Balustrade - Stainless steel Wire

If you have a deck of more than 600mm in height you will need to build install a balustrade or hand rail. Hand rails have strict rules so that they are safe and durable.

Timber Hand rails

There are a number of styles for timber hand rails that can be made however they will need to be checked with your local council. Decking span tables will be able to tell you the timber sizing and the minimum and maximum between the timber slats.

Stainless steel wire balustrade

This next example is a stainless steel wire balustrade with a hardwood timber frame. However the frame could have been made of stainless steel if it was required.

How to make a stainless steel wire balustrade

Planning:

The first part of the planning process is to check the building regulations for stainless steel wire. These can be supplied by your stainless steel wire supplier, see the decking links page. The following example is a deck with a height of 3 metre. For this deck the building regulation require that the wires are spaced at 60mm. The span of the balustrade was 5400mm and required three posts plus one to ether end. The minimum height is 1000mm however the home owner wanted 1200mm for extra safety.

Check list

• Wire spacing = 60mm
• Span = 5400mm
• Middle Posts = 3
• End Posts = 2
• Height = 1200mm
• Wire die = 3.2mm

Calculations = 60/1200 = 20 However the top wire is actually the timber hand rail so minus 1 = 19 wires in total.

Wire = 5400 x 19 = 102.6 = 103 metres of 3.2mm wire.

Fitting = your supplier will be able to help was the exact fittings you will need. See our Decking material links page.

Basic list:

• Swaging tool and wire cutters
• Bottle screws and thimbles and swaging selves.
• Eye screws or eye straps.

Step one: Balustrade frame

After you have all of your stainless steel materials on site you can start on your balustrade. Firstly install the timber frame into the correct position. In this example in the photos the end posts were installed first. The end posts were pre-drilled and installing by screwing them into the frame of the house with 100mm Galvanised bulge head screws. Then, using a chalk string line, mark from both sides of the end post across the deck to the other end post. You should have two chalk lines across the deck is with 90mm between them. This will show you the exact position of the your posts so they are in line with the end posts and the top rail. To install the posts make sure that the even spacing between them and fix the off to the deck using 12mm galvanised bolts and galvanised brackets. Then pre-drill your hand rail and install using galvanised bulge head screws. When you have installed all your timber frame double check your work and make sure that it is strong and safe.

Step two: Pre=drill

Mark and pre-drill all your posts. Once this has been completed fill unwanted holes and sand and coat. Coat with an premium quality acrylic decking stain. It is possible to coat the timber later when it is all complete, however this will take longer because you will have to paint around the stainless steel wires and fittings. Also you may find it easier to pre-drill all your posts at your correct spacing before they are installed.

Step three: End fittings

Screw in the stainless steel fittings into the end posts then fit all the bottle screws to one of the end posts.

Step Four: Swaging

Then start the swaging process using the thimbles and swaging selves. Insert the thimble into the eye screw of the end post and then add a swaging selves to the wire threading if around the thimble and crimp the wire with swaging tool. Thread your wire through to the other end of the balustrade through each post and swage to the bottle screws. It is important to open the bottle screws up before swaging so the wire can be tightened up. For an example of this see below.

Step Five: Wire Tension

Tension your wire as per the current building regulations - (fairly tight). Double check the completed balustrade and it is ready for use. As with any balustrade it is important that you keep it in good and safe order.