We all need a little support from time to time. If you’ve ever walked down a flight of stairs, chances are you’ve paid little to no mind to the handrail supporting your descent. And if you’ve never stopped to examine a handrail, you likely haven’t noticed continuous sections – connected handrail sections that serve as an important support, especially for individuals with mobility issues. The importance of a continuous handrail can’t be overstated, especially in terms of safety and building code requirements.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has set forth a series of handrail compliance standards that prioritize three things: safety, consistency, and most importantly, accessibility for individuals with disabilities. ADA-compliant handrails are important if you want to keep your business accessible to individuals of all mobility and ability levels – the question is, with so many options available, how do you select the aluminum ADA handrail that is best for your project?
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When you’re constructing a new project, it’s easy to focus on the big picture and neglect the details. However, certain details – handrails, for example – are crucial factors in your building’s safety. When is a handrail required? Whether your building is for residential, commercial, or public use, it’s important to keep national handrail regulations in mind.
Residential handrails can add a lot of aesthetic value to your home. Of course, looks can be deceiving, and even the most stylish handrail can fall short of safety requirements. When installing a handrail inside or outside your home, keep in mind that a railing’s safety function is truly the most important thing. Not sure of the best way to keep your family safe around stairs? Review the most recent residential handrail requirements below.
Handrails can be a great finishing touch to your home’s exterior – but how do you install a handrail on, say, a stucco wall? What about brick, concrete, or wood? Figuring out how to mount a handrail on different surfaces can be a bit confusing, but it’s certainly not impossible. With a few tweaks during your mounting process, you’ll have an attractive, solid handrail mounted in no time.
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Whether you’re installing a handrail or a large picture frame, one thing is certain: Careful hanging will save you a major headache down the line. While a loosely hung picture frame can lead to a big mess, a loosely hung handrail can be dangerous, especially for individuals with mobility issues. For that reason, we include screw anchors with all of the handrails available in our online store. These handy devices are helpful when hanging light- to semi-heavy objects, allowing you to securely hang items virtually anywhere without looking for a stud in your wall. However, it’s crucial to learn how to use a screw anchor properly before you install your handrail.
As a homeowner, you have plenty of maintenance to worry about. Cleaning your handrails shouldn’t be a taxing item on your weekend to-do list. Fortunately, if you have aluminum handrails, you know that they require very little upkeep. These durable, attractive, and affordable railings are virtually maintenance-free – still, life happens, and you might find that your railings are in need of a little TLC after a heavy storm or a particularly devious flock of pigeons. We’ve researched the best method for cleaning aluminum handrails so you can keep your handrails sparkling.
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Handrails aren’t just for safety. With a fresh coat of paint, handrails can also add a level of character and style to your home. Aluminum handrails offer a particularly wide variety of color options thanks to the handrail’s smooth, powder-coated exterior. But how do you choose a handrail color that works for your home? Is your home well suited to calming earth tones, or would you rather pack a punch with bold blacks and whites? Before you choose the next hue for your handrail, take a look at these handrail color suggestions for every home aesthetic.
Powder coating is one of the most durable, attractive railing coating options on the market. It lasts for years, it’s rugged, and it looks great – even with exposure to extreme weather, moisture, chemicals, and other environmental stressors. If you’re considering making the investment, you might be wondering: Can you touch up powder coating? While powder coating is an extraordinarily strong barrier against scratches, chips, and other wear and tear, it might be necessary to touch it up every now and again. Whens this happens, there are several options to help you maintain the integrity of your railing.
Handrails offer both safety and aesthetic appeal. However, for handrails to function well, proper installation is key. Need to install a handrail, but not sure where to start? Aluminum Handrail Direct offers several product guides to walk you through how to install a handrail.
UPDATE: Check out our Handrail Installation Instructions blog post for up-to-date guidance.
