A handrail is the part you hold onto as you go up and down; a railing (or guard) is the whole barrier along the stairs or a landing, including its balusters or panels. Custom railings are made from stainless steel, wrought iron, wood, glass or a mix of these. Height and baluster spacing are set by the building code.
A railing is the jewelry of your staircase
The same set of stairs can look completely different depending on its railing. Heavy, dark balusters make a stairwell feel smaller. Glass panels or slim steel rods open up the space and let the light through. An ornamental wrought-iron railing gives a home a classic, formal look.
Replacing the railing is often the easiest way to refresh an interior without rebuilding the stairs. Many homeowners in Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey do it during a renovation when the treads are still in good shape but the handrail wobbles or simply no longer matches the new décor.
Handrail, railing, balusters: a quick glossary
- Handrail – the top rail you grip. It should sit comfortably in your hand and run evenly along the stairs.
- Railing (guard) – the entire barrier that keeps people from falling off the side of the stairs, a landing or a balcony.
- Balusters – the vertical pieces that fill the railing between the treads and the handrail.
- Newel posts – the heavier posts at the bottom, top and turns of the railing that carry the structure.
Stainless steel, wrought iron, wood or glass?
Each material has its strengths. Stainless steel resists corrosion and suits modern, minimalist interiors. Wrought iron allows for rich patterns and ornaments, which is why it is a favorite in classic-style homes. Wood adds warmth and is easy to match to your treads and floors. Glass, installed as panels mounted to the treads or posts, makes the railing almost disappear and the room feel bigger.
Combinations are increasingly popular: a wood handrail on metal balusters, or glass panels with a steel handrail. Mixing materials lets you pair the warmth of wood with the lightness of a modern structure.
Safety comes first
A railing’s first job is to protect. Its height, strength and baluster spacing are regulated by building codes: in New York City, the NYC Construction Codes (information on the NYC Buildings website); in New Jersey and Connecticut, state codes. This matters especially in homes with small children or older adults. A good contractor chooses the structure and mounting method so the railing is solid and meets the requirements for your building.
Handrails, railings and balusters from Atlantic Stairs
Atlantic Stairs NY, Inc. is a Polish family business based in Brooklyn, serving the entire Tri-State Area since 1993. Along with stairs, the company designs, builds and installs handrails and railings, both indoor and outdoor. Its work ranges from modern stainless steel railings and minimalist glass panels to traditional wrought-iron pieces, metal-and-wood combinations and all-wood railings.
The company also makes custom wood and metal balusters to the client’s specifications. That is a good solution when a renovation calls for replacing missing pieces in an existing railing or recreating an older pattern. We cover custom balusters on their own in a separate article. Each design follows the homeowner’s idea or an architect’s drawings, and the crew takes measurements on site.
Services, project photos and contact details are in the Atlantic Stairs profile in the PolishPages directory. For a detailed comparison of materials and a list of questions to ask a contractor, see our stair railing buying guide.
Replacing a railing, step by step
Ordering a custom railing usually goes through a few stages:
- a conversation about style and material, ideally with photos of your home and examples you like,
- an on-site measurement and a check of whether the stairs and posts can take the new railing,
- a design and a quote with a set installation date,
- fabrication in the workshop,
- installation at your home.
You can request a free project catalog and a quote from Atlantic Stairs at 718-417-8818. The team speaks Polish as well as English.
