Steel Balustrades

It is good practice to perform simple, routine cleaning on your stainless steel balustrades. A simple solution of warm water and mild detergent will suffice. In general, whenever you clean your windows, it will be a good time to clean the balustrades too. For stubborn marks on your balustrades, contact your supplier for advice for a cleaning solution.

Your qualified sales executive will be able to advise you on the correct grade of stainless steel for your new balustrade system. Grade 316 possesses more corrosion resistance properties through the addition of molybdenum. This grade is used in areas where the stainless steel is exposed to corrosive elements like in coastal environments. A mirror finish is recommended in these corrosive environments. Grade 304 is used for all other balustrade applications and usually comes in a 180 grit brushed finish.

Yes. All of our standard balustrade systems are designed and approved by a professional structural engineer as required by SANS. On completion of your project, you will receive a document stating that your balustrades comply with all of the regulatory codes as set out by SANS.

Where balustrades are used to protect a difference in level of more than 1 meter, internal or external, this balustrade must have a height of at least 1 meter. In the case of a balcony, edge, bridge, etc. the height is measured from the area where a person would most likely stand. If there is a parapet wall or similar construction, and this construction can act as a step, the balustrade height is measured from the top of this step.

If your tiles or granite have been laid correctly, using a solid bedding of tile glue and screed underneath there will be no damage to your tiles. Problems usually occur when the tiler applies four or five “blobs” of tile glue to the underside of the tile and does not cover the full area of the tile. This is usually done to save on the tile glue but will cause a host of other problems.

In South Africa it is legal to manufacture and install balustrades, which have horizontal rails, and in our building codes there are no stipulations that say it is illegal. The only mention that is made of horizontal rails being illegal is related to a swimming pool fence for obvious drowning reasons. However, We at Steel Studio often get asked by clients, how their balustrades that incorporate horizontal rails can be made safer to prevent their child climbing up and over the rails. There is no full proof system, however, we can offer to offset (crank) the handrail to a different plane. That way should your child climb up the rails, when they get to the top with the handrail offset towards the child climbing, it will be more difficult to climb over. In fact if you visit OR Tambo airport, you will see that is what the Architect designed for the majority of the balustrades at the airport. If you prefer the horizontal rails for aesthetic reasons but are worried about your child climbing them, you can always have a combination of these with glass in front, which will prevent the climbing. This is obviously an expensive option but can be done.