Railings are made from different materials, and each has it own characteristics. Among all materials, metals have grown to be the favorite materials, owning to its durability and strength and different metals have their own characteristics, which give them their status among manufacturers.

Advantages Of Metal Railings

Unlike PVC, Glass and wood railings, metal railings have its own advantages. Following are a few advantages of metal railings.

?Metal facilitates construction of small and lightweight sections to suit once purpose. ?Metal railings are durable as they do not splinter and corrode like wood. ?Personalized designs are possible with metal railings. ?Metal railings can be made from casting or flat product depending on ones lifestyle and budget. ?Metal is comparatively a better choice over PVC and wood especially in outdoor conditions. ?Powder coating the metal ensures a longer life for the metal railing, and can help to increase its life span up to 25 to 30 years. ?Low cost of maintenance is the biggest advantage; wiping with a wet cloth is all it needs for cleaning.

Commonly used metals for making Railings.

Generally a lot of metals are used to make railings but the most common among them are: -

1.Stainless Steel: it is the most commonly used metal because it is durable and strong, besides being comparatively lighter than other metals. Steel also has the capability to maintain its luster for a longer time and hence maintenance is very low. Workability of stainless steel is very high and its resistance is more when being passed through power press machines. Above all it gives the structure a modern look.

2.Wrought iron: it the next most favorite metal for making railings, as it gives the structure an antique look. It is basically maintenance free; all it is requires is a good coat of paint and regular cleaning to keep it new. The only disadvantage of wrought iron is that it is very heavy and difficult to repair as welding it is difficult, and getting the same design is also very difficult, hence once broken the only option is complete replacement.

3.Aluminum: lightweight and durability are the characteristic that makes aluminum one of the favorite metals. Maintenance cost of aluminum is similar to stainless steel and is best when it comes to making square shapes and straight-line structures. The workability of aluminum is low compared to other metals, especially when it comes to making curved structures and hence is not the most preferred metal for railings.

4.Brass: once the most preferred metal among the rich and the famous in medieval times, brass has lost its status to other metals. Modern day railing manufacturers rarely use brass, except as a covering at some places, as brass requires regular polishing to maintain its luster.

Therefore, it can be concluded that out of the four metals only stainless steel is in vogue and hence the most preferred metal of railing manufacturers.