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A home improvement company in the Philadelphia area was expanding the outdoor living area for some clients. Their design intent was for wrought iron railings. The first step in the railing design process was for the builder and client to come to our shop to view our gallery of many railing designs. We showed them a shop tour so they could see actual railing projects being created. It was perfect timing because we had a balcony railing design on the powder-coat line that the client absolutely fell in love with.

 The balcony railing design was a 2 ¼” cap rail with 1 ½” X 1 ½” bar channel. 1 ½” square posts and pickets were created from ¾” square solid architectural grade aluminum with a classic belly picket. It also had a beautiful radius curve at the bottom of the classic bump bend at the top.

So, for the client and the builder, a visit to our workshop and design gallery was super helpful in their decision-making process. They were able to see firsthand how sizing affects mass and overall rail design and character when comparing ½” square bar to ¾” square bar.

The back terrace design made it challenging for the railing layout with numerous 90° turns, plus a radius in the railing. The stairs also had 45° turns as well. We measured the entire balcony railing project and designed it to the client’s selection of ¾” square belly picket design in solid aircraft grade aluminum.

The actual creation of the terrace and stair railing was challenging to get just right. With our team’s hard work and dedication, we managed to produce a beautiful end result.

After built, we sand-blasted the entire project to promote finish adhesion and longevity. Then we applied a primer, and a matte black topcoat. We completed the project in a durable eco-friendly powder-coat that is 99.99% reclaimable and emits 0 VOC’s into the atmosphere. We utilized recycled content solid aluminum material allowing this iron railing project to be indistinguishable from traditional wrought iron railings. So, it will provide the client many years of maintenance-free safety and beauty for this Philadelphia home.

Do you want a custom belly picket railing of your own?! We are happy to help! Contact us here! 

Need more inspiration? Check out our other work on Pinterest, Houzz Or our galleries!

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As the owner of an exclusive property, we were looking for custom ironworks replicated from England in the 1860s. The photo we had was sketchy, but these passionate craftsmen knew their business, knew the details of this ancient craft and provided tips on adding authenticity. They provided excellent communication throughout the creativity and design process, then with superb, detailed craftsmanship, they created and installed an exceptional piece of ironwork that is rich in detail, authentic, yet is engineered to withstand use for decades, utilizing 100% recycled material and an eco-friendly durable finish.

Springhill Suites Marriott

We had a railing, designed, created, and installed by Compass Ironworks. Amos and Aaron were extremely professional. They kept us informed of how things were progressing. We even visited the shop when the railing was almost complete. We HIGHLY recommend Compass Ironworks! We have had several people knock on our door to ask about who made our beautiful railing. Thank you for your hard work!

Jacqui Collins & Greg McBride

We are so pleased with our custom deck railing created by Compass Ironworks. The design and finish are perfect, just what we envisioned. It was a pleasure working with Compass Ironworks, a company that takes pride in their work.

Tracy Tanner

We had a rather unusual design for our front railings, but the folks at Compass Ironworks took it in stride, figured out how to make it and delivered EXACTLY what we were hoping for — all at a reasonable price. Plus they’re just plain nice to deal with.

Courtney Lederer
Front entrance metal gate