Stainless steel railings: all the nuances from production to maintenance

The railing is an important part in the design of the stairway. The main requirements for them are durability and reliability, and, of course, they should look decent against the general background. The most democratic and durable option is a stainless steel railing. They are assembled as a constructor of composite elements without the use of welding.

Stainless steel railings are a stylish detail of the facade of the house

Table of Contents

• 1 Advantages and disadvantages of stainless steel railings
• 2 Where are stainless steel railings used
• 3 Examples of stainless steel stair railings
  • 3.1 What do stainless steel handrails look like
  • 3.2 Welded or prefabricated stainless steel railings: examples of designs.
• 4 Technical requirements for components and assembly
• 5 What are the components for stainless steel railings
• 6 Stainless steel railing fittings
• 7 Some nuances of the manufacture of stainless steel railings
  • 7.1 Features of the production of stainless steel railings
• 8 Stainless steel handrails: basic principles of care
• 9 How much do stainless steel railings cost – the price per running meter

Advantages and disadvantages of stainless steel railings

Let’s start with a detailed consideration of the pros and cons of such a choice. Why it makes sense to focus on stainless steel:

• polished steel fits seamlessly into almost any interior and at the same time looks neat and beautiful;
• such railings and railings made of stainless steel can be safely used for outdoor structures, they perfectly tolerate all seasonal manifestations;
• stainless steel railings are lightweight and at the same time extremely reliable. They do not require a reinforced base and do not weigh down the overall design.;
• stainless steel stair railings are assembled using special fasteners, there is no need to use a welding machine;
• steel railings do not oxidize and do not emit compounds harmful to humans, they can be installed in hospitals and children’s institutions. The surface of these railings is easily sanitized.

Stainless steel has a long service life – at least half a century, and is considered vandal-proof material

Stainless steel also has its disadvantages. The main one is the cost of the material. Such railings are about three times more expensive than wooden ones, but if you divide the cost by the service life, the purchase turns out to be profitable. Another nuance is that stair railings and stainless steel handrails cannot be attached to plasterboard and asbestos cement walls. But what is the type of strong railings that can be mounted on such surfaces? And the last minus in this collection is the impossibility of artisanal work with this raw material.

That is, it is almost impossible for a home craftsman to make such a railing on his own

Where stainless steel railings are used

Railings made of polished steel are one of the most common options for fencing stairs, indoor and outdoor. You can see them on turnstiles, main and emergency exits to buildings, on internal staircases.

Such railings can be found in landscape design, framing of terraces and balconies

Stainless steel is advisable to use in rooms with high humidity: it is used to make railings and stairs in swimming pools and saunas.

Examples of stainless steel stair railings

If the staircase has more than three steps, it needs a railing for safe movement. With the help of beautiful railings, it is easy to transform the most ordinary entrance to the house into an attractive design.

Much has already been said about the practicality of such railings – they are preferred by institutions with high traffic: supermarkets, polyclinics, government agencies.

Handrails on stairs can have a rounded, rectangular or square shape.

The most popular are round railings. It is convenient to rely on them

What do stainless steel handrails look like

In addition to traditional stair railings, various types of handrails are made of polished steel. They are especially in demand in places visited by people with disabilities.

Such handrails are used in apartments for bathroom equipment, in entrances and for moving along the ramp

The main requirement for such structures is maximum strength and reliability. The load on the handrail in this case is very large, but the steel copes with its task perfectly.

Welded or prefabricated stainless steel railings: examples of designs.

Stainless steel railings can be mounted using special fasteners or welding. The first option is considered the simplest, most economical and practical. To make a railing, you just need to buy a factory set of stainless steel railings, and then – purely intellectual work on the assembly of the designer.

The handrails are inserted into the coupling couplings, where necessary – plugs or curved parts are mounted

The welding method differs not only in labor intensity, but also in special requirements for equipment and experience of the welder. In this case, only argon welding is possible.

If you have professional skills, the result is reliable and accurate, but expensive

Technical requirements for components and assembly

Stainless steel itself is a very wear–resistant material. Of course, provided there is no factory defect in the manufacture. For railings that must withstand heavy weight, the thickness of the metal and the strength of the attachment points are important. When assembling the structure, it is important to make sure that it evenly distributes the load. Thus, steel with a thickness of at least 1.5 – 2 mm is used for railings. The width of the handrail pipe should be such that it is convenient to grab it.

For round pipes, the optimal diameter is 50 mm.

What are the components for stainless steel railings

So, to assemble the railing, you can purchase a set of components and assemble such railings from them that are suitable for your stairs. What is included in this set:

• handrails — they can be mounted directly on the load-bearing wall or on racks;
• balusters are just the very posts to which the railings are attached. They not only support the railing, but also are the protection of the stairway, and can also act as fasteners for filling elements made of glass or wood.

Glass inserts on such railings look very original

Stainless steel railing fittings

An important part of the design of stair railings is fittings. Here you will find a wide variety of elements that will decorate the entire structure, they are offered by many companies:

• balls – fixed on racks, serve as decoration;
• turns and fittings are a connecting element that allows you to put a stainless steel railing for stairs at any angle and with the necessary rotation;
• nickels – are used to attach the balusters to the concrete base of the stairs;
• bends – serve to further strengthen the connections of the handrails;
• string holders – attach the string to balusters, walls or columns;
• decorative elements are made to order and serve as decoration for the structure.

Fittings are an important part of the whole structure and the key to its strength. It is for this reason that it is important to purchase only high-quality products

Some nuances of the manufacture of stainless steel railings

To make a stainless steel railing yourself is not an easy task, but in principle, it is feasible. You can use AISI stainless steel pipes for these purposes.

The secret of success is in careful measurements and preparation of the project. Polished protected steel is an expensive material and without a detailed drawing you risk wasting money.

Draw for yourself a diagram of your stairway, measure its length, the required height of the balusters and calculate the material consumption

It is advisable to leave a distance of at least 70 centimeters between the balusters. The comfortable height of the handrails is 90 centimeters.

Features of the production of stainless steel railings

If you want a perfect result, choose factory–made components.

Only with the use of modern high-tech techniques it is possible to achieve perfect precision of connections and high quality of all parts of the structure

But, with a certain perseverance, you can make something decent using argon welding. All seams are carefully sanded after work, the holes necessary for fasteners are drilled.

Stainless steel handrails: basic principles of care

Stainless steel is not afraid of the weather, it does not care about the scorching sun and severe frost. But if you monitor their condition, they will last twice as long as the warranty 50 years and will look like new at the same time. What is needed for this:

• from time to time, wipe the railing with a light solution of bleach or bleach. You can use water with ammonia. These compounds will retain the shine of polishing;

Do not rub the railing with abrasive powders and sand

• wet handrails, for example, in the bathroom, should be wiped with a dry soft cloth;
• greasy traces on the handrails are removed with alcohol or acetone nail polish remover;
• sticky factory stickers are removed with a warm soapy solution.

How much do stainless steel railings cost – the price per running meter

And the last thing in our study is the cost of stainless steel railings. We have already warned that it cannot be considered democratic in any way, but what can we do, cheap products are always disposable. If you want something really durable, you’ll have to fork out.

Constructions with decorative elements are considered the most expensive, you can order such stainless steel railings in special workshops stainless steel railings

High–quality stainless steel railings are an almost immortal structure. Sparkling and perfect, they will never give you any trouble and will delight your grandchildren even more. If you are looking to install these systems in your home, contact Luxury Staircase Railings!