Outdoor Handrail Installation in Knoxville, TN
Champion Fence installs custom outdoor handrails for steps, stairways, and porches throughout Knoxville, TN, and surrounding communities. Our aluminum handrails provide a sturdy, easy-to-grip surface while complementing your property’s appearance.
Whether you’re adding handrails to an existing staircase or planning a new installation, our team can help you explore options suited to your property’s layout and needs. Contact Champion Fence for a free estimate.
Custom Outdoor Handrail Installation
A long list of clients has made us their trusted source for handrail solutions, whether that is outdoors for your steps, on a walkway, or up on multiple floors. Why? At Champion Fence, we celebrate many years of experience in the handrail industry, not just by providing excellent service to building owners but by making handrails available that are both sturdy and stylish!
You are always going to need handrails if you have stairs in a given outdoor area. Whether you have metal handrails for outdoor steps on metal stairs or other handrails for steps that lead into your home, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Why not ask us about the industrial-grade aluminum handrails?
What to Consider When Choosing Outdoor Handrails
When selecting which material you’d like to use for your property’s new handrail, everything from appearance to feel, upkeep, and style will put weight behind your decision. Are you considering making your handrail purchase from Champion Fence? Consider some of the following aspects as you chat with our handrail experts about your best options:
The question of durability addresses not just how long you want your handrail to last, but how much money you want to invest in your handrails each time you need to replace them. For instance, while a metal handrail may be more durable, it will also be more expensive to replace. A wooden handrail is also less durable.
So, when you choose your handrail, you’ll want to carefully consider what you want out of the structure. Our aluminum handrails are powder-coated and long-lasting.
Aluminum is a very sturdy material, instilling a sense of stability in those who need handrails to navigate up and down stairs. Wood runs the risk of splintering and becoming an uncomfortable hazard unless you’re willing to maintain it.
When you purchase a handrail, there’s one expert tip you won’t want to ignore: ensure the design can fit easily into the average person’s hand!
Style and intricacy are both wonderful attributes if you’re hoping to make the handrail ornate and beautiful, but ultimately, it is there for a practical reason. Usefulness and safety come first, so check that the handrail is narrow enough to help everyone on the stairs, even children.
Another consideration for your handrail goals would be the ease of maintenance. This upkeep expense comes knocking each year. Depending on the kind of handrail you own, you may need to replace a part of it or the entire thing after its useful life is up.
Wooden handrails need more maintenance than aluminum, which is far more durable options against bad weather, even if it’s raining sheets of hail.
When you’re working with something like handrails, it’s important to remember what the industry experts demand of your property. Is the installation ADA-compliant?
Handrail requirements depend on the type of property, how the stairs or walkway are used, and the applicable building and accessibility standards. Commercial and public-access installations may have additional requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Champion Fence can discuss your installation needs and help identify the handrail specifications that should be reviewed for your project.
If you have a question about your handrail or installation process, please feel free to ask us about it!
What exactly does your building need for its steps or staircases? Aesthetics can be an important factor when you’re installing outdoor handrails for the first time. However, don’t think that only wooden handrails lend a beautiful charm to a building – the options are endless.
All kinds of materials can be beautiful, especially if they hold up well over time. Even aluminum offers customization with a little paint.
Choosing Handrails for Outdoor Stairs
When choosing handrails for outdoor steps or stairways, consider how the design complements your property, the available installation space, and the configuration needed for comfortable use.
Style Conformity
Your house has an aesthetic, and not every handrail will match. It’s important to pay attention to design and style when you choose which handrails to install.
Consider the finish, color, and architectural style of your home or building when selecting outdoor handrails.
Configuration
There’s also the configuration of your handrails to consider. At Champion Fence, we offer the standard industrial bread loaf handrail.
Handrail styles and configurations have pros and cons, but safety standards won’t change. Design preferences are important, but they’ll take the backseat in comparison to space constraints, the sturdiness of the rail under your hand, and maintenance aspects.
Handrail Height Requirements for Outdoor Stairs
The final consideration is height, and this remains one of the most important features of handrails for stairs. Since everyone needs to use the handrail as support for their ascent and descent, it needs to be a height that’s accessible for all. To this end, the International Code Council and the Americans with Disabilities Act are both guidelines to ensure your handrails conform to a proper safety code in both commercial and residential buildings.
ADA Handrail Requirements
The ADA is an institution that protects the rights of disabled Americans. This institution is the reason roads, sidewalks, and buildings are all accessible to people, regardless of their mobility.
Handrail height and design requirements vary depending on the property and applicable building codes. For certain accessible routes and stairways, ADA standards establish specific requirements for handrail height, gripping surfaces, clearances, and extensions.
Before installation, the applicable local building code and any required accessibility standards should be reviewed to determine the appropriate handrail specifications.
Handrail Considerations for Children
You will also need to conform to a specific height so that children can stay safe while using your property’s stairs. If you don’t want to bother with height calculations, you could always just install an extra rail below your initial one so that children can easily reach it. This move will affect your installation’s final cost, but it is an optimal solution if you’re thinking about installing handrails at schools, parks, or other locations where children will be using the steps.
If you want to be absolutely sure that you’re conforming to height codes for children, consider some of the following guidelines:
- In facilities designed primarily for children, an additional lower handrail may be appropriate. Its dimensions and placement must follow the accessibility and building requirements applicable to that facility.
Building Code Requirements for Handrails
The ICC quite regularly updates its code for handrails, but there are some exceptions to the rules mentioned above. For example, if you use bending or other fittings on your handrails that help transitional areas between stairs, these things may exceed the maximum height.
Other commonly implemented guidelines you should consider when making a handrail up to code include the following:
- Make the handrail height uniform and at the same slope as the stairs or ramp.
- Start all measurements for the slope of handrails above the stair tread.
- Handrail height requirements depend on the applicable building and accessibility standards. For many stairway applications, a height of 34 to 38 inches is specified, but the requirements for each installation should be confirmed.
Schedule Your Free Handrail Estimate
with Champion Fence
Ready to add custom outdoor handrails to your steps, stairs, or porch? Champion Fence installs aluminum handrails for properties throughout Knoxville and surrounding communities.
Our team can discuss your project’s layout, available options, and installation requirements. Call Champion Fence at (865) 379-5200 or contact us online to request a free estimate.
