A balustrade system is a sturdy railing made of tapered vertical posts that support a top and bottom rail. It is a very fancy name for an incredibly practical, necessary, and potentially beautiful installation. While many homeowners don’t know this to start with, balustrade systems are essential to a large percentage of home renovations and remodels. Any time you have an exposed ledge, a raised floor, or a balcony, a balustrade is necessary. They are also elegantly optional for areas where you want to differentiate spaces safely without a fully walled enclosure.
But what does that all mean in terms of your home renovation project? Let’s dive into four of the most common home renovations that require a balustrade system and you’ll quickly understand completely.
1) Building a Deck or Porch
Building a deck for your backyard or a porch for the front of your home is a wonderful project that adds both beauty and value, but it also brings a certain element of danger. While there are decks and porches without railings, the safest family homes all have balustrades sturdy and reliable enough that a jubilant friend could not trip off and a toddler could not slip through.
This is essential to keeping both family and guests safe while enjoying your welcoming new outdoor design. A deck with a balustrade is not only safer, it provides your guests somewhere to set their drinks and plates of barbeque. It provides your friends a place to lean on while they chat and enjoy the season. And, of course, the right balustrade system will make your porch design even more pleasing to the eye.
2) Opening Up Your Stairs
Older homes had staircases closed in by walls after the first few steps. While safe, it also feels terribly enclosed and dark compared to modern open floorplan designs. If you are taking down a few unnecessary sheets of drywall and making your staircase an open part of the house, it’s important to consider safety as well as aesthetics.
Naturally, you will want an attractive balustrade system along the open side of your staircase to ensure that your family is still safe using the stairs. By removing those walls, you have made the stairs an airy and even social location. And the balustrades will add an artistic flair along with a necessary source of safety and support.
3) Building or Remodeling a Balcony
Balconies are a wonderful part of any home, whether you are remodeling a balcony or adding a whole new balcony to match your porch system below. Balconies add shade to the lower level and a fantastic lofty deck to enjoy from your second story. Of course, every balcony must have a balustrade system to provide the necessary amount of safety. It may be thrilling to sit on your railing-free balcony when it has just been finished, but you certainly wouldn’t want children, pets, or even guests out there without sturdy supportive railings that are your balustrade system.
4) Childproofing a Backyard Swimming Pool
Lastly, let’s take a moment to think about swimming pools. Even on completely level ground, balustrade systems are very common for families with pools in the backyard. A balustrade surrounding your pool area with a secure gate is the ideal way to keep small children and pets from falling into the pool when playing in the backyard. A simple balustrade system can prevent tragedies and, at the very least, parental worry while still allowing children to enjoy a yard with a pool safely.
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Balustrade systems are an essential part of home renovations of nearly every stripe. Any time there is a change in level, whether it is a mere six inches or two stories up, you need a balustrade system to provide the support and safety necessary to avoid the risk of an accident. Even better, balustrade systems are beautiful by tradition, making this renovation necessity an aesthetic reward in its own right.