Metal Handrail Components

Railing

• Most metal handrails basically consist of three major components. The railing is one of the most integral parts of the handrail. The railing runs lengthwise and horizontal to the walkway and is the part of the handrail that a person will hold on to while walking. Some handrail configurations have multiple rows of railing, while other configurations use the single rail or double rail set-up. An advantage of a metal handrail, apart from its durability and stability, is that a smooth metal handrail is splinter-free.

Posts

• The railing of a metal handrail is attached to posts that are concreted into the ground or bolted or concreted to the walkway's structure. The posts of a metal walkway are placed vertically at intervals and provide stability for the handrail.

Connectors

• The third major component of a metal handrail are the connectors. The connectors are the components of the handrail that hold the metal handrail structure together. Connectors join rails to posts and rails to rails, providing a fully connected unbroken handrail. While there are some metal handrails that are welded in place, there are some that are held together entirely by connectors without the use of welding. Connectors come in different shapes and different angles to accommodate different styles of handrails. Connectors are attached to rails and posts through the use of bolts.