• Custom porch railings add a personal touch to a home's appearance.Child Sitting on Porch Rail image by Kalani from Fotolia.com
  
  Step and porch railings add safety and aesthetics to a home. While you can order stock railings from lumber yards, they tend to be very plain, and custom railings with carvings are exceedingly expensive. If you have a wooden lathe and plenty of creativity, you have the makings to create your own homemade railings.
  
  

Spindles

• If you've ever admired the spindle railings on movie sets, it may be time to create your own. Using a rot resistant wood, such as cedar or redwood, rotate and carve the spindle of your choice on a lathe. Keep one finished spindle handy to compare the others with as you finish them. If you are carving especially thin spindles, reinforce the center of each with a metal rod.
  
  

Sports Design

• Show the neighborhood how much of a sports fan you are by making a sports-themed railing. Carve the vertical pieces to look like baseball bats or hockey sticks, with a metal rod reinforcing the center of each one. Carve ball shapes or helmets for banisters. Best of all, you'll escape the monotony of white railings by freely painting your designs to truly stand out.
  
  

Touch of Nature

• If you have a jigsaw or carving machine, create posts with a touch of nature carved out. Program or draw leaf, floral or insect designs and cut them out of flat planked railings. This design is especially ideal for a home with small children, as the gaps between vertical posts will be small. For an added nighttime touch, install some floor lights to brighten up the patio and highlight the designs.