Which guardrail to choose: rope or net?

What are the differences between a rope railing and a net railing, and most importantly, how do you choose the right one?

At Corderie Gautier, as manufacturers, our customers often ask us these questions. So we're here to help you see more clearly and make the right choice.

Indoor or Outdoor Installation

Installation projects are diverse and varied: house construction, loft renovation, adding a suspended wooden deck, etc.

At some point, whether on a staircase, a balcony, or around a terrace, you might want (and need!) to add a railing.

Rope is an excellent alternative to metal or wood structures.
It allows you to play with shapes, colors, and materials. It integrates very well into both modern and more traditional decor environments.

And with all the existing manufacturing and treatment techniques, as well as materials, ropes can be perfectly used indoors and outdoors, with UV and water-resistant solutions.

In short, from this perspective, whatever your project and wherever it is located, you can indeed install a railing.

Safety or Decoration?

This is actually the real, most essential question!

Do you want to add a personalized decorative touch that matches your desires, your house, or your apartment?
Or do you want a protection system that guarantees good safety against the risk of falls?

For safety, our answer is simple and unique: you need a safety net railing.

If decoration is your primary concern, then a rope railing is very interesting.
We'll explain why this decision is made right after.

The Rope Railing

When we talk about a rope railing, it involves one or more ropes going back and forth between different attachment points, for example, along the sides of a staircase.

Advantages

Rope comes in many forms, different materials, colors, and sizes (diameters).

We can advise you on the most suitable material based on your use and desires.
From very smooth, easy-to-install rope, available in many colors and weather-resistant, to more natural and thicker rope for indoor installation.

The possibilities are numerous and the creative ideas endless.
Why not combine several ropes, of different materials and colors?

You have great control over your personalization desires, and installation is relatively simple, without significant technical requirements.

Disadvantages

Although such an installation will indeed limit the risk of falls, even if only by marking off an area, it is far from being as tightly and effectively meshed as a net.

While an adult's fall can be hindered, significantly slowed down, or even completely retained, this installation cannot guarantee safety for a child or an animal. There is also no guaranteed load capacity.
The rope can stretch, a fastening can come undone, and the whole thing can fail…

In short, at Corderie Gautier, we classify the rope railing as a decorative and furnishing element.

The Safety Net Railing

This is also often called a habitation net.
Made from a catamaran net, it can be installed horizontally to create a mezzanine net.
And when installed vertically, it becomes a true safety net railing.

Advantages

Here, we are really talking about safety.

With rather narrow meshes, generally from 13mm to 50mm, knotless for greater comfort, this net is very robust.
From design to fastening, it is conceived to combine aesthetics with the safety of people and pets.

Its breaking strength is very high, several hundred kilograms per square meter, for optimal fall protection.

As they are originally catamaran nets, they are naturally very resistant to UV and bad weather (a sailboat spends all its time at sea, facing the elements and salt damage).
In addition, the net gives a unique look and style to your indoor or outdoor layout: terrace, balcony, stairs... Marine decor comes into the home!

Disadvantages

While we do offer meshes in different colors, the choices are more limited than with rope.

Similarly, there is little variation in diameter or material here.
We manufacture safety net railings with very high demands for quality and strength, a criterion that is more important here than color.

Finally, the fastening must be rigorous here and is necessarily more complicated than simply passing a rope through a ring.
Even so, rest assured, we provide you with all the information to properly secure the net.

In Conclusion

As you will have understood, what should guide your choice is above all the use you will make of your equipment, determining whether it is primarily for decoration or fall safety.

• For fall protection, opt for a safety net railing.
• For decoration and furnishing, you can choose a rope railing.

In all cases, these projects are always supervised and custom-made by our teams.
We advise you at every step and always offer a 100% adapted solution for your house or apartment.

For the choice of your installation and your rope to create a rope railing, also find our guide: Which rope to choose?