09 Jun Steel Railings: Why Steel Rail Finishing is Important

Steel handrails and gates are two essential safety and security features. Steel railings specifically help people move up and down flights of stairs safely, while also providing sturdiness and protection. However, there is more to them than meets the eye.

Steel Railings: More than a Safety Measure

Steel hand railing manufacturing must comply with specific legislation and regulations to ensure they are of a suitable quality, height and purpose. As such, it’s vital to ensure that structural or stainless steel railings are durable and won’t give way.

However, it’s also important to look beyond the functional and regulatory purpose of a stainless or structural steel railing, or any metal railing for that matter. In many cases, railings are minor components of a large-scale building project, and can prove incredibly eye-catching and visually appealing. Steel railing design possibilities are excellent with the help of steel fabrication companies like Baker Steel Trading.

Another important consideration for any steel railing is its surface treatment, which this guide will explore in more detail.

What are Steel Finishes?

Once all the requirements for your stainless or structural steel fabrication job have been fulfilled, the final step would be to apply an appropriate surface treatment to the fabricated products. 

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a single universal beam (I beam) or a bespoke steel frame building; the finishing application ensures the metal’s durability and long-term reliability. Steel finishes can also improve the product’s aesthetic value and provide structural benefits.

Types of Steel Surface Treatment

Steel fabricators like Baker Steel Trading can apply a range of steel finishing processes, including (but not limited to):

• Powder coating
• Galvanisation
• Polishing

Powder Coating Steel Rails

Applying a powder coat to structural steel beams leaves them with a smooth, impact-resistant surface layer. Powders are considerably more cost-efficient than liquids or primers, and using them on structural steel rails is relatively fast to complete in bulk.

Galvanising Steel

The galvanisation process involves dipping steel sections into molten zinc or applying the chemical element to the steel directly via spraying. Galvanised steel staircases and railings are excellent for outdoor applications, providing additional structural stability and corrosion protection, without any need for maintenance or painting.

Steel Polishing

Stainless steel balustrades, gates or handrailing components don’t require any additional surface treatment, given that the material is effectively as low maintenance and corrosion-resistant as can be. 

However, sometimes an additional polish helps to accentuate its visual appearance and make it feel more smooth to touch. It doesn’t necessarily mean the steel handrail will be stronger or more resilient, but it can certainly add value.

Benefits of Finishing Steel Railings

Looking at any structural steel or mild steel product, however large, it’s safe to say that durability is arguably its most important factor. 

For any structural or stainless steel handrail to stand the test of time and not lose its aesthetic appeal, applying a surface treatment helps to prolong it and ensure its robustness and strength remain intact.

Why else could surface treating your steel products be a good thing? 

• Applying a protective layer will enhance your steelwork’s anti-corrosion properties. Whichever process your structural steel fabrication company decides to use, you’ll have complete peace of mind that your steel won’t develop rust over time.
• Considering how commonly steel handrails are used – in domestic and commercial applications – adding a protective coating will prevent them from degrading as quickly.
• Steel is an infinitely recyclable and virtually maintenance-free material, even without any protective finish applied. However, adding such a layer will mean they’re even less of an upkeep worry.
• It’s important to think of how great a first impression you can make on people with high-quality, properly-fabricated steelwork. The chances of striking an even better one are greater when you apply a protective coating that’ll only add aesthetic benefits.

High-Quality Steel Gates, Railings and Bespoke Steel Fabrication in Surrey

We hope the above information has helped you understand the importance of applying a protective finish to any steel products.

At Baker Steel Trading, whenever we’re entrusted to work alongside you on a construction project or purely for supplying steel, we take great care in ensuring every structural steel railing meets the minimum requirements. We use a range of protective methods to treat all steel railings we fabricate and supply, and if you want a detailed breakdown, we’d be happy to take your call and answer any questions.

If you’d like to get a free quote and see what our availability is like for steel rail fabrication services, please give us a call.