The correct height of the balcony railing is a guarantee of

Balconies and loggias are an integral part of modern apartments, industrial buildings and multi-storey private houses. Thanks to these architectural elements, the area of ​​housing is significantly expanded. In addition to aesthetic functions, they also play the role of a link between the interior and the outside world.

An important part of any architectural design is the fence that defines the appearance of both the individual element and the building as a whole.

Photo of a balcony in a country house

Features of protective fences

Material used

To add exclusivity and originality to the design of the fence, details are used from:

• black painted steel;
• brushed or polished steel;
• chromed and nickel plated metal;
• corrugated and flat asbestos cement sheets;
• durable glass and plastic.

Metal decorative grille

Types of balcony fences

The following varieties are very popular:

• prefabricated aluminum structures;
• forged balcony railings, the price of which is significantly higher than the cost of other types;
• fencing of loggias made of bricks and concrete, which can later be glazed using wooden, plastic or aluminum frames (see more details about wooden fences of balconies and terraces here);
• screens of glass and plastic.

Between themselves, all the parts are usually connected with the use of welding or special fastening material.

Chrome steel and curved glass screen

Plastic nets have also been widely used for fencing sports fields, ensuring the safety of spectators during competitions or working with sports equipment.

Renting a fence for construction sites allows you to solve issues related to the need to protect a certain area for a short time.

Answers to a number of questions can be found in the video in this article.

Design features

Protection for balconies and loggias constructively consists of:

• vertical racks that perform the function of the supporting frame;
• handrails designed to support people;
• elements that directly perform the protection function.

Racks securely fastened to the floor or base of the loggia. Handrails can have a variety of forms for ease of use.

Forged protective grille

Installation of a balcony fence

Due to the fact that increased requirements for safety are imposed on the design of balconies, their construction should adhere to the recommended building codes and GOSTs.

In the first place these include:

• GOST 25772-83 - Steel fences for balconies of stairs and roofs;
• GOST 23118-99 - Construction steel structures;
• SNiP 2.01.07-85 p. 3.11 - Loads and impacts;
• SNiP 2.03.11-85 - Corrosion protection of building structures.

The normative documents listed above describe in detail what the requirements for the design of balconies should be.

Parameters of enclosing elements according to GOST

For example, according to GOST, the height of a balcony fence may vary depending on the functional purpose of the building and its design features:

• In buildings up to 30 meters high (in mm):
  • fence height - 1000;
  • 900 railing;
  • the distance between the vertical parts of the lattice elements - 100;
  • the distance between the supports of the combined and screen fencing - 300;

• In buildings above 30 meters (in mm):
  • fence height - 1100;
  • handrail height - 1000;
  • the distance between the vertical parts of the lattice elements - 100;
  • the distance between the supports of the combined and screen fencing - 300;

• On the smoke-free staircases (in mm):
  • fence height - 1200;
  • handrail height - 1100;
  • the distance between the vertical parts of the lattice elements - 110;
  • the distance between the supports of the combined and screen fencing - 300;

• In preschool institutions (in mm):
  • fence height - 1200;
  • handrail height - 1180;
  • the distance between the vertical posts of the lattice elements is 100.

A short instruction will help to install a protective fence with your own hands:

1. First, you need to design perimeter protection, given that horizontal screens are not permissible from a security point of view. Only vertical enclosing elements are used;
2. The choice of construction material as well as its form (design) depends on the direction of the world where the balcony or loggia is oriented, as well as on their shape and size;
3. The racks of the fence in order to maximize the preservation of the area, are mounted at the very edge of the base;

Tip! It should be noted that the vertical metal grilles of balcony railings cannot provide visual isolation, as well as protection from dust and wind. Lattices with a large number of horizontal parts are dangerous, since children can easily climb them.

1. The joints of the racks are waterproofed in two stages:

• waterproofing mortgage stand;
• then stand is isolated, which performs a decorative function;

1. The height of the balcony railings must comply with the established standards described above;

Safety requirements

To ensure complete safety when using protective fences, they must meet the following requirements:

• bearing parts must be firmly and rigidly attached to the wall and the floor (base) of the loggia or terrace;
• bearing elements should not corrode;
• parts should not have cracks, damage and other integrity problems;
• the required height of the balconies and loggias should be ensured;
• protection must have a sufficient margin of safety, since in addition to the force of gravity of people it is affected by wind load, especially with regard to parts made of glass and plastic;
• under any loads the connecting seams should not leak and their waterproofing should not be broken.

According to the requirements of SNiP 2.01.07-85, handrails and railings must withstand the effects of horizontal loads within:

• for sanatoria, rest homes, hospitals and preschool institutions - 30 kgf / m;
• for gyms and stands - 150 kgf / m;
• for residential and public buildings, as well as other buildings in the absence of additional requirements - 80 kgf / m.

Conclusion

When creating a project and subsequent installation, the height of the fence of the loggia or balcony plays an important role. A fence that fully complies with safety requirements will give a beautiful appearance to the balcony of an apartment or house and ensure its safe operation.