Wrought iron balusters are a great way to add style and security to a new railing, or an existing one. Balusters really work to create an elegant look with any railing, converting them from the standard hand rail, into a piece of art worthy of your home’s décor. Of course if visual aesthetic isn’t as important to you, wrought iron balusters are also at the forefront of safety. Nothing else will enable your railing to confidently hold your entire body weight, to keep you safe every time you’re on the stairs.
What Are Wrought Iron Balusters?
In case you were wondering, or hadn’t heard the term before, wrought iron balusters are the metal rods that run between the top and bottom of the railing. They work to provide style accents, as well as added durability for any railing. They help to distribute weight more evenly, so that your hand rail can easily support more weight, and stand up to heavy use for many years. There are wooden balusters available if you don’t like the idea of iron, but they don’t provide the same level of security, and won’t last quite as long.
Planning
Before you go about purchasing wrought iron balusters for your home, you’ll have to do a little bit of planning. First, are you adding them to an existing railing, or installing them as you install brand new railings? If you’re adding them to an existing railing, it’s as simple as counting the number of balusters that you already have, and then purchasing an iron replacement for each. If you will be installing a new railing, you’ll have to measure your stairwell accurately so that you know how large a railing you will need. The length of your railing will determine how many wrought iron balusters you will need in the end.
Installation Dos and Don’ts
On average wrought iron balusters will need to be installed about 4 inches apart from one another, so factor this in with your other measurements from your stairwell. The cost of your balusters depends upon the style that you choose. There are complicated decorative iron models that are intended to make your railing much more visually appealing, but these usually don’t offer as much security. If you want to strengthen your railing you’ll want standard wrought iron balusters. You can find practical versions for as little as $30 for a package of 10. But for more advanced styles that price goes up exponentially.
Best Places to Shop
Usually hardware stores are the best place to purchase wrought iron balusters themselves. Outlets like Sears and Home Depot are bound to have plenty of options readily available. Plus they usually feature the cheapest prices around for practical models. But for customized wrought iron balusters, you’ll have to find a specific dealer. Websites like Custom-Ironworks.com should be a good place to start. But beware that customized options are usually much more expensive than your basic balusters. So be prepared to spend a lot, for the right to outfit your home with stylistic alternatives to the more standard versions.
Here’s an exciting video on how to quickly and efficiently install these balusters.