What Materials Should I Use
When selecting a handrail system, a primary concern is choosing a product that compliments your home or commercial property. Your railing system has to be more than being decorative, it needs to provide safety, have an overall nice appearance that blends well with your homes design and have a good level of transparency so that you can see what is on the other side of it.
Appearance is probably the most important feature, however there are additional factors should be considered. We are going to discuss all of the different things that you should take into account when selecting a new railing systems that adds curb appeal and performs great.
Glass Panel Systems
offer high visibility as well as a bit of wind and rain protection (great for protecting potted flowers or plants from rain and wind while giving them all the sunlight they need. This stylish system is also quite popular for indoor application for both your home or office.
Steel Cable Systems
open-lined design with cables is also an option that offers great transparency. Stainless steel cables are a popular style of railing systems to provide a sleek and modern look with a nearly unobstructed view. With the expense of glass including code-required tempered-laminated glass in many applications, cable offers a viable, cost-effective alternative including 316-grade for environmental considerations. Cable railings provide great aesthetics and flexibility for both indoor and outdoor settings, which can run horizontally or vertically and doesn’t require the same ongoing cleaning requirements to maintain views that glass does.
Picketed Railing System
The classic picketed railing system is an open-lined design with aluminum pickets is an option that offers a moderate amount of transparency. Picketed railings provide that classic appearance and great for both indoor and outdoor applications, which can run horizontally or vertically and doesn’t require the same ongoing cleaning requirements to maintain views that glass does.
Why Aluminum is the Best Choice of Material
With its special properties and abundant supply, aluminum has revolutionized modern construction. Aluminum’s unique combination of strength and rigidity, ease of fabrication, versatility of design and light weight make it an ideal building material for architectural products.
Strong
Aluminum is low in weight, yet still very strong. Aluminum alloys can exhibit the same strength as many structural steels, but at 1/3 of the weight
Durable
Aluminum does not absorb moisture and is salt-water resistant, so it will not rust, rot, swell, warp, twist or crack, like steel and wood or composite railing systems.
Low Maintenance
To maintain an attractive appearance, minor surface cleaning is all that is necessary. Besides routine cleaning for aesthetic reasons, neither bare nor painted aluminum requires any maintenance
Green
Aluminum is the metal of the future. In a variety of forms, aluminum is one of the most plentiful elements on earth making up a full 8% of the Earths crust. It is one of the most recyclable building materials, which makes it the right choice for the environment