A unique rustic railing can be used either inside your home on lofts, stair wells or simply room dividers as well as outside porch areas.
Wood Loft Railing
White Cedar Porch Railing White Cedar railing is available either pre-drilled on 6" centers or undrilled for site installation. Wood rail sections are available in 3" x 8', 10' or 12' sections. The spindles are available in the standard 29" length. Choose from our extensive inventory the unique cedar posts to make your wood railing a focal point of your home.
Many wood deck railings are simply pieces of art. Wood designs can be objects of beauty when are maintained and installed correctly. However, they may also be the source of many wooden deck problems, such as splinters and thus an unattractive place to stay if not maintained as it requires.
As many other projects into your home decorating, a wood deck plan requires a previous detailed design, including the type of wood that better fits into your weather conditions.
Remember thata good technique on wood deck railings can break completely the look of any deck design, specially on designs for wood.
Good Materials For Wood Deck Railings
Choosing a good wood is essential for making your deck looking great when finished as well as for years to come.
How to choose the perfect lumbers or balusters?
There are few hints to follow before making your final purchase. It might sound elementary, but begin your wood deck railing with just quality wood.
Do not accept pieces with any type of blemish, including knots or bark.
Check them out thoroughly if you dont want to regret an important investment during years.
Most homeowners decide to use what is left after they have built the deck, and dont realize that a deck railing is a completely different project, that needs an extra plan.
Do you know what wood railings to use?
Since a good deck design would incorporate details that match your home and garden dcor, try to include patterns and shapes that feature the style you wish.
It could also be worth to find a good, natural and resistant wood first, such as cedar, which will raise the deck railing budget, but obviously will be the best choice in the long term.
You will have time enough to find the best ornaments for your deck. But not for replacing the whole railing material, which is an evident investment that can be done just one time in many years.
Tips On Wood Railings Maintenance
You have two options for wood balusters: finished and prefinished.
Finished comes sanded and varnished, but with the big inconvenient of the color.You will have to choose what they offer, different tones that probably dont fit exactly with your color idea. Unless you know how to treat wood properly, there will be no better choice than finished balusters.
One option is to get prefinished wood, and achieve the tone and color you wish. Sanding the wood railing carefully, and then using proper preservatives for wooden furniture. Make certain rounding over the railing corners and edges using specialized tools such as routers or sanders. In order to prevent possible injuries to deck railings users, try to sand it as smooth as possible. You will need to check the surface often for splinters or exposed nail heads.
Standard & Custom Metal & Wood Railings for Stairs, Porches, Fences, Walkways, More
Click on the Company Name to visit the Company Website -- Click on the Write-Up to get complete company contact information.
Allen Architectural Metals, Inc. -- Manufacturer of ornamental metal: street amenities, signage, lighting, columns, building components, doors, cupolas, finials, cresting, architectural elements, canopies, bollards, railings & grilles; variety of alloys & finishes.
Architectural Iron Co. -- Manufacturer of historical wrought- & cast-iron items: columns, benches, fences, gates, cresting, cast-iron window sash weights & more; restoration & custom casting; foundry & blacksmithing; field removal & installation services.
Campbellsville Industries, Inc. -- Manufacturer & installer of architectural metalwork: steeples, cupolas, street clocks, railings, balustrades, finials, domes, weathervanes & louvers; aluminum, copper, zinc & lead-coated copper.
Cumberland Woodcraft Co. -- Manufacturer of Victorian millwork: porch trim, screen & storm doors, gables & spandrels, ceiling medallions, bars & backbars, grilles, brackets, cornices, fretwork, mantels, capitals, carvings, moldings, balustrades, rails & more.
D.J.A. Imports, Ltd. -- Distributor of architectural metal components: gates, railings, stairs, gate & door hardware, machinery for the metal industry & specialty items; stainless steel & aluminum; reproductions; riveted gates & railings, operators & more.
DeAngelis Iron Work, Inc. -- Custom fabricator & installer of ornamental metalwork: fences, gates, columns, capitals, benches, stairs & more; cast & wrought iron, bronze, brass, aluminum, stainless steel & more; cresting.
European Iron Works -- Designer & fabricator of hand-forged & traditionally joined architectural products: railings, balconies, gates, wine cellar & entry doors, fireplace screens, lighting & furniture; iron, bronze, copper, aluminum & other materials.
Extrutech Plastics, Inc. -- Manufacturer of exterior & interior cellular moldings & trim: screen doors, shutters, custom wood-grain finishes; wall & ceiling panels; waterproof doors.
Fine Architectural Metalsmiths -- Designer & custom fabricator of ornamental metalwork: period-appropriate motifs; custom lighting; curved, straight & monumental stairs; driveway & garden gates; hand forged & wrought iron, bronze & aluminum.
Frank Morrow Co. -- Designer & manufacturer of more than 6,000 ornamental metal trims: embossed banding & perforated gallery; decorative stampings include leaves, flowers, husks, bobeches, animals, motifs & more; grey-iron castings.
Gaby's Shoppe -- Manufacturer of handcrafted decorative iron drapery hardware: for curved & angled bay windows & arches; 30 standard finishes; more than 100 finial options.
Goddard Mfg. Co. -- Custom fabricator of stairs: spiral & curved; balusters & newels; all wood (mainly pine & oak), steel/wood combinations & all steel; wholesale prices.
HB&G Building Products -- Supplier of low-maintenance porch products, columns, spindles, balustrades, newels, posts, railings, moldings & entrances: polyurethane & permacast FRP; pine & redwood; custom & stock.
Historical Arts & Casting, Inc. -- Designer & custom fabricator of ornamental metalwork: doors, windows, hardware, stairs, balustrades, registers, fences, lighting, gutters, columns, weathervanes, planters & more; iron, bronze, aluminum & steel; restoration services.
Indital, USA -- Manufacturer of Italian-designed ornament: wrought-iron & aluminum forged designs for railings, balonies, fences, partitions, furniture & decorations; powder-coated pickets in 7 colors; Inox, stainless-steel components railings.
Iron Gallery Store, Ltd. -- Custom designer & manufacturer of wrought-iron elements: iron entry doors, gates, staircase railings, residential & commercial lighting & more; Mediterranean & Arts & Crafts styles.
Jansen ornamental Supply -- Supplier of ornamental hardware & decorative castings: stampings, paints, tools, lockboxes, cast-iron spears; aluminum cover shoes.
John F. Graney Metal Design, LLC -- Custom fabricator of ornamental metalwork: fences, gates, railings, tree grates, hearth screens, benches, lighting & more; aluminum, bronze & stainless steel; ecclesiastical work.
King Architectural Metals -- Wholesale supplier of ornamental & architectural metal components: staircases, handrails, gates, fences, furniture, mailboxes, lampposts, finials & fireplace screens; wrought iron & aluminum.
Master's Metalworks, Inc. -- Manufacturer of forged & fabricated custom metalwork: railings, gates & fencing; stairs & stair balustrades; steel doors; interior & exterior lighting.
New Star Brass & Bronze Works, Inc. -- Custom fabricator of metal railings: spiral, curved, straight & monumental stairs; balusters, railings & newel posts; iron, stainless steel, hand-forged steel, aluminum, bronze & nickel/silver; wood & glass rails; interior & exterio
Oakley Steel Products -- Manufacturer of custom spiral stair stringers & stair pans: curved tubes, angles, handrails, channels, plates & beams; stainless steel, aluminum & various alloys.
Pagliacco Turning & Milling -- Manufacturer of columns & other turnings: solid & hollow turnings from 1-5/8 to 24 in. x 20 ft.; load- & non-load-bearing; balusters, handrails & newel posts; Classical styles; stock & custom turnings.
Robinson Iron Corp. -- Designer & installer of custom metalwork: fountains, columns, fences, railings, sculpture, benches, grilles, cupolas, cresting, street lighting & gazebos; wrought iron/steel, aluminum, bronze & cast iron; historical restoration.
Schiff Architectural Detail -- Custom fabricator of metalwork: exterior lamps, lampposts, plaques, fences, fountains, interior & exterior railings & grilles; non-ferrous forged work; machine-shop service; rubber molding & pattern work; historical restoration.
Schwartz's Forge & Metalworks, Inc. -- Custom fabricator of architectural metalwork: straight, spiral & curved stairs; doors, railings, newel posts, lighting, gates, fences, grilles & fountains; forged bronze, monel steel & stainless steel; historical restoration.
Specrail, Inc. -- Supplier of ornamental aluminum fencing: 8 style options, 6 standard colors & custom colors; for pool enclosures, residential & commercial properties; fast shipments.
Stairways, Inc. -- Designer & manufacturer of Victorian-style spiral & straight stairs, stair parts, supplies & kits: steel, brass, stainless steel, wood & more.
Steptoe & Wife Antiques Ltd. -- Fabricator of architectural metalwork: spiral & straight staircases, railings, capitals, gates & grilles; copper, iron, aluminum, steel, brass & bronze fabrication for renovation & restoration projects; tin ceilings in Canada only.
Sterling Staircase & Handrail -- Custom fabricator & installer of curved wood staircases: handrails, newel posts & custom turnings up to 9 ft. long & 3 ft. in dia.; products shipped internationally.
Superior Moulding, Inc. -- Supplier of architectural & ornamental woodwork: molding, straight & curved stairs, rails, balusters, spindles, newel posts, treads, ceiling medallions, furniture legs, columns, capitals & more; custom turnings; all wood species.
Texas Metal Industries, Inc. -- Supplier of ornamental castings: furniture, gates, fences, mailboxes, signage, finials, balustrades, stair railings, fountains, benches, grilles, lampposts & urns; aluminum, cast iron & forged steel.
The Wagner Companies -- Supplier of ornamental metalwork: handrail moldings & fittings, posts, balusters, forged components & panels & decorative castings & stampings; ornamental hollow balls & hemispheres; spiral stairs; custom bending for railings.
Vintage Woodworks -- Manufacturer & supplier of Victorian millwork: wood porch parts, turned posts, turned & sawn balusters, railings, brackets, corbels, custom-length spandrels, screen/storm doors, mantels, wood shingles & more; cellular PVC profiles.
Wiemann Ironworks -- Designer, fabricator, finisher & installer of custom ornamental metalwork: capitals, railings, fences, gates, balustrades, lighting, grilles, furniture, doors & more; cast & wrought iron, bronze & aluminum; hardware; CAD services.
Wylie Metals -- Manufacturer of custom & standard railings: all metals; commercial & institutional projects.
1. A railing or divider comprising an upper metal rail member, a lower metal member, metal balusters extending between and affixed to said upper and lower metal rail members, and wooden members mounted on said metal members and configured to surround same, wherein said upper metal rail member is surrounded by a grooved wooden handrail mounted above said metal rail member and a wooden strip mounted below said rail member.
2. The railing set forth in claim 1 wherein the groove of said grooved wooden handrail is sized to permit adjustment of the height of said wooden handrail, said railing further including a shim member disposed in said groove to adjust the height of said wooden handrail.
3. A railing or divider comprising an upper metal rail member, a lower metal rail member, metal balusters extending between and affixed to said upper and lower metal rail members, and wooden members mounted on said metal members and configured to surround same, wherein said upper metal rail member is surrounded by a wooden hand-rail mounted above said metal rail member and wooden strips mounted below and on each side of said metal rail member.
4. A railing or divider comprising and upper metal rail member, a lower metal rail member, metal balusters extending between and affixed to said upper and lower metal members, and wooden members mounted on said metal members and configured to surround same, wherein said lower metal rail member is surrounded by a grooved wooden foot rail mounted below said metal rail member and a wooden strip mounted above said metal rail member.
5. The railing set forth in claim 4 wherein the groove of grooved wooden footrail is sized to permit adjustment of the height of said wooded footrail, said railing further including a shim member disposed in said groove to adjust the height of said wooden footrail.
6. A railing or divider comprising:
an upper metal rail member;
an upper metal rail member;
metal balusters extending between and affixed to said upper and lower metal rail members; and
wooden members mounted on said metal members and configured to surround same;
said metal balusters are surrounded by a pair of grooved wooden balusters, the grooves of said wooden balusters being sized such that the metal balusters will be enclosed by the wooden balusters.
Description:BACKGROUND
The field of the present invention is railings and dividers for use in structures.
The use of railings and dividers in one form or another probably dates back to the advent of civilized society. Railings have been used in conjunction with stairs, balconies, decks, and the like to demarcate the boundaries thereof for safety and other reasons. Dividers have been employed to designate areas of, for example, a room, and perhaps to confine persons to a specific area. Dividers are found in such places as courtrooms, legislative halls and the like where access to a particular area is to be restricted.
The earliest railings and dividers were likely constructed of stone or wood, depending on intended use, availability of raw materials and the architectural style in vogue at the time. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, for example, one would expect to find a predominance of stone-made structures. In more recent times, particularly in Europe and North America, wooden railings and dividers have predominated. Indeed, until relatively recently, the architectural tendency has been to provide ornate wooden structures of intricate design.
With the advent of readily available metals and plastics for structural applications, wood for railings, dividers and other structures has been used with decreasing frequency. The new materials are generally stronger and more durable and are therefore preferred, especially where safety considerations are important.
Notwithstanding the superior structural attributes of metal and other materials, they are often aesthetically bland and lack the warmth and artistry associated with finely-crafted wooden structures. While the architectual trend in recent years has been toward a "functional" look, there are many who still prefer traditional stylings. Indeed, recent designs reveal a resurgence of more conservative constructions in residential and other structures. For those applications, a traditionally styled wooden railing or divider possessing the strength and durability found in a structure constructed from metal or the like would be desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a wooden railing or divider having a metal foundation. To this end, a metal substructure provides a foundation for decorative wooden elements arranged about the substructure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a railing or divider constructed in accordance with the present invention, including a metal substructure and a wooden element (shaded) attached thereto.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1 showing the intersection of a baluster and the handrail.
FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 in FIG. 1 showing the intersection of a post member and the handrail.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 in FIG. 1 showing the intersection of a post member and the footrail.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6--6 in FIG. 1 showing the intersection between a baluster and the footrail.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 7--7 in FIG. 1 showing the construction of a baluster.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 8--8 in FIG. 1 showing the construction of a post member.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, a railing or divider assembly 2 comprises a metal railing or divider 4 forming a foundation or substructure and a wooden railing or divider 6 forming a superstructure that completely surrounds the metal foundation 4. The metal foundation 4 is made from wrought iron or other suitable material while the super-structure 6 is formed from any suitable wood. The wood may be decoratively shaped in a variety of forms as required. The railing or divider assembly 2 includes a handrail assembly 8, a footrail assembly 10, a post member assembly 12 and baluster assemblies 14.
Correspondingly, the metal foundation 4 includes a metal handrail 16, a metal footrail 18, a metal post member 20 and metal balusters 22. These components are preferably welded together. The bottom of the metal post member is affixed to a surface 5 by bolting or other suitable means.
In similar fashion, the wooden superstructure 6 includes a wooden handrail assembly 24, a wooden footrail assembly 26, a wooden post assembly 28 and wooden baluster assemblies 30. These assemblies are secured together by adhesive or other suitable means. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wooden handrail assembly 24 comprises a wooden handrail member 32 mounted on the metal handrail member 16. If desired, the wooden handrail member 32 may be grooved. This would be preferable where the metal handrail member 16 has a square cross-section. When the metal handrail member 16 is relatively flat, a grooved wooden handrail member 32 may still be used but it may be necessary to employ a shim 32a to adjust the height of the wooden handrail member 32, as in FIG. 2. If a non-grooved wooden handrail member 32 is employed, it will be necessary to use wooden strip members 32b to mask the metal handrail member 16, as in FIG. 3. To fully mask the metal handrail member 16 between successive balusters, a wooden strip or fillet block 34 is used.
As shown in FIG. 6, the wooden footrail assembly member 26 comprises a wooden footrail member 36 which is grooved to accommodate the metal footrail member 18. A shim 36a allows for adjustment of the height of the wooden footrail member 36. A wooden strip or fillet block 38 is used to mask the metal footrail member 18 between successive balusters.
Turning to FIGS. 4, 5, and 8, the wooden post member assembly 28 comprises a pair of wooden postmembers 40 which are grooved to accommodate the metal post member 20 and the metal handrail member 16.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 6, and 7, the wooden baluster assemblies 30 comprise a pair of wooden baluster members 42 that are grooved to accommodate the metal baluster members 22.
Thus, a wooden railing with a metal foundation has been disclosed. While embodiments and applications of the invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims
A continuous top rail can be milled with a slight peak or slope to shed water and give it a nice