation Setting: Residential and Commercial

#2 FortressCable V-Series

The ‘V’ is for vertical in this first of its kind FortressCable V-Series cable railing design. Fortress showed off its innovation with the creation of the first ever vertical cable railing infill in the composite decking sector.

FortressCable V-Series

Stylish, sleek, and easy to install make the V-Series a favorite of home and business owners alike.

  • Unique vertical design
  • Pre-assembled - easy installation
  • Marine grade, stainless-steel cable for durability
  • Compatable with wood or metal Fortress products

Warranty: 15 years

Available Colors: Black Sand

Installation Setting: Residential and Commercial

#3 Fe26 Steel Railing 

For those of you science nerds out there, it might be easy to determine what the ‘Fe” stands for in this offering from Fortress. That’s right, iron.

Fe26 Steel Railing

The beauty of this wrought iron goes beyond aesthetics. It is very easy to install, as it is pre-welded and its galvanized steel and zinc phosphate composition make it one of the more durable iron railing products you can find.

  • Easy installation and handling
  • FortressShield coating for durability
  • Customizable for a variety of projects
  • Compatible with wood or composite decking

Warranty: 15 year limited

Available Colors: Gloss Black - Antique Bronze - Black Sand

Installation Setting: Residential

#4 Fe26 PLUS Commercial Steel Railing

All the beauty of the residential version (Fortress Fe) combined with the extra strength to stand up to commercial settings.

Fe26 PLUS Commercial Steel Railing
  • Easy installation and handling - cut down commercial installation time with pre-welded sections
  • FortressShield coating to stand up to rust, corrosion, and wear and tear
  • Compatible with wood, composite, vinyl and other Fortress posts
  • Created with building code in mind

Warranty: 10 year limited

Available Colors: Gloss Black - Black Sand

Installation Setting: Commercial

#5 Al13 Aluminum Railing

You need not be a science nerd to guess that the ‘Al’ is an aluminum product. Fortress notes that their aluminum railings are “distinctly different” from most aluminum kit railings, featuring highly attractive finishes and easy-to-use bracket systems.

Al13 Aluminum Railing

The Al13 is pre-welded, ready to install, and offers superior strength. Look forward to a maintenance-free railing with the Al13.

  • Easy to install, pre-welded panels and Fortress bracket system
  • Entirely recyclable
  • Compatible with wood, vinyl, composite or aluminum posts

Warranty: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer

Available Colors: Gloss Black - White - Textured Black Sand

Installation Setting: Residential and Commercial

#6 Al13 HOME™ Residential Aluminum Railing

Another aluminum offering from Fortress presents itself as affordable, durable, maintenance-free, and high-quality. Installation is simple, as the Al13 Home railing comes in panels with pre-secured brackets. 

Al13 HOME™ Residential Aluminum Railing

Al13 Home railing is geared toward customization for each homeowner, offering a plethora of looks with the same high-quality of other Fortress products. 

  • Affordable
  • Easy to install panels
  • Versatile post selection to accommodate multiple top rail finishes
  • Beautiful, clean look of thin pickets
  • Durable 
  • Customizable infills including vertical cable or Fortress Pure View glass

Warranty: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer

Available Colors: Matte White - Black Sand

Installation Setting: Residential

#7 Pure View™ Glass Railing

Glass railing systems typically seem daunting and out of reach for any average business or homeowner. Fortress makes glass railing attainable with their Pure View glass railing system.

Pure View™ Glass Railing
  • Wide open views
  • Easier than average glass railing installation
  • Glass system is more affordable than custom cut glass panels
  • Compatible with wood, composite, vinyl, or metal railing posts

Warranty: Lifetime Limited Manufacturer

Available Colors: Gloss Black - Black Sand - Antique Bronze (not available with full panels - White - Matte White

Installation Setting: Residential and Commercial

#8 Baluster Railing

With three series including Mega, Vienna, and Vintage, these Fortress Baluster Railing kits offer unique style and myriad design choices. 

Baluster Railing

Fortress Baluster Railing kits are designed to bring a sense of fashion to standard wood or composite railings while offering the combination of strength and beauty expected of Fortress products.

  • Easy installation
  • Compatible with wood, vinyl, composite and metal posts

Available Colors: Gloss Black - Black Sand - Oil Rubbed Bronze - Antique Bronze - Rust

#9 Handrail System

Fortress offers round and square handrail systems that are compatible with Fortress railing products and railing systems from other vendors. 

Fortress Handrail System
  • Easy installation
  • Fortress round railing is ADA compliant
  • Installation at most angles
  • Compatible with wood, vinyl, composite or metal posts and railing

Available Styles: Round - Square

Available Colors: Gloss Black - Black Sand - Antique Bronze - White Matte - White (round only)

Where and How to Purchase Fortress Railing

Building products have become sometimes hard to procure. Composite and aluminum railing products vary in availability. You can typically find Fortress Railing products at national hardware stores like:

Fortress does not sell directly to consumers (DTC) but does offer a tool that will help you find a reputable dealer in your area.

Fortress Railing Costs

Fortress Railing comes in a variety of styles, installations, and sizes, as outlined above. This makes it challenging to nail down a “cost.”

For example, a Fe26 panel from DecksDirect.com shows us how one style can vary significantly:

Rail Length

Rail Height

Color

Cost per Panel

6 ft

28 in

Black Sand

113.99

6 ft

28 in

Antique Bronze

124.99

8 ft

28 in

Black Sand

144.99

6 ft

42 in

Black Sand

137.99

6 ft

42 in

Antique Bronze

148.99

As you can see, a simple tweak to any feature can change the price per panel significantly. It is worth noting that Fortress panels tend to hover around the above price points regardless of style or product line you select.

Choose the Right Fortress Railing for You

It can be challenging to shuffle through all these selections and narrow in on the best choice. How does one make a final decision on the best Fortress Railing system for your installation?

Consider these few things when deciding on your Fortress Railing product:

  • Local building codes should be consulted first. This could lead to a narrowing of allowable styles and sizes for your deck.
  • Decide what is most important to you. If a clear sight line is imperative, then cable or glass options might be best. 
  • Each railing product has a specified selection of available colors. Keep this in mind as you consider your design.
  • Utilize the Fortress Visualizer to see how each product might look in your project.

How to Install Fortress Railings

Installing Fortress Railings on your own is plausible if you have some decking experience under your belt. If you feel like installing your own Fortress Railings is a bit more than you can chew, skip this section and head down to the Need Help Installing Fortress Railings section for ideas on how to have someone else do the “dirty work.”

Required Tools and Materials: 

  • Drill bits (⅜” and 3/16”) 
  • Driver bit (T-25)
  • Drill bit extender
  • Tape measure
  • Wrench set
  • Speed square
  • Center punch 
  • Hammer

While generally easy to install, Fortress railings do frequently require pre-drilling to customize posts and railings based on style, length, top rail, and post brackets.

You must be confident using the above tools and taking precise measurements to ensure a high-quality installation.

Need Help Installing Fortress Railings?

Fortress Railings have many features that make installation easier. However, sometimes the benefits are only valid for those who know what they are doing in the first place.

If you feel leery about your ability to install your own beautiful Fortress Railings, visit our convenient tool to help find a professional in your area who is both confident and competent. 

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