Interior and exterior stair railings help prevent falls and can be designed to complement the style of your home or business. Capitol Iron Works offers stair railing services, including iron railing installation. Here are the top five tips for safe stair railing installation:
1. Have Customized Railings
For safe stair railing installation, the new railings are sized to fit your stairway. Some older or modern homes may have unusual layouts, meaning that they do not follow the standard sizing for stairways. These include narrow stairways and L-shaped designs. Working with a contractor for custom railings allows the railings to fit your home’s dimensions. If you have children or pets in your home, the team is able to adjust the gaps between the rail or baluster to better protect them. Smaller gaps help with safety.
In the customization process, provide your contractor with detailed information about your stairway. This includes information such as the railing style, the number of separate rails, linear footage estimate, and your chosen materials. Options at Capitol Iron Works include cable railings, glass railings, iron railings, and aluminum railings. Exterior iron railings and interior iron railings offer a traditional design, while glass and cable railings are appropriate for modern homes. Utilizing precise measurements and material selection for railing design can offer improved strength and longevity.
During the fabrication process, the team is able to utilize custom, advanced welding techniques to create the railings. These allow them to precisely align the joints. High-quality craftsmanship helps the different parts of the railings to correctly align with the stair’s angles and geometry. Custom-fitting the railing to the space during the fabrication process prevents having to make adjustments on-site.
2. Take Assessments
With professional installation services, the team will perform on-site assessments of the space to take measurements, check the stair height and slope, as well as review mounting and stair attachment points. The installers look over the stair’s structure and materials and check the stair support. The assessment process allows the team to find and address any potential structural issues ahead of time.
3. Follow Building Codes
Make sure that your contractor follows local building codes, as well as OSHA and International Building Code standards, during the installation process. A professional team assesses the railings before installation to see if they are code compliant, checking:
Baluster spacing
Load-bearing specifications
Handrail height
Building codes may also have specifications about cable spacing. Other building code requirements include the 4-inch sphere rule, which dictates baluster spacing, and structural load requirements. Following building codes for stair railing installation and fabrication prevents safety violations. Capitol Iron Works makes sure our projects follow Maryland and Virginia building codes.
4. Clear the Area
During the day of the installation, make sure the contractors have a clear area to work in to make the process more efficient. Clear any furniture or rugs from the work area. This allows the contractors to be able to access the space and helps prevent damage to your belongings. Children and pets should also be kept out of the space to prevent potential interruptions or accidents; shut pets in a bedroom or keep them outside.
5. Use Quality Installation Techniques
Before installation, the team makes sure surfaces are level. Some contractors utilize the core-drill method during installation to improve the structure of the railing, as it creates a water-sealed connection. Quality tools, materials, and anchoring techniques help to secure the posts of the railings, reducing wobbling and loose connections. This helps lower the risks of the railing coming loose mid-use, preventing potential falls. We utilize diamond-tipped drill bits and high-strength grout to set the posts into the stone or concrete.
Secure anchoring techniques also help prevent water damage and maintain long-term stability. This offers additional protection for outdoor railings that are exposed to rain and other weather conditions, such as higher winds. The team will make sure that the railings are anchored according to safety guidelines.
Plan Your Stair Railing Installation
Finding professional railing contractors helps you make sure that your railings are aligned correctly and have structural integrity. Examples of our custom metal railings are available on our website for you to see potential designs. Capitol Iron Works also designs gates and staircases. To learn more about our stair railing installation services, complete our online form today.
