hello folks. I’m a full time firefighter/paramedic and a glorified handyman on the side. I’ve got a decent winter job at the beach in NH for an old dance club. The main stairs need to be rebuilt. Ten feet wide and just short of twelve feet high. The stairs themselves are not the problem. Since it is a ‘place of assembly’ the building inspector wants handrails to be metal, of some sort of commercial quality. I need a center rail that will loop around and be accessible on both sides as well as one on either side wall. Does anyone know of a system I can install without bending and welding? I found an ADA compliant component system of aluminum but an 8 foot straight section was $99. Any suggestions or should I seek out someone to fabricate a custom job?
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custom likely to cost more than components
Where in NH? Lot of metal shops there. Especially along the boat builing coast.
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Hampton Beach. I'm actually from Seabrook. Looks like things are leaning toward finding a welder. Someone mentioned a site to look at so I'll try that first.
Reciently had some iron look (welded steel) handrails built for a front porch. These could be similar to your center rail. The cost was $35 a linear foot. It had ballusters and a bottom rail though - myabe you don't need those?
Gotta be something right up the road there.I stay at the Hamton inn on Rt one there once or twice a year. Eat at the 99 steak house. Used to be a good Itialian joint right 'cross the street there...
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Find a welder who does architectural work--handrails, gates, etc. They can weld up your rails out of round steel tubing with pre-made elbows and mounting brackets. It should be fairly affordable and they'll be rock solid. It's cheaper if you can provide accurate drawings and let them do the whole job in the shop, then you install. Larger stuff and/or more complicated stuff might bring them out in the field.
I'm in the commercial and higher priced residential railing business and do projects like the one you mentioned every day. I have found that a reasonably priced fabricator like ourselves that specializes in commercial piperails is cost competitive with a component system like the one mentioned at the suggested website. The problem with the component fittings with the set screws is twofold: one, they look like crap (unprofessional appearance) and secondly IF your inspector knows the code, they may not be legal. That isn't to say that they aren't used, but typically I see them where someone either doesn't know who to call for that work or they are really into doing everything themselves. (I kind of understand the latter because I'm the same with other trades for my projects.)
If you wanted to take measurements, I will walk you through what you need to look at. Also, you could call or search the website for NOMMA, our trade association for a fabricator in your area. http://www.nomma.org
Greg T
Thanks for the insight. I agree the component system doesn't look great. I addition, the set screws, after some use over time I image they would need to be tightened on occasion. Unless you could maybe bore a small concave seat for the screw I'd bet it would loosen up. Not much contact surface there. I dealing with a couple start up guys, the club has been closed for a couple years. If it happens it may need to be a cash up front job.
Regarding the speedrail option, they are completely OSHA compliant if they are assembled correctly. They are frequently used on heavy commercial applications where safety is the primary requirement. And yes the set screws are concave and I've never had to tighten them once they are cinched initially.
As far as aesthetics are concerned, that's obviously personal preference, and the company and catalog does not cater to the residential market, but if you do want to see an example you can look at the link below of some pictures I posted awhile back. FWIW, the material cost about $25/lf and it took me a day and a half to install 70 lf alone.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-breaktime/messages?msg=63166.8
You are correct that the appearance is personal preference and I should not have worded my message the way that I did. Regarding code compliance, I was speaking of building codes, but like many details, the inspectors knowledge of codes and how closely he or she would want them followed is as much or more important for getting a project to pass.
Greg
I just priced a commercial handrail for a church. Local welder/fabricator (in Milford, NH) quoted ~$46/foot. That includes fabrication, installation (into solid granite on each end), grinding, priming and black paint. I looked at the component systems (many are available through Grainger) and they just didn't seem to have the guts of a welded system. It costs what it costs, and when someone slips, falls, and tries to sue the property owner (who will then sue me), I (assuming I have a contract with the fabricator) can also sue him (assuming he is legit and insured). There are two things I always try to avoid, kids playground equipment (I get a call every now and then for backyard play equipment) and commercial handrails.