The right handrail system is the perfect finishing touch on any building. Handrails aren’t only necessary for safety and accessibility — with a bit of thoughtfulness, they’re also an attractive feature for outdoor spaces. If you’re building your dream deck for your home or business, you’ll want to carefully consider the type of handrail system that best fits your needs, aesthetics, and budget. The experienced professionals at Global Solarium can help guide you through the process. Consider a few questions you should keep in mind when starting the process of constructing a handrail system:
Which materials should I use?
Global Solarium railing systems are primarily constructed from aluminum, which is a practical, lightweight, and durable material that won’t rust, crack or warp in extreme weather. The result is a hand railing system frame that’s ultimately very low maintenance. Aluminum is also extremely easy to tailor to your specific vision because it can be finished in any color using powder coating or an anodization process.
When it comes to infills — the space underneath the handrail and in between the supporting beams — you can choose between picket, glass or cable. Each comes with its own set of advantages.
Picket infills (vertical, aluminum bars that echo the materials used in the handrail system frame) are clean, simple, and easy to finish identically to the frame, creating a cohesive overall look. This option is especially ideal for large apartment and condominium complexes, where uniformity can make a building look more attractive. Picket infills also mirror classic wooden picket fences without any of the splitting or rotting concerns that come with maintaining wood.
For a sleek and modern style, it’s difficult to beat glass. Glass is customizable. Depending on your privacy needs, you can use tinted glass that blocks onlookers’ line of sight to you while leaving your own view totally unobstructed. Glass infill is also a great option for windy climates because it fully encloses the outdoor space, protecting you from major gusts. Tempered or laminated glass panels are strong and shatter-resistant. The only major con is maintenance — fingerprints or smudges from your furry friends’ noses can build up, requiring frequent cleaning.
Cables have grown more popular in recent years because they offer a near-unobstructed view, combining many of the benefits of picket infills and glass infills into one option. Because cables are narrower than picket infills, they don’t block as much of the view from your deck and don’t visually stick out as much from the curb. Cables are also extremely sturdy, resistant to corrosion, and simple to maintain. They additionally make it easy to incorporate decorative elements in your outdoor space, like string lights and climbing plants, transforming a deck into a personalized sanctuary. But due in part to all these advantages, cable infills can sometimes be a more expensive option depending on the particulars of your project.
What shapes and mounts do I prefer?
Global Solarium offers handrails in multiple styles. Depending on your taste and the architectural details of your space, you can choose between rounded, elliptical flat or square options. You can also choose between different types of mounting. Our handrail systems can be mounted to your deck’s fascia board, aka the uninterrupted board that runs around the perimeter of a deck, or to the top of the decking directly. The decision is up to you. Your choice will also help guide whether you use a top-mounted railing system, which anchors to a horizontal surface or use side-mounted posts adhered to a vertical surface.
How can I make sure my railings are up to code?
Different municipalities will have different rules and requirements for hand railing systems. Some states and cities, for example, have restrictions on horizontal railing infills on residential buildings — it’s a holdover from an old International Code Commission mandate that officially lifted more than 20 years ago, but remains in place for some municipalities. To avoid any headaches or surprises, work directly with a professional who has the expertise to guide you through the process and ensure your project remains in compliance with local laws.
Global Solarium has earned its reputation as a top-quality provider of patio awnings, skylights, sunroom installs, prefab solariums, solarium kits, solarium repair services, aluminum sunroom parts, and sunroom materials. We provide dealer service for solariums near me in Portland OR, Los Angeles CA, Sacramento CA, San Jose CA, San Francisco CA, Salt Lake City UT, Seattle WA, and Spokane WA.
To find out more, call our team at Global Solariums at (800) 810-7666, (360) 695-0313 or email us at info@globalsolariums.com.