Balustrade & Handrails

A balustrade handrail is a screen or set of posts designed to prevent people from slipping over the edge of a balcony or stairs.

Handrails are the railings that run alongside a staircase. They’re what you hold onto as you walk up or down steps, guiding and steadying you. Handrails can be fitted against the wall your stairs follow, and/or you can have one included in your balustrade system or bannisters. Glass balustrades are glass panels without a frame that create a barrier to offer protection and safety from areas where falling is a hazard, where the floor level changes, or there’s a drop between two spaces.

Glass balustrades keep the glass suspended, like frameless systems, spigots, or posts. A handrail is a rail fixed to a wall or post that people can hold on to for support. Building regulations stipulate that all glass balustrades on staircases require handrails.

The balustrade is the railing, and the baluster stops you from falling over the edge of the staircase. It’s also the collective name for a complete handrail assembly, including newel posts and spindles. These can be very decorative, carved, forged, turned, or even replaced by glass or wooden panels.