Installing a railing project requires careful planning, including adhering to safety and building code requirements, understanding how the railing fits into the project's larger aesthetic, and installing it properly. To get an idea of how each of these come together, we’ll use our Brooklyn Heights Public Library as an example as we look at each of the steps for planning and building your railing project.
Determining the railing’s aesthetic and needs is the first step that will ultimately guide you through the entire project. The existing space will help determine the railing’s aesthetic, but the reverse is also true, especially in a new space. The railing style can help determine how the rest of the space should come together.
If you’re going for a modern or contemporary look, then a glass railing system or cable railing system is a great choice. More traditional designs can benefit from a picket railing system or the inclusion of wood handrails. Envisioning what the final product will look like will put you on the path towards the right railing.
The Brooklyn Heights Public Library chose a modern STRUC Panel system in white to bring a lively element to the space. The laser cut panels feature a series of circles to enhance visibility while offering safety and security.
Once you’ve determined the aesthetic and railing needs, you can choose the railing system. This ensures that you plan for installation and measure correctly based on the actual system you choose. Make sure to take the location and its unique needs as well as aesthetic goals into account as you make your choices. For instance, if you want to preserve the view, you can choose a glass system for maximum visibility.
At the Brooklyn Heights Public Library, visibility is important, but the white STRUC Panel system is also responsible for brightening the space. It acts as a guard on elevated walkways and balconies and the panel is able to fulfill this mission without the need of a top rail.
Installation methods will differ based on how you’ll mount the system, where the railings will go, the configuration, and more. Planning for installation guides the next step, taking measurements, because you’ll understand exactly where the railing system will be located and what building codes you’ll need to follow.
In the Brooklyn Heights Public Library, a handrail isn’t necessary in some places because the system is acting as a guard rather than handrail. In other places, like on the stairs, a handrail is required. This system is fascia mounted which can require additional planning to get the necessary tools and equipment to access the mounting area.
After you’ve chosen the railing system and planned for installation, you can take accurate measurements that you’ll use to order the railing. Make sure that your measurements take building codes into consideration so that the system is high enough to meet guardrail and handrail requirements. These will differ slightly depending on whether the railing is being installed in a residential or commercial application or if it needs to adhere to OSHA railing standards.
Installing a handrail in a home, office, school, or park makes it exciting to watch the project come together. Prepare for installation by clearing the area and doing any prep work before you begin. At the Brooklyn Heights Library project, meeting safety requirements mattered, and the team also needed to follow the design goals so patrons had the room they needed to browse the stacks.
Check out the following projects to help inspire your next railing design.
Our LED iRail Lighted Rail Systems are an ideal way to integrate lighting into a space. And while safety and visibility is the first priority, it’s hard to deny how much this system adds to the railings aesthetics. At night, the elevated walkways at The Laura Apartments light up to reveal the stunning TEE Cable railing system.
Cable deck railing ideas can include powder coating the posts and integrating wood handrails to create a warmer space. These choices help the railing to stand out as a modern design element while also creating the safety necessary to meet building code requirements.
Choosing glass for apartment railings offers a modern twist on a traditional element. Pairing it with wood risers and handrails is a genius way to blend the two styles to create a cohesive space.
Depending on the individual project, you can choose to customize the railing system in the way that best fits the space and client needs. At the Extell Yonkers project, for instance, the custom multiline railing installation is supported by heavy duty railings system custom designed for this project that evoke the piers along the Hudson River.
If you’re designing for a doctor’s office, a school, an apartment building, or an outdoor space, VIVA Railings will help you plan and build your railing project. Our team of designers, engineers, fabricators, and installation professionals offer insight and support through every stage of the project.
Contact the experts at VIVA Railings today to start planning your project.
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