Long shot - anyone used Stainless Ballistrade - PHOTOS

[LarryS.]

Anyone on the forum used it ?

Am just finishing the build of a fairly large patio, now comes the decision on how to make the edge safe.

The patio is raised from the house about 6 foot (as we live on a slope) so to minimise how imposing it is on th eback of the house we want a fence / rail that is as un-imposing as possible. Therefore the only solution we have so far is stainless posts with stainless wire between them, so has anyone got any experience ?

thanks

 

[crazylilting]

Do you have a picture of what your proposing? It sounds like chain link fencing from your description.

There are so many different options for this application that i'm confused as why you would see this option as the solution?

Is it a cost thing?

How many feet of handrail do you need and what is the budget?

 

[LarryS.]

Budget was up to £500, but now having seen prices for stainless I'm not so sure its the best option :shock:

Total length would be about 12 metres. What SWMBO liked the look of was the stainless posts with a bar running along the top of them with stainless wire filling the void between, this sort of thing :
http://www.swr-handrail.co.uk/Gallery/WR1.html

 

[OLD]

Stainless is very expensive and difficult to work well the type that does not rust/discolor is, so there is galvanizing plating and paint to consider may be a quote from a welder with the final product galvanized might fill the bill.

 

[LarryS.]

thanks OLD, just had a guide price through from a Stainless steel supplier, roughly £240 per metre :shock: :shock:

Think its time to consider making one from wood.

 

[Dibs-h]

thanks OLD, just had a guide price through from a Stainless steel supplier, roughly £240 per metre :shock: :shock:

Think its time to consider making one from wood.

Paul - where have you been getting your prices from?

Most s\s stockholders hold tubing of the diamter you are looking for in stock and we would be talking £'s \foot and the bends, angles & tees are all stock items - so all you need is a competent welder and in the current economic climate, can't see most shops insisting on supplying it as well.

My (localish) firm supplies

2 inch OD tubing at £ 6.50 per metre
90 degree bends at £4.60 each
Equal Tees at £6.80 each

The wire and connectors would be relatively peanuts compared to the tubing.

 

[LarryS.]

was a quote from a firm off the internet, there is a local firm who I was intending to visit, looks like I need to get there first and check their prices

is your local firm a specialist firm or is something that would be stocked more widely ?

thanks for the info, this forum again proves invaluable

 

[Dibs-h]

These were from a local s\s stockholder, so i don't see why they wouldn't be available nationally.

Mind you the tubing was in 6m lengths - no reason why most suppliers couldn't cut it down to smaller lengths.

If you are looking to have it done as cheap as possible - it would probably be better to find yourself a good general machine shop or even approach someone who makes stainless steel exhausts. There's usually at least one in every major city.

 

[enecosse]

Probably best you don't go down the route of buying all the parts, tube, elbows etc, as whatever the price you come up with multiply it by 5, also site fabrication leaves the nightmare of polishing, the achillies heel of stainless fab.
The wire option can be difficult for a first time fit, also you need inserts at tubes as the wind will rattle the wire of the tube, very annoying,
Also buying the posts you need to drill them and stainless kills drill bits, if its do it your self you are planning, the wire comes with pre-made ends fittings with means you have to oversize the holes ( speaking from experience).
You should try looking a the q-rail system as it comes as a complete system, you can get satin or polished,by far your best option, also you could fit it your self.
www.q-railing.com
Also as far as grade what discolours stainless is carbon if you live in a high traffic area on a main road and the railings were at the front you would be best to use grade 316l if not grade 304 will suffice. On a budget stick with grade 304
If you look at my last side gate I completed this cost me £1500
and I cut and fitted the wood, and that was materials and labour at cost.

 

[enecosse]

Just looked at your link, SWR same type of product but you could do this yourself, as I said fully finished it may seem expensive but will always be
cheaper than a custom build.

 

[stevep]

Good sound advice there from enecosse. I was just registering to reply to the comment about tubing prices and he beat me to it ! You can only buy pipe in 6mtr lengths and Stainless steel is not a cheap material , even the cheaper grades. On site fabrication would require Tig welding which is not done outdoors due to draughts ( only in sheeted tents ). The polishing of any worked areas is quite easily done though if you know how . Have you priced up having box section posts with a hardwood handrail ? You could then still use the wire rope and it would considerably reduce the cost ? It would also be a lot easier for you to drill etc.

 

[Dibs-h]

For those not accustomed to metalwork or without knowledge of local machine shops etc. your comments are spot on, probably better not to get the parts and look at complete systems.

However, there is not reason why the system could not be built off site and installed in a day (or 2), assuming you have access to a good and reasonably priced machine shop.

My local shop charges £30/hour and that includes TIG, and the workmanship is 1st class.

Stevep - whilst s\s does come in 6m lengths, I've yet to meet a supplier who for a nominal charge wouldn't cut it down to manageable lengths. The prices I posted were for 304 and at around £6/m that's relatively peanuts, considering the prices paid for some of the raw materials that the chaps use on this forum to produce some knockout items.

But it's horses for courses - if you don't have access to TIG, etc, it could easily become a nightmare and get expensive.

 

[LarryS.]

thanks all for the input, lots of good advice and experience in there.

found a local supplier who I am going to go and see in the next week and get a full pricing, if a complete ss railing is too expensive may even look at a combination with wood. Looks almost certain its going to cost more than a £1000 which at the moment is going to be too expensive

once again thanks for taking the time to input and give me advice, appreciate it. Will post photos of whatever solution I come up with as soon as its done.

 

[stevep]

Dibs i totally agree that suppliers will cut it to size for you but that all adds extra cost. I was just trying to help / advise Paul to keep his cost down. If i lived close enough i would certainly offer to go and help Paul on this project. It would be goo fun !

 

[andyw]

Hi Paul,

I had a similar problem in both height and cost. Was quoted around £250 plm for a stainless steel / glass affair, but seeing as I needed approx 30 m with 4 sets of stairs I dropped that really quickly. Also concluded ss rope was too expensive due to the ties/connectors.

In the end I decided on a home made wooden post / wooden hand rail / wooden base rail solution painted to match the house with 8mm stainless steel rods 100mm spaced as the verticals. Each rod worked out less than £2 cut/delivered/vat'ed, so with the wood around £30 per m.

Sorry, I'm useless with picture servers etc, but if you pm me I can send you some pics.

Not sure if you'll need building regs input, we did since new build, and we're told top rail had to around 1-1.1m high and balastrade gap <98mm.

 

[enecosse]

Sorry but I have to disagree, getting a fab shop to build at £30p/h still will be expensive.
materials for 12m £400/500
build 24hrs £ 720
polishing £ 200
instal 2 men 1.5 days £ 650

total £ 2050 divided by 12metres = £171
realistic price though would be 200/220 per linear metre

£ 2500 would be my guide price for your area

so for you the cheapest option would be a q-raIL type system, all you need are a hammer drill, bench drill,chopsaw 12" metal cutting a tooth blade not carbide, resin gun. the elbows and connectors are glued, the post fittings for glass etc are drilled and tapped/self tapped by the bolt.

This is what I do for a living so my gate at 1.8 high x 1.9 wide for stainless frame only fitted cost £1300 and I own the fab shop.

PLEASE IF YOU DO GO AHEAD AND THE QUOTE IS LESS THAN SAY £1500 REMEMBER THIS IS A SPECILIZED PRODUCT AND AS THE OLD SAYING GOES YOU PAY PEANUTS YOU GET MONKEYS.

 

[Dibs-h]

No problem - we can all agree to disagree.

The most cost effective solution may well be as Andy suggested - a wood\steel affair.

 

[adzeman]

Hi Paul On visiting a house last week I came across stainless steel balustrading to the stairs and landing.

I made the remark "these look expensive" to which he replied "not really bog standard B & Q"

I don't know which store and I will not be returning to this address for at least a month but it may be worth checking out at B & Q?

Regards