Residential Railings in Kansas City Gallery

RESIDENTIAL RAILINGS IN KANSAS CITY OVERVIEW

Residential railings are ideal for spiffing up homes. They’re also essential, in many cases, for safety. Both of these factors should be kept in mind regardless of whether you’re installing railings for a client or installing them yourselves as part of a DIY project. Here at AmeriFence Corporation, the top railings contractor in Kansas City, we offer an abundance of design elements to make distinguished handrails: scepters, scrolls, medallions, rosettes, and globes. Our in-house custom metals fabrication system allows us to design and build railings according to the specifications and needs of the individual customer.

Residential railings should be built by a contractor experienced in working with both iron and vinyl. AmeriFence Corporation has been in the industry 55+ years. Our staff is highly trained to work with these materials, and many others.

RESIDENTIAL RAILINGS IN KANSAS CITY FAQ

I want to install my own residential railings. Where are they required?

Answer this question by consulting your local codes and authority. The general rule is that guard railings are required in situations where you have a deck, patio, stairs, or general surface that has a drop of thirty inches or more.

What are the requirements for residential railings in Kansas City?

Again, check with local codes and authority. But, generally speaking:

1. Heights of 36” for residential buildings.
2. You are limited to a maximum opening anywhere throughout the railing system of 4”. In other words, you should not be able to pass a 4” diameter ball through the railing.
3. In most cases, a railing must not deflect more than an inch when two hundred pounds of force is applied vertically and horizontally but not consecutively.  This is an issue to take into consideration when using vinyl and cable rail materials.

There exist numerous codes and potential hazards when dealing with the proper design and installation of railings in Kansas City. Therefore, we recommend selecting a fabricator with an extensive history of producing this type of product.

What are the requirements for stair railings?

In addition to having a grab rail, stair railings must comply with standard guard railing requirements:

1. The grab rail must be specific in size, profile and location. Typically, railings are installed approximately 34” above the nose of the stair tread.
2. A grab rail should be no larger than two inches in diameter and installed with few obstructions. This allows users to safely run their hands up and down the railing.
3. Stairs 36” or less in width require one grab rail.  Wider stairs will require more than one.
4. Railings often require a one foot horizontal run of railing at the top and bottom of the stairs to allow the user to grab the railing before stepping up or off.
5. Handicap railings will require a one foot horizontal and vertical return at each end with a second lower railing allowing people in wheelchairs to reach the railing.

Can AmeriFence Corporation custom build railings for my home in Kansas City?

Of course! Having been in the business 50+ years, we’ve developed a trained team of professionals who design and fabricate residential railings not only locally but in nearby communities such as De Soto, Edgerton, Mission Hills, Roeland, and Bonner Springs.

So how does it work?

1. We show you catalogs and website photos of railings designs. We also recommend searching the web. For example, King Architectural Metals’ website features several design assistance tools and views of their railings.
2. Our three veteran computer-aided design (CAD) programmers aid in providing detailed drawings of the railings before they are built. CAD views provide details including material selection, necessary dimensions, even a three-dimensional view. Always insist on seeing a CAD drawing before the fabrication process begins.
3. Once a design has been selected and confirmed, AmeriFence will personally field review the application. Never purchase railings locally or online without a fabricator reviewing your installation site. Small site details such as base trim, carpet to tile, setbacks and reveals, etc. are easy to overlook. However, professional fabricators have been taught to consider and look out for such items; it is their job to verify that railing installation is not done right!
4. The job is now turned over to our certified welders.
5. Utilizing hundreds of color samples and paint applications for residential railings in Kansas City, we’ll work with you in selecting colors. The most popular painting applications are:
   1. HVLP (High Volume Low Pressure) gets paint into tight corners and angles. HVLP is a wet paint application that should include a two-coat application of a quality primer and top coat.
   2. Electro-Static charges the paint particles and applies an opposite charge. Once applied, the paint is immediately attracted to the metal surface of your railing, providing a very consistent coat.  Electro-Static should be applied in conjunction with the HVLP system, as it’s not as efficient at reaching into tight corners and angles.
   3. Powder Coating provides a plastic coating similar to candy apple. It is first applied to the railing and then melted in an oven.
   4. Galvanizing leaves your railing with a shiny silver coat and seals it from rust and corrosion with a zinc- rich finish. Though this is great for rust prevention, most paint applications do not adhere to the galvanized finish without an initial brush blasting.