Metal fences of balconies, stairs and terraces in apartments

Balcony fences give a finished look to the building, provide security and are a decorative architectural element. Metal fencing of balconies is quite common, whether they are provided for security or purely for decorative purposes.

Similar fences are used, both on the balconies of high-rise buildings in cities, and in the design of terraces of country houses.

Photo openwork wrought balcony railing and external stairs

When choosing this architectural solution, however, it is necessary to focus on some key points that will help make the right and optimal decision. There is no doubt that the main function that metal balcony fences perform is security.

Therefore, every homeowner installing a balcony or staircase fence, before choosing a particular model, must understand and deal with its individual properties.

Various metal fence options

Balcony fencing made of metal is very plastic and this allows you to give them various shapes and configurations. Nowadays, a large selection of materials and models are offered, including such modules that are easy to assemble. There are also options where you can replace a specific part without having to dismantle all the elements.

Next, we consider the materials, methods of fastening and technical requirements for balcony railings.

Safety requirements

The balcony is not only an architectural element of the exterior design of the building, but also a room in which we spend time. It can be used as a warehouse and as an extra room. To ensure reliability and security, this area must have a quality fence.

The following technical instructions will help you when it is selected:

1. The height of the fence should be at least a meter and is designed for a load of at least one hundred kilograms per square meter.
2. The distance between the elements of the parapet should not exceed ten centimeters.
3. The finishing materials used in this facility must be smooth so that it is not possible to get injured when in contact with them.
4. It is worth remembering about the permissible load on the base of the balcony, as this room is often used as a warehouse.

Technical requirements for the reliability of balcony railings

Note! According to SNiP 2.01.07-85 “Loads and Impacts”, the band load at a site eighty centimeters wide along the balcony fence should not be more than 400 kg / sq. M, for the rest of the base area 200 kg / sq. M. The load on the balcony railings should not exceed 30 kg / sq.m.

Materials for parapets of balconies and stairs

The choice of materials depends on the appearance of the building and its design. On the one hand, you can choose the model of the parapet so that the balcony merges with the rest of the house. In another case, it can stand out, giving the building an original look.

The materials that are most often used to create protective structures:

• stainless steel;
• aluminum;
• ordinary or wrought iron;
• plastic nets for fencing sports fields.

Balcony fencing made of metal can be either in pure form or in combination with wood, glass or plastic. It is easy to care for stainless steel parapets, they are practically not scratched, therefore they are suitable for both internal and external structures. Ferrous metal is mainly used for exterior and is characterized by a rich variety of colors..

Combined aluminum parapets with glass and wooden handrails

Aluminum parapets look modern, and their price is relatively affordable. There is a huge selection of decorative elements for balcony and stair railings. And with their reasonable combination, you can achieve the desired results.

Parapets are installed on the balconies of high-rise buildings, terraces of country houses and cottages, as well as on the internal and external stairs. Depending on the purpose, in addition to metal, they can be made of wood (see more details about wooden fences of balconies and terraces here), stone, concrete slabs or bricks.

The basis of the balcony fence is most often made of metal construction. In this case, the main task of the frame - ensuring the strength of the structure. The rest of the fencing elements are installed on the metal base, if this is provided by the design. Today, construction models made entirely of metal, whether iron, stainless or aluminum, are used more often.

Aluminum fencing

Aluminum staircase railing

Aluminum parapets are very strong and fairly resistant to adverse weather conditions. Their advantages include the fact that various configurations of fences are possible. And if there is a need to replace any item, there is no need to dismantle the entire structure.

By installing such a parapet model, your balcony or terrace acquires an aesthetic and stylish look that is visible from afar. The balcony is an integral part of the interior, so it deserves attention, like all other rooms in the house.

It is also worth noting that many people spend a fair amount of time on the balcony or terrace, especially in summer. This is another reason to make this room beautiful and safe.

Aluminum fencing is not just a decorative ornament, they create coziness and comfort for many years. Due to the fact that they are resistant to corrosion, they can be installed in places where the air is very humid, for example, in saunas, greenhouses, near swimming pools, etc. It is also quite acceptable to use aluminum fences inside the rooms, where they help protect the necessary areas and create unique home decor.

String aluminum parapets with horizontal steel ropes

In recent years, aluminum parapets have gained special popularity due to its beautiful appearance, corrosion resistance, simple installation, and the use of prefabricated elements. Not in the last place is their modern design and variety of forms, which gives unique coziness and comfort.

This option of fencing is suitable for both balconies and stairs of apartments, houses and cottages, as well as for office and administrative buildings.

The main options for aluminum parapets:

• with vertical or horizontal pipes;
• with glass;
• string - using pipes and special fasteners.

Pipe fences - are created using a handrail of fifty millimeter tube and a decorative tube with a diameter of sixteen millimeters. This type of parapets is used mainly for staircases and landings, as well as to ensure the safety of low windows.

Model of balcony fences made of aluminum with colored glass

As glass, as a filling for this type of fencing, triplex is used - two glasses glued together with a special colorless resin. The total glass thickness is eight millimeters. It is possible to use colored or mirrored glass.

Ferrous metal parapets

The following types of fences are made of ferrous metal, which can be used both inside buildings and outside - for balconies, terraces, stairs and landings:

• with glass;
• with stainless steel ropes of various thickness, fixed by means of special elements - tensioners.
• with wooden handrails made from natural materials such as oak or beech wood. They can be of various color forms - round, square, oval.
• with horizontal strings, trumpets or square profiles;
• with vertical pipes or square profiles.

Standard fencing of the stairs and platforms made of ferrous metal

This type of fencing is made of pipes, tires or steel square profiles, which are subsequently covered with special paint. They can be pretreated or galvanized. This method is recommended for structures provided for external installation, in cases where the parapet will be exposed to atmospheric influences.

The paint can be applied manually or by machine (powder coating). These parapets can be fixed to the floor or console, both on straight and curved sections. Installation of ferrous metal stoppers with glass, as in other types, is usually carried out after laying the floor covering.

Forged elements will give a grace and make the balcony fence unique and spectacular. With their help, you can change the look of a country house, give it charm and elegance.

The cost of these facilities is quite high, but the aesthetics, comfort and coziness that the forged fencing of stairs and balconies add to it is worth it.

Stainless steel fencing

Stainless Steel Balcony Fence

Balcony fences made of stainless steel can have a polished (satin) or polished surface. The advantage of the first, polished version is that on this surface almost no prints remain.

Polished steel is a good alternative to chrome plating. And in this case, such a lack of electroplating as rusting is excluded, especially at the joints. This makes it possible to use polished models not only as stainless steel balcony railings, but also as parapets for street staircases.

Another interesting and non-standard use of stainless steel is a parapet made of steel ropes. The method of fastening the restrictions and fittings are determined depending on the requirements and the specific situation at the facility.

The original fence of steel ropes

Options for mounting parapets

Installation of balcony or stair railings with glass inserts is most often carried out with side mounting and fixing the handrail to the rack. In this case, the handrail is moved away from the glass and it is more convenient to adhere to it than when it is attached to the rack from above. The railing racks are installed in accordance with the glazing cover.

Note! When preparing a kit for mounting fences, it is important to consider how the racks will be attached to the balcony base.

Often, between the concrete slab, which is the base of the loggia and the glazing plane, there remains a gap that does not allow the rack to be fixed to the base. This gap is filled with fragile compositions to which anchors cannot be fixed.

Therefore, before you lay the flooring, you must install the embedded elements. If this moment was not taken into account and the floor is already faced, you can use decorative stainless steel fasteners, which will be installed racks. There are also such designs of parapets, in which fastening the floor plate does not participate.

Installation of decorative aluminum fencing and decorative panels

Installation and installation of stainless steel parapets has the following features:

1. Racks can be mounted on top of the flight of stairs.
2. Handrails for staircases are fastened at the top, with the help of a crank stand with an adjustable angle of inclination.
3. The fastener or shackle, which fills the pipe fencing, is mounted on the outside of the rack, thanks to which the fasteners are not visible.
4. The earring is equipped with an axis of rotation, this makes it possible to install such models on stairs with any angle of inclination.

Modern types of fencing with glass are quite simple, which allows for installation by hand. The main thing is to carry out all the steps of assembling stainless steel fences carefully and carefully.

In the process of carrying out construction and repair work, in order to comply with safety regulations, you may need to rent a fence for construction sites. These services can be found in specialized shopping centers.

Installation of a stainless steel balcony parapet with glass

Conclusion

Every home should be as secure as possible. This is especially true of external and internal stairs, balconies and terraces, for which it is necessary to choose the most suitable and stable parapets. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.