If You Are Purchasing Steel Balustrades, Choose Stainless Steel Balustrading

There is a difference between standard steel and stainless steel. Standard steel is prone to rust and corrosion, and this affects its durability. Stainless steel is manufactured to remedy these negative aspects of standard steel. Usually, different alloys are added to it to make it more durable; the most common alloy added is chromium. You can also come across alloys of carbon, nickel, molybdenum, manganese, titanium, etc.

Different Stainless Steel Grades

Depending on the alloy added, you can find different grades of stainless steel. You may come across terms like 'austenitic', 'ferritic', 'martensitic', 'duplex', 'precipitation hardening' and some serial numbers like 200, 300, 400, 500, etc.

Don't get confused; what you need to know is that each series or category has a different mix of alloys added to steel. This is done to give steel the ability to be used for different purposes; for example, martensitic steel contains chromium, nickel and carbon. It is best used for surgical equipment and cutting tools.

Stainless Steel Balustrades

When you are in the market for stainless steel balustrades, you should have already figured out where you want to install the balustrades. Is it on your balcony? Is it on your staircase? Is it around a swimming pool? You want to ensure that the grade you choose is not affected by surrounding factors in any way. Therefore, when in the market for steel balustrades, you should state where you want to install the balustrades so that the correct series/grade is chosen.

You should also know that the different categories of stainless steel affect its price. The more versatile or durable it is, the more expensive it is going to be.

Stainless Steel Balustrade Design

Sometimes, depending on the cost of various designs, you might want to use more than one material for your balustrades. Stainless steel goes well with glass; this is why you come across many glass balustrades with stainless steel handrails and fixtures. This combination may be cheaper, more durable and more aesthetically pleasing, and it requires less maintenance.

The other option is having stainless steel bars running vertically, horizontally or in the shape of a pattern. This might be expensive and take quite some time to design and install, especially for patterns. You can also opt for stainless steel wires that run horizontally between and through stainless steel balustrade posts. You just have to ensure that the stainless steel wires match the context/aesthetics.

Weigh your options using a basis of cost, functionality, durability, ease of maintenance and aesthetics.

To learn more about stainless steel balustrading, contact a manufacturer.

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