A developer in Maryland was building an exceptional enclave of marina bay-front condominiums. They wanted contemporary balcony railings to accentuate the architecture of the residential complex.
Original Plan:
The original dialogue was about utilizing stainless-steel cable infill with a custom aluminum railing structure. The aluminum railing was proposed to be powder-coated a brilliant sparkle silver to emulate a stainless-steel look.
This whole terrace railing system revolved around the waterproofing of the terrace. The builder wanted base plates to be attached to the sub-structure of the deck system and then waterproof over the post bases and substructure. And then a floating balcony structure would be laid on the waterproofing and our railing structure would be brought to the site and attached.
This really complicated things for us, driving up labor costs when the builder/client wanted a cost-effective project. So, we did some brainstorming for a better attachment methodology to reduce the cost. Plus, they now desired the aluminum railing structure to be created, no longer in aluminum, but in a polished stainless steel; so we really had to get innovative.
Changing Course:
Our final solution was to have the post and terrace railings all created out of 316 stainless steel to minimize any corrosion that can occur with other stainless steel options in marine environments. And the railing posts would be welded to a base plate.
We created structural posts and drilled holes in the posts to accept the stainless cable. Then, at the halfway point between the 2” structural posts, we utilized a vertical ¼ X 1 rectangular bar to restrict any action of the stainless cabling.
We installed the main posts and base first, then they did waterproofing, framing and decking. Then we came back and finished up the stainless terrace railing later. Afterward, they installed a composite cap rail to finish off the modern terrace railings on this Maryland condominium complex.
In the end, this was a far cry from cheap, but it came out beautifully and is a solution that will last for decades to come!
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