Back in the 15th century, the Italian Renaissance architects revolutionized the industry by placing a unique emphasis on symmetry, proportion, and geometry. They were the first people to make use of balustrades to combine elegance and practicality.
Since then, balustrades have come a long way. People now implement a myriad of different balustrade ideas to add value to their balconies, stairs, deckings, pools, etc. If you’re thinking about doing the same, read on.
What options are there for balustrade materials?
Most balustrade materials will give a charming, characteristic touch to your home or corporate building. However, when it comes to factors like maintenance, cost, and practicality, the real differences start to unveil. Here’s a quick rundown of the most commonly used materials, detailing their pros and cons.
Glass
Immanuel Kant, one of the greatest German philosophers, argued that space isn’t an absolute truth. In other words, you can trick your mind into perceiving that your home is more spacious than it actually is.
Glass balustrade has many benefits. For example, we have installed frameless glass balustrade in too many homes and offices for me to mention here, but once installed it never ceases to amaze the customer. The elegance and simplicity is stunning and almost seems to confuse the eye with it’s optical ‘floating’ effect.
We commonly use SGP when installing frameless glass balustrade without handrails. SGP is a laminated glass which is extremely strong and consists of 2 panels of 6mm toughened glass with a 2.28mm central laminate. There are a number of glass types available but the application usually dictates the type of glass required.
Steel
Steel was the ultimate balustrade material before glass took over. Right now, many homeowners are re-employing it to benefit from its classic touch.
As metal fabricators, we get commissioned to design and install some of the most striking steel balustrade in Perth.
Some customers prefer the look of stainless steel as opposed to using a coating and we are happy to accommodate either.
Aluminium
Non-residential buildings that receive hundreds of visitors on a daily basis generally opt for aluminium in both coated and non-coated variations due to costs and durability.
However it can also look great in the home when used in the right way, as seen here with a classic wooden handrail.
Thanks to its unparalleled versatility, aluminium allows for easy on-site adjustments during installation. That’s why it can be fitted in most areas with relative ease.
Wire
Wire balustrades are extremely popular right now with a strong uptake in the commercial sector for the past two years.
You can choose to align the wires horizontally or vertically. Horizontal designs are becoming more common as a contemporary alternative to the age-old vertical balusters. .
Where to Install Balustrade?
The choice of the balustrade design and material highly depends on the location, budget constraints and personal taste.
Balconies
Like we said earlier, installing a glass balustrade on your balcony will make it look brighter, allowing light to pass through into the balcony and beyond. Some customers desire this but also want privacy. To accommodate this we sometimes apply designs or opaque screens to control visibility but allow light transference.
Staircases
When choosing balustrade for indoor staircases there are many options, each with its own aesthetic.
Glass is often at the top of the list because it can suit almost any home style. Frameless options lend themselves to any interior. Adding a handrail can bring in other aspects of your interior to the design. For example, utilising the natural look of wood or the modern, polished look of stainless steel.
Final Thoughts
When analyzing balustrade ideas, most people focus too much on aesthetics, forgetting about other important factors like durability, practicality, etc. That’s why we always encourage consulting experts before implementing. WA Special Projects are very experienced in this field, you can find out more about us and our specialist skillset to discover why some of the region’s leading brands engage our services or contact us now for a competitive quote.
