Because I live in a colder climate, and I deal with lots of snow, I would like to increase the spacing below the bottom rail from 2 to 4 inches using a piece of baluster instead of the supplied bottom support bracket. Can I do that?

As a company based in Wisconsin, we definitely understand your concern about snow. Yes, you can raise the bottom bracket to that height without harming the structural integrity of the railing, and you can use a piece of baluster in place of the support bracket.

Color Guard does offer some styles of vinyl railing with 4″ spacing between the deck and bottom rail. For example, Classic is available in a -H version (4″) and -2H version (2″), Architectural is only available in -H version (4″), Savannah is only available in -2H (2″), Tuscany and Verona both come with a 4″ spacer.

If a customer has already purchased the 2″ version, they are still able to make it a 4″ spacing by cutting the balusters in the section shorter and cutting a baluster spacer at 4″ for under the bottom rail. Lincoln and Aspen sections need to have the balusters cut down and a 4″ spacer block made in order to make the spacing 4″.

That said, you definitely want to check local building code on the bottom rail height. Most of the ones we found said the bottom rail could not sit more than four inches about deck surface. This prevents kids and pets from slipping through.