Bow top or vertical bar: which railings to specify
Same posts, same bays, same heights — the difference is the top of the bar. Bow top loops over; vertical bar runs straight with a finial choice.
Same posts, same bays, same heights — the only real difference between bow top and vertical bar is what happens at the top of the bar, and that decides where each one gets specified.
What's actually different
Bow top: each vertical bar bends into a continuous loop at the top. There's no end to catch a sleeve, a hand or a climbing foot on, which is the main reason it's the usual choice around parks, schools (in play spec form) and housing.
Vertical bar: the bars run straight through the top rail and finish as an option you choose on the same product — plain flat top, ball top or arrow top.
Vertical bar style options
| Style | Look |
|---|---|
| Vertical Bar / flat top | Plain, square-cut bar ends |
| Ball Top | Rounded ball finial on each bar |
| Arrow Top | Pointed finial — the traditional look |
Where each earns its keep
Bow top suits anywhere the rounded, snag-free top matters — parks, schools (via play spec), housing and anywhere the fence needs to look less like a barrier. Vertical bar, especially with an arrow top, reads as more traditional and formal, and adds a visual and physical deterrent at the top rail that bow top deliberately doesn't have.
Everything else is identical
Both ranges run the same seven heights (900mm to 2.1m) on the same 12/16/20mm bar-diameter, post and bay system covered in the main guide, the same cleat-and-bolt fixing, and the same galvanised-as-standard, powder-coat-as-an-option finish.
Bow top
Products covered in this guide
Frequently asked questions
- Is bow top or vertical bar stronger?
Neither — at a given height they use the same bar diameter, post and bay, so the choice is about the look and the shape of the top, not strength.
- Can I get arrow top railings in play spec?
No — on this site, play spec is only offered on the Bow Top range. Vertical bar, in any finial style, isn't sold as a playground-spec product.
- Do the finial styles cost different amounts?
They're style options on the same Vertical Bar Railings product rather than separate SKUs, so choosing between them doesn't change which height or bar-diameter range you're buying from.