Balustradings That Are Usually Used

By Paul J Coleman

First introduced by an Italian architecture in the renaissance era, baluster, known collectively as balustrades, are little posts that reinforce the upper portion of a railing. They play a significant role in the designing, and structuring of a house, and beautify its interior.

As per the demand of a person, balustrades can be formulated from any of these elements: wood, wrought iron, cast iron, glass, etc. It is important to bear in mind that the selected element should complement the interior dcor and furnishing of the house. For example, if your house mainly consists of wood furnishing, then you should select balustrades made out of wood as well. However, the material used for balustrades also depend on where they are put, for areas like terrace, or roof, it is better to have balustrade made out of concrete, so that they can endure harsh climatic conditions.

Another material nowadays, popular in the making of balustrades, is polyurethane. Marble is also an elegant option, but since it is very expensive, it is not that widely used. Brass and bronze can also be used, but they require maintenance to keep them shiny, and clean. Nowadays, the use of wood in balustrades is decreasing, as people are becoming more and more environment friendly.

Since the awareness regarding the protection of environment is rising, the demand for wooden balustrades has declined greatly. Besides this, another fact to affect the demand of wooden balustrades is the attribute of the wood not to bear humidity. For a more modernised look, glass is used for balustrades. In the areas of the United Kingdom, mostly toughened glass is used.

Since balustrades are available in a wide range of designs, and shapes, you can pick the one that best suits the structure of your house. The most common design used by people is the elongated oval one.

Art of creativity is done on balustrades, you can have simple ones, carved ones, and you can also have balustrades that are engraved with beautiful motifs. You can easily increase the level of charm in your home with the addition of balustrades.

A certain set of regulations has to be followed in the construction of balustrades. These regulations can be divided into two categories, which are domestic or residential, and public areas. The regulations are concerned with the height of the balustrades and the load that it must be able to withstand along with the handrail. For domestic balustrades, the height is 0.9 metres from the supporting surface to the top of the handrail. The same height is required for balustrades used in staircases in residential homes. For external balustrades like those on the roof or terrace, the height is 1.1 metre.

Before deciding what kind of balustrade to use, it is important to analyse your requirements as well as the dcor of your house, so that your selection blends in with the architecture of your house.

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