General News

So, we’ve nearly made it to the end of 2020.

Unsurprisingly, our entire nation seems to be indulging in a long, languid sigh of relief at the end of this tumultuous year, as we prepare for what we can only hope is a safe, socially-distanced South African Summer. But with our lockdown still in effect, many of us will be keeping it relatively low-key this festive season, and Staycations are set to be the order of the day.

Pool Safety in South Africa

We can empathise with those who have had to cancel year-end travel plans, but when one considers that the South African festive season is essentially a sun-soaked dream, we really don’t have that much to gripe about. Plus, if you have access to a pool, some good music, and even better some ice cold beverages, a Staycation can easily eclipse most Mediterranean jaunts (at a fraction of the cost, we might add).

But with your Summer plans sorted, put those dreams of lazy pool days on pause for a second. We need to talk about pool safety.

1. Children under 5 make up 75% of all drownings in SA

According to Netcare 911; young children are the most vulnerable around pools. And recent news reports seem to back this up, with three toddlers drowning in a public pool in Limpopo earlier this year, and a three-year-old drowning in a Joburg pool as recently as October. When one considers that young children tend to be poor swimmers, and that it can take just 20 seconds for someone to drown, it’s not surprising that we see this terrible trend. Adult supervision is essential, and it can prevent these tragic accidents, but when looking away for just a minute can be the difference between life and death, is that good enough?

2. African regions account for 20% of global drowning

This may not seem like a significant percentage, but, coupled with a drowning mortality rate of 13.1 per 100 000 population, it’s a cause for concern. And with our sweltering African climates leading to regular participation in water-based activities, despite a distinct lack of pool and swimming training available for young children, and sorely lacking adult supervision, it’s a recipe for disaster. Even with adult supervision and safety measures in place, the risk of drowning is ever-present when children are around water. Who can forget the tragic case of Enoch Mpianzi, the 13-year-old Parktown Boys High pupil who drowned on a school orientation camp, under the supposed watchful eye of camp counsellors and teachers?

3. Drowning is the fifth leading cause of death in SA

In a country with one of the highest murder rates in the world, untenably high road accident deaths, and numerous other risk factors that make SA a pretty dangerous place to live, comparatively speaking, drowning still manages to take that infamous fifth spot. While many of these deaths can be attributed to bodies of water other than swimming pools, the fact is, a pool in a home with young children or pets is an undeniable risk factor, and if it’s not fenced off or securely covered, you’re tempting fate!

Does this mean I should drain my pool and play in the sprinklers for the sake of safety?

Nope. Fortunately for you water babies out there, supplementing your pool safety standards and enjoying peace of mind this Summer is relatively simple.

They say the best cure is prevention, and this holds true for a pool. After all, if your little ones (human or fur variety) can’t gain unsupervised access to your pool, the chances of drowning are dramatically reduced, if not eliminated entirely. Obviously, you don’t want to skimp on safety for the sake of style and aesthetic considerations, so you’ll want a solution that isn’t unsightly and suits your space, right?

With Steel Studio’s custom-designed, manufactured, and installed pool enclosures and balustrades, protecting your pool doesn’t mean sacrificing your style. Following contemporary and functional design principles, with the highest safety standards in mind, Steel Studio has been building and installing world-class pool enclosure systems, including self-closing gates, for decades, and our reputation is unmatched.

We cater to all design considerations and layouts, utilising a range of stainless steel, glass, and even gorgeous frameless designs. Plus, we’re committed to our principles of sustainable business practices, using recyclable stainless steel and implementing numerous measures to reduce our carbon footprint wherever possible.

So, if you’re looking for peace of mind as stainless as our steel this Summer, chat to us about a custom pool enclosure solution that defies your expectations: https://www.steelstudio.co.za/contact/.

Toughened laminated glass in balustrades adds another dimension to safety in high risk areas such as shopping centres or multi-level structures. The additional cost is minimal and usually works out to approximately 7.5 extra on the total project price, depending on the design. Standard toughened safety glass (which is all that is required by law), has the unfortunate characteristic of what is called, euphemistically, “spontaneous failure”. There is always something that could cause glass to fail, however it is often difficult, if not impossible, to find a cause. The pieces have usually been swept up and thrown away, or the critical part of the glass is scattered across a few floors of the office block or shopping centre. The toughened laminate in Tygervalley shopping centre failed due to a nickel sulphide inclusion, identified at the source of the failure as a small blob in the centre of the crack, in the centre of the picture below.

If a laminated and toughened glass breaks, it maintains a visible barrier in the balustrade as it does not crumble to the floor in a million pieces. It may not be as strong as before, but it buys time for a replacement. It will almost certainly be strong enough to keep small children safe and to allow temporary measures to make the area properly safe. The glass can also then be examined to find out why it broke – this can then be used for remedial measures or for future designs. Of course a toughened laminate will only remain in position if the fixing method will keep the glass in place – a completely frameless balustrade without a handrail type design, will still fall down unless very special interlayers are used. These can be as strong as polycarbonate or stiff interlayers such as Sentry Glas Plus by DuPont – used for the iconic staircases in Apple iStores worldwide. Toughened laminated glass is the ideal way to add security to your balustrade system, without compromising on design.

Buying your frameless glass balustrade system from a professional ensures a product that suits your interior, but most importantly is safe for it’s intended use.

A question so many homeowners ask is, where can I buy a frameless glass balustrade system? Even though Louis makes light of the subject in the above Feedback Friday video. The answer needs more attention than most of you think. It’s a fact, you probably can buy a frameless glass balustrade from your local shower guy, your tiling supplier and chances are, you could probably even get your gardener to source and supply a frameless glass balustrade. But, knowing that your frameless glass balustrade is a structural element and a specialised trade, the design, manufacture and installation needs to be according to the SANS regulations. This is why it’s not recommended to buy any balustrade from just anywhere.

• A frameless glass balustrade is a structural element and needs to be treated as such.

  A frameless glass balustrade as a whole is a structural element in a home or building and must be treated as such. The purpose of any balustrade is to prevent the occupants from falling from dangerous heights and incurring severe injuries.

• A frameless glass balustrade can only be designed and signed off by a professional structural engineer.

  A balustrade needs to be designed in consultation with a registered professional structural engineer. On completion of your job, you must insist on your Form 3 engineer sign off, which is confirmation that your balustrade is safe for it’s intended use and that it will perform as it should in the event of an accidental impact.

• Steel Studio will come to you.

  In addition to supplying you with a safe and elegant frameless glass balustrade, Steel Studio will come to you at a time that is convenient for you, for a site inspection and obligation free quotation. We will design a balustrade system that suits your interior design, and even more importantly, we make sure that your balustrade is safe. We also have a showroom based at our manufacturing facility in Sandton, Johannesburg, which you are welcome to visit at your convenience to view our extensive range of frameless glass balustrade options.

• Steel Studio supplies frameless glass balustrades to other areas in South Africa.

  Also, Steel Studio supplies frameless glass balustrades to clients in and around Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Bloemfontein and many other areas in South Africa.

Call us now on +27 (0) 11 608 1963 to speak to one of our qualified sales executives about your frameless glass balustrade and if we are able to supply and install in your area.

PS: Insist on your Form 3, engineer sign off on completion of your job. This ensures the safety of the occupants that are using your building.

It’s no secret. Most South Africans are unaware of any pool fence regulations. Statistics provided by the Department of Water and Sanitation show that more than one child drowns in our country every day. This tells us that drowning is still a serious, unsolved problem in SA.

So often, in South Africa, a by-law or regulation may be in place but has not been successfully communicated. A person sometimes only finds out that there is a regulation in place after an event like an accident, and for the purposes of this conversation, a drowning which could have been prevented if the by-laws were strictly enforced.

In the case of legislated pool fence regulations in our country, very few pool owners know about these laws and don’t put the necessary protection in place, causing potential risk to their families and the public.

If you have a swimming pool and inquisitive toddlers that are not yet swimming on their own, then you should ensure that you are aware of the pool fencing laws and prevent your children from getting into the pool area.

So, what is the pool fencing laws that you should know about?

This video answers two of the many questions homeowners often have around pool fence regulations:

How high does a pool fence have to be?

If your pool is accessible from the street or to the public, the height of your pool fence needs to be 1,2m high. If however, your property is enclosed with a wall or fence of 1,2m or higher, and your gate to the road access is locked, then the height of your pool fence can be 1m. The law states that in this instance you are not necessarily required to have a pool fence then, but if you have toddlers that you need to protect from the pool area, then a pool fence needs to be a serious consideration on your property.

What is the safest pool fence?

The safest pool fence has a self-closing gate that is also self-latching, meaning that, upon opening, the pool fence gate must close by itself and lock to prevent any mobile toddlers from getting into the pool area. In most situations, you should also only be able to open the pool gate from the inside when standing outside by having to reach over the fence to open the gate. This is another prevention method for small children not to be able to open the pool gate by themselves easily. It is not advisable to have

horizontal rail balustrades as a pool fence. The rails create a ladder for curious toddlers who like to climb. The alternative is to go with a glass pool fence like the one below; ensuring that a professional has engineered and installed the fence with the correct materials and installation methods.

Here are more pool fence regulation questions that homeowners have:

Who can install a pool fence?

A qualified and professional pool fence supplier that has engineered designed and safety tested a pool fence should be your first option for your new pool fence. DIY systems are not necessarily developed in consultation with an engineer and may not guarantee your toddlers safety. Ensure that the locks and latches are guaranteed to self-close and self-latch for the duration of their lifespan. There are many cheap knock-offs around that don’t work. If you’re installing a glass pool fence, ensure that the glass thickness is approved by an engineer and that the stainless steel hinges and locks are solid cast stainless steel and not plated, otherwise they will not last and will corrode due to exposure to the chlorinated or salt water in the pool area.

Can a glass pool fence break?

Depending on the object that hits the glass pool fence, yes, it is possible. If a sharp object hits the glass panel, it will undoubtedly break, e.g. if your garden service uses a weed eater too close to the glass pool fence and a stone shoots up and hits the glass, it could break. It is essential to ensure that your supplier installs a toughened safety glass and not just standard float glass. If a glass panel breaks, the toughened safety glass will break into a million little pieces which shouldn’t hurt a person in contact with the glass panel. However, if your installer has supplied a standard float glass, you stand the risk of the glass breaking into large, sharp shards that can seriously injure someone. That said, your glass pool fence, that acts as a balustrade and a safety element, must be impact and load tested to prevent you or your children from falling through the glass upon impact.

Report a pool without a fence and save a life.

If you know of a pool or any open council water that is exposed to the public and does not have a safety fence around, report it to your local council. This way you can ensure that unnecessary accidents and drowning’s don’t occur.

For more on pool fence regulations and ideas visit our webpage https://www.steelstudio.co.za/pool-enclosures/ or call us today on 011-608-1963 to speak to one of our qualified sales executives.

If you have children, you’ll know that it is inevitable that they will climb and explore almost anything in your home. This is why Steel Studio has an extensive range of child-friendly balustrade ideas for your staircase.

The concern of the risk of a child falling through a gap in a balustrade or over a balustrade, is real for so many parents. Considering this, you have to look at child-friendly balustrade ideas for your home. Choosing a child-friendly balustrade for your stairs can be a difficult task if you don’t really know all the regulations that a balustrade needs to comply with. That’s why we’re giving you some insight to make the right decision for you and your family when buying a balustrade.

1. Firstly, what is a balustrade?

Before we show you a range of child-friendly balustrade ideas, you first need to understand what a balustrade is and why it’s so crucial that a balustrade is a structural element of any building that has to comply with building and safety regulations. Here’s a link to an article explaining the purpose of a balustrade: https://www.steelstudio.co.za/what-is-a-balustrade/

2. Do you know how high your child-friendly balustrade should be?

SANS regulations state that any balustrade must be no less than 1m high. When we look at the requirements around child-safety, homeowners may consider raising the height to 1.1m or even 1.2m. Building regulations don’t necessarily require this, however it is recommended if you are concerned about climbing children. The below link explains how high your balustrade should be, upgrading to a higher height is up to you: https://www.steelstudio.co.za/how-high-should-my-balustrade-be/

3. Here’s what happens when you don’t fit a handrail to a component fixed glass balustrade.

Everyone wants a frameless glass balustrade without any interfering handrail or post that interrupts your view, but have you considered the child-safety and as a matter of fact, all human safety repercussions of doing this? A specialist in balustrades will not recommend a frameless balustrade without a handrail unless the glass is fitted into a permanent concrete or steel channel, because they would have tested the balustrade and seen that it doesn’t pass the impact test and safety standards. Take a look at the below video on the link to see what happens when an impact test is done on a frameless glass balustrade without a handrail: https://www.steelstudio.co.za/this-is-what-happens-when-you-dont-fit-a-handrail-onto-your-glass-balustrades/

4. The 100mm air-gap rule for child-friendly balustrades.

This isn’t just a child-friendly rule. This includes all balustrades. As per SANS and the residential occupancy category codes, an object of 100mm in diameter may not pass through an area of the balustrade. This will ensure that your child won’t fall through the air-gaps in the balustrade.

5. Are horizontal rail balustrades child-friendly?

Horizontal balustrades are not illegal in South Africa. However, this balustrade design should be scrutinised more closely when there are children to consider. Children are inevitable climbers. They will most definitely consider climbing a horizontal balustrade if the opportunity arises. There are however changes that can be made to this balustrade design that could prevent climbing over.

Raised balustrade height for child safety

The height of the horizontal rail balustrade can be raised if there are children to be considered. This is not law but is a recommended practice for child safety.

A cranked handrail to curb the interest of climbers

If the height of a balustrade is not an option, then a cranked handrail can be installed, preventing children from climbing over a horizontal rail balustrade.

Inclined balustrade

Another option is to incline the balustrade towards the inside of a balcony or slab, which will also prevent mobile toddlers from climbing over a horizontal rail balustrade.

Now that you’re more comfortable with the balustrade regulations, you can make the right decision when looking for a child/friendly balustrade idea for your home.

Here are some impact tested balustrades that Steel Studio has designed and installed in many homes around South Africa, to keep children and adults, safe:

Child-friendly safety tested stainless steel post and glass balustrades

An elegant and affordable glass balustrade idea for a contemporary home that has been engineered for safety and accidental impact.

A frameless glass balustrade that won’t fail under impact

A 12mm panel of toughened safety glass has been secured into a permanent pre-cast concrete channel and does not require a handrail because the permanent channel spreads the load across the glass panel on impact, whilst resisting the impact. This is an affordable balustrade idea if some designing consideration is given ahead with your architect to ensure the design includes for a pre-cast concrete channel, saving you costs on stainless steel components and fittings.

An elegant and safe stainless steel horizontal rail balustrade

This balustrade idea features a laser-cut profile post constructed out of stainless steel. And although the balustrade contains horizontal infill rails, the entire system is fixed at an inclined angle towards the inside of the balcony, preventing mobile toddlers from finding their way over the balustrade.

For more child-friendly and safety tested balustrade ideas visit our web page https://www.steelstudio.co.za/balustrades/ or call us today on 011-608-1963 to get a no-obligation site visit and quote from one of our qualified sales executives.

There are many grades of stainless steel available to manufacture products like balustrades from. Unfortunately, some categories are just not fit for ensuring a safe and long lasting product. If you’re at the coast, here’s what you need to know about the stainless steel grade for your balustrades

A client living at the coast asked Steel Studio a question regarding the grade of stainless steel. His problem was, what grade of stainless steel is the correct grade for balustrades at the coast? He lives within 3km from the coastline, and his builder told him that he needs grade 316 stainless steel for his balustrades. Grade 316 is obviously more expensive than the standard grade 304 that is used for more inland applications, and the client would have to fork out considerably more for his balustrade system.

The differences between grade 304 and grade 316

The differences between these two grades are that you generally have a brushed material in grade 304 and a mirror polished finish with grade 316, however, that’s not all. In the conversation Daniel has with Relco in the above video, Daniel shows the difference between the two grades. Besides the elements that make up the various grades to ensure their non-corrosive properties, stainless Steel grade 316 mirror polish is a much smoother surface, whereas grade 304 is a brushed surface and has grooves in the surface, allowing contaminants to collect in the grooves and over time cause discolouration to the stainless steel if not maintained correctly. These grooves in the brushed grade 304 become a problem when the salt and contaminants in the coastal air, collect in the grooves and over time causes discolouration to the stainless steel. This discolouration could over time become very difficult to clean off and could lead to deterioration of the material and the balustrade system as a whole. Grade 316 mirror polished stainless steel has a smoother surface and with the right amount of maintenance, will not discolour like the grade 304 as it doesn’t have distinctive grooves that contaminants may collect in.

Your distance from the coastline dictates the grade of stainless steel

You have to look at your proximity to the coastline to know if you require grade 316 stainless steel for your balustrade application. The general rule of thumb is that if you are further than 4km from the coastline, you could consider looking at grade 304 which is also cheaper than 316. Otherwise, you should definitely go with 316 within 4km from the shoreline. It also needs to be noted whether the material requirement is for an internal or an external application. If you’re in an airconditioned building and the installation is internal, you can still get away with using grade 304 for the balustrade application as the balustrades are not exposed to the external coastal elements. However, if the application is external, you definitely need to go with 316. If you still decide to go with grade 304, your balustrades are not going to last very long. They will discolour and deteriorate, leaving you with a potentially unsafe balustrade system.

What does stainless steel grade 316 cost compared to grade 304

There is obviously a cost saving if you are able to go with grade 304 stainless steel, but is not advisable for external use closer than 4km from the coastline. Stainless steel grade 316 mirror polished is more expensive than grade 304 brushed, but will ensure that you are left with a balustrade system that is safe and lasts longer.

For more information on our grade 304 and grade 316, stainless steel balustrade designs visit our web page https://www.steelstudio.co.za/stainless-steel-balustrades/ or call us on 011-608-1963 to talk to one of our qualified sales executives for a no-obligation site inspection and quote.

Are you looking for spiral staircase ideas for your new home? Our innovative design team gives you the freedom to customise your stair to complement your modern, contemporary or classic home

Your new home has an inviting and open entrance or living space, and you have the space for a sweeping spiral staircase. Where do you start looking for spiral staircase ideas? And how do you find an expert manufacturer that will ensure you get an affordable product that is built to last?
Look no further. Steel Studio’s innovative team is ready to show you that you can achieve a spiral staircase to fit your budget with various material options.

A spiral staircase is a value adding investment for any home and depending on the design and materials chosen could cost you a bit. That’s why you want something that is well built and structurally solid. The last thing you need is a wobbly staircase when you walk on it. There is a skill to creating a structurally sound, quality staircase. A staircase is designed to ensure that you move safely from one level to the next. There’s just no substitute for safety. That’s why you need to go to an expert when it comes to building your dream spiral staircase. You need a company that is reputable and reliable.

Whether you are looking for an extravagant, sweeping spiral staircase, fabricated from high-end materials or a classic, functional spiral staircase, you can trust that we will craft a whatever you need to our highest standards. Our extensive range of customizable spiral staircases is boundless. Our innovative team will design and build the stairs to your specifications or from an architect drawing. However, we also offer a service to help you create your spiral staircase and choose your materials from scratch. We allow you the freedom to choose from an extensive range of materials and components to achieve the stair you want.

Here are some spiral staircase ideas to inspire you.

1. A custom concrete spiral staircase with a balustrade wall

Our team of designers created this staircase for a client who had a tight space but wanted a modern yet affordable spiral staircase with concrete. We fabricated a steel shuttering system for the stairs and filled the formwork with concrete. After that, the stairs was plastered and painted. This staircase complemented the space beautifully.

2. A mild steel spiral staircase with a centre fireman pole

This steel spiral staircase was designed for a two-levelled restaurant. The client wanted a painted structure and matching steel balustrades. A dark, hard timber was chosen for the treads to endure lots of traffic. A centre pole also known as a fireman pole holds the treads and spiral structure together on this spiral staircase.

3. A sweeping spiral staircase with timber treads

The brief was for a low maintenance material for the staircase structure with timber treads. We specified stainless steel for the material and also built the rail balustrades from stainless steel. This space offered a large, double volume entrance and a double sweeping spiral was designed and manufactured to fill the space.

4. A stainless steel spiral staircase for an outdoor area

This home required access by an outside pool area. The client wanted an elegant yet low-maintenance spiral staircase because it was right by their entertainment area. Grade 316 mirror polished stainless steel was used to manufacture the structure and the balustrades to prevent damage by environmental elements, and a hard timber was chosen for the treads to withstand rain and sun damage.

What makes Steel Studio experts in building spiral staircases?

• Material selection and wall-thicknesses for your spiral staircase play a significant role in ensuring that your staircase is built to last a lifetime and also keep you safe.

• The manufacturing principles of our qualified and skilled artisans provide you with a staircase with structural stability.

• We ensure that all of our spiral staircase designs are engineered and tested; that is a claim very few manufacturers can make. What does this mean for you? You receive an engineers sign off on completion ensuring the safety of those using the staircase. Leaving you with one less thing to worry about during your building process.

Here’s what you get when you buy a spiral staircase from Steel Studio

• Your design is done in consultation with a professional structural engineer, and the materials and thicknesses that are used are proven and tested to be of the correct grade and above all, safe.

• Before manufacturing commences, you receive detailed shop drawings and renderings showing you precisely what you’re getting. This enables you to make changes until you are completely satisfied to go ahead.

• The correct materials and thicknesses are specified and used to manufacture to ensure structural stability. Leaving you with a staircase that doesn’t bounce or wobble when you walk on it

• You receive an engineer Form 3 on completion which gives you the assurance that your spiral staircase is safe to walk on.

• We back our products up with our materials and workmanship guarantee.

Our commitment to excellence drives our quality, and that is why we’re held in high regard for our spiral staircases by professionals in the building industry.

Don’t be deceived by poor substitutes and clones that are manufactured from inferior and thinner materials. It will only cost you more in the long run and could risk your safety if it’s not structurally sound or signed off by a structural engineer.

For more spiral staircase ideas for your new home, go to our web page www.steelstudio.co.za /staircases or call us today on 011-608-1963 to speak to our qualified sales executives for a no-obligation site inspection and quote.

PS: Steel Studio also has a range of SANS compliant and compatible balustrades to suit any one of our spiral staircase ideas.

In an exclusive interview with Popular Mechanics, Elon Musk shared how he has changed the construction material of the SpaceX Starship to stainless steel and the reasons why. Steel Studio shares his views on this decision and highlights the benefits stainless steel has to our planet.

In January 2019, the world read about Elon Musk’s decision to build the SpaceX Starship out of Stainless Steel and not out of Carbon Fiber. Here’s a link to the exclusive interview with Ryan D’Agostino, PM Editor in Chief at Popular Mechanics, where they discussed the reasons for this change in material choice.
https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a25953663/elon-musk-spacex-bfr-stainless-steel/

The Starship rocket, formerly known as the BFR (Big Falcon Rocket), was initially designed to be manufactured out of carbon fiber. Now, Elon Musk says he’s using stainless steel as the material to construct the rocket.

Historically, there were some unsuccessful attempts in building spacecraft from stainless steel in the late 1950s, but for the first time, this will mark the first successful result that the material will be used to manufacture a spacecraft of this magnitude.

The decision to use stainless steel to construct the Starship.

After rumours of a slight tweak to the design of the rocket, news broke that there would be far more than a simple tweak. The Starship would now be manufactured from 300-series stainless steel instead of carbon fibre. To be precise, 301 stainless steel. If you’re wondering what that grade means, then look around, most stainless steel pots are made from grade 304 stainless steel and so are the stainless steel balustrades that Steel Studio manufactures for inland use.

Why stainless steel is a better option than carbon fiber.

Why are we so interested in Elon Musk’s decision to use stainless steel and not carbon fibre as initially thought? Simple. We share his views in the material selection process. Price plays a huge roll in the manufacturing of the rocket. Where he was paying $135/kg for carbon fiber and wastage was sitting at 35% that couldn’t be re-used after it was cut. He is now paying $3/kg for stainless steel with wastage of 0%. The decision is a no brainer because as we know, stainless steel is 100% recyclable and 65% of all newly manufactured stainless steel goods are from recycled stainless steel. Not only that. But using the highest quality 300 series stainless steel ensures that the rocket is built from a material that is lighter than carbon fiber. It increases in strength by 50% at cryogenic temperatures, whereas other metals become brittle and shatter. It is the high chrome-nickel content in the stainless steel that increases the strength and makes it more ductile. The material is also non-corrosive but also, possesses self-repairing properties, meaning that it self repairs its passive layer under specific strain and damage. This is very much the same reason that Steel Studio uses stainless steel in this series to manufacture balustrades.

Stainless steel remains an environmentally friendly choice.

Above all the reasons described above, the most significant benefit in using series 300 stainless steel is the effect that the material has on our planet. Let’s consider the impact that carbon fiber has on the environment. If 35% of the carbon fiber material sourced for manufacturing the rocket is waste, what happens to that waste, as it cannot be re-used. What percentage of it is recyclable? If any. www.materialstoday.com tells us how difficult it is to recycle carbon fiber. With very high temperatures and or chemicals (adding to the damage to our planet), it is possible to recover the carbon fiber. However, you do risk damaging the carbon fiber in the process.

What should also be taken into account is that upon return of a successful mission, any parts of the rocket, consisting of stainless steel that needs repairs or replacing can be done knowing that stainless steel is 100% recyclable and no scrap will land up in landfills and harm our planet.

We, therefore, back our South African born entrepreneur’s decision to build SpaceX’s Starship of stainless steel, and even though the visible benefits come from the cost, less wastage, and the self-repairing properties of the steel, above all, he is taking care of our planet.

If you’d like to know more about what Steel Studio does, check out our company profile on
https://www.steelstudio.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Steel-Studio-Company-Profile.pdf or call us today on +27 011-608-1963 to speak to one of our qualified sales executives.

When Steel Studio manufactures a custom steel balustrade that requires precision fabricating and painting, not only is design and quality of importance, but the most important consideration is what effect the balustrade will have on the environment.

In Johannesburg, the latest environmental and equestrian estates often require that the designs of new homes comply with estate rules. These design requirements can sometimes include external finishes like plastering techniques, paint colours, roof designs and often balustrades too. A serious consideration in the process of design is also how the house fits into the environment it is set in and what, if any adverse effects there are to the land it lies on.

A steel balustrade that complies with estate rules and also suits the exterior of a home.

The brief was for a modest steel balustrade design that would blend in with the design of the earthy, yet stylish home. It was important for the designer that the balustrades were customizable to suit the earthy colors and straight lines of the house. A timber handrail was one of the design requirements. A hard wood was chosen for this application to withstand exposure to environmental elements. A custom paint colour was selected to paint the steel balustrade with. However, it was important that a paint product was chosen that would be durable to withstand external elements that would affect the longevity of the steel balustrade but also future contamination to the environment.

What environmental impacts of a steel balustrade installation needs to be considered?

In today’s environmentally conscious world, mild steel as a choice of material for balustrades is often forgotten because it is often harmful to the environment if not manufactured, sealed and maintained with care. Stainless steel has become the balustrade material of choice, due to it’s non-corrosive and self-repairing properties, leaving the environment undamaged, even at the end of its lifespan. The challenge with mild steel is that it needs to be manufactured by expert fabricators to ensure the strength and durability of the system. It also needs to be sealed and painted correctly. Also, the system needs to be adequately maintained to prevent damage, corrossion, and weakening of the balustrade. Once you have a professional fabricator to manufacture your steel balustrades, you need to select a durable and affordable range of paints from your paint supplier that is not necessarily wholly non-toxic, at least it will be less harmful to your environment and yourself. Not only is toxic paint one of the leading causes of human health conditions, especially indoors where air pollution is three times more than that of outdoor air, but landfills are also filled with products that contain toxic paints, which all land up in our groundwater and depletes the ozone.

What should you paint your steel balustrade with?

To paint your steel balustrade, ask your leading paint supplier for a Low-VOC, Zero VOC or Natural paint that will give you good coverage performance, including covering flaws from previous coats. Note that even Zero-VOC paint formulas still contain small traces of toxic ingredients. If you’re concerned about the environment, as you should be, a natural paint that is manufactured from raw ingredients is the way to go. However, you need to ensure that the paint is durable and hard-wearing, especially if applied on exterior balustrades to prevent long term maintenance and corrosion causing run-off into groundwater. The objective is that if you want a mild steel balustrade that needs to be painted that you need to source the best paint you can to protect the environment as best as you can.

How correct maintenance can uphold a steel balustrade.

If a mild steel balustrade is manufactured, sealed and maintained correctly, the damage to the environment is drastically reduced. A steel balustrade needs to be sealed and painted properly with high-quality, non-toxic materials. Not only that, but the precise manufacturing of the system is important to ensure that welding and grinding is ground and polished to a smooth surface that can get sealed and painted.

Assuming that the owner does ensure that maintenance is done to any damaged areas as soon as it is noticed so that the balustrade isn’t exposed to the elements and starts corroding, the environmental effects will be minimized. A steel balustrade that is damaged and not maintained immediately will erode in the damaged area and weaken the system, causing the entire system to be volatile and potentially unsafe.

Steel balustrade as a quality finished and safe product.

After all of the design considerations and product selections, including primers, paints and hard woods, the client of this stylish and earthy home received a balustrade that didn’t intrude on the design of the house or that of the estate. The steel balustrade was primed and painted well in a custom color to suit the earthy tones with minimal exposure to the environment. A hard timber handrail finished off the steel balustrade to complement the natural colors and setting that the home was placed in.

For some design inspiration on steel balustrades, visit our web page https://www.steelstudio.co.za/balustrades/ or call us on +27 011 608 1963 to speak to one of our qualified sales executives for a no-obligation quote.

Announcing the latest technology in electropolishing that enables Steel Studio to deliver quality stainless steel balustrades in shorter delivery times at more affordable prices.

In today’s competitive market place, the stainless steel balustrade manufacturing industry must take advantage of as many manufacturing and skill improvements, including innovative, cost-saving techniques that are available to them to stay ahead to deliver a quality product, on time and at affordable prices.

Electro-polishing isn’t new to the industry, but an electro-polishing machine designed explicitly for focused cleaning of tig-welding marks in tight spaces on stainless steel has transformed the manufacturing process and is delivering more significant results in quality and delivery time.

We have taken advantage of this technology to deliver even better quality products to our clients in shorter delivery times at more affordable rates.

What is electropolishing?

Electropolishing is a process also known as an electrochemical process, that removes unwanted material like welding residue from a metallic surface. In simple terms, it polishes or cleans metal. It can be used instead of manual micro polishing with abrasives, to save on expensive labour costs.

Traditionally, a steel component is immersed in a bath of electrolyte or electrochemical liquid solution that often consists of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid. The solution needs to have a high viscosity. A positive terminal of a power supply connects to the bath, and the negative terminal connects to the cathode. Then, a current passes through the bath, where the surface of the metal is oxidized, producing hydrogen. A reduction reaction occurs on the rough, unwanted surface of the steel component. The rough surface on the steel component dissolves in a process termed anodic leveling. This process is successful only under constant monitoring of the liquid temperature and stable current.

Electropolishing is beneficial for stainless steel because the electropolishing passivates the stainless steel by removing iron from the steel surface and enhances the chromium/nickel content that increases stainless steel’s corrosion resistance. After electropolishing stainless steel, you are left with a smooth surface that is easy to keep clean and sterilized.

Steel objects with intricate shapes and areas that are difficult to reach with other polishing methods are cleaned and polished easily with electropolishing.

How is Steel Studio using the latest technology in electropolishing to improve their stainless steel balustrades?

The original concept of electropolishing has been re-formulated and put into a handheld tool that performs the same function as the bath with electrolyte in with a positive and negative current. During the manufacturing process of stainless steel balustrades, tig welding is the welding process used on stainless steel. The black marks caused by the welding needs to be cleaned off and can be a time-consuming and costly exercise to manually clean with wire brush and scotch brush including the cost of expensive labour.

Now we are using a hand-held electro-polishing machine to remove the black marks from the welded areas on the stainless steel balustrade components. This technique helps us improve the quality of the stainless steel and the end product. With this method, we don’t affect the brushing direction of the material. If you polish the stainless steel component manually, however, you are continually having to ensure that the brush direction of the steel isn’t being affected negatively.

The brush of the electropolishing machine gets dipped into an electrolyte with high viscosity. With the same principles as in the electropolishing bath method, the brush is applied to the welded areas on the stainless steel in gentle backward and forwards motion, keeping your brush wet with the cleaning chemical at all times. A current flows through the brush during the time of application. This process is straightforward and extremely fast. At the same time, consumable usage and labour costs reduce including improved product quality with this technology. On completion, a neutralizing liquid gets applied to a soft wiping cloth, and the leftover liquid gets wiped off, exposing the clean welds, without any black marks from the welding.

This latest innovative handheld electropolishing technology is the type of technology Steel Studio uses to improve the quality of our stainless steel balustrade products, including improved service delivery and as a result, customer satisfaction.

By continually improving our skills and technologies, we can guarantee our quality and above all the safety of our products.

For tested stainless steel balustrade design ideas visit our web page https://www.steelstudio.co.za/stainless-steel-balustrades/

If you’d like a no-obligation quote, call us today on +27 011 608 1963 or email sales@steelstudio.co.za to talk to one of our qualified sales executives.