Handrail & Balustrade Solutions - Non-Standard Options
As well as the standard components of the five handrail and balustrade systems, Laidlaw offer a number of options for clients and specifiers with specific requirements for rail materials and/or infill panels. For details and prices of all the non-standard options, please contact the Laidlaw Handrail and Balustrade Solutions Enquiry Line on 01902 600420.
The Component Options
The non-standard options are as follows:
- A Walnut timber option for handrails and the top rails
of balustrades within the Laidlaw Timber system.
- One-piece timber top rails for balustrades.
- Coloured tints and manifestation to glass infill panels.
- The extension of the infill below the stair pitch line.
Timber rails in Walnut
Where the standard range of timbers within the Timber
system do not provide a sufficient match
with other timbers in an interior, Laidlaw offer a Walnut
timber option. This option is available where the required
quantity of handrail and balustrade top rail is more than
100 metre run in total.
One-piece timber rails
If required, Laidlaw can supply one-piece timber top
rails for the balustrades of the main stair flights, avoiding
the need for stainless steel or nylon 'T' connections
to uprights.
Coloured tints to glass
Where balustrade infill panels are of toughened glass, there
are options to use tinted glass with the following colours:
A simple tint can often be sufficient to ensure that the
boundaries of a stair or landing are recognised by a
person with impaired vision, giving them a feeling of
greater security.
Infill extended below the stair pitch line
Where there is no solid string to the stair on the stair well
side, there is the possibility that the open triangle would
allow a sphere of 100mm diameter to pass through (see
the guidance in Approved Document K to the Building
Regulations for England and Wales). To avoid this,
Laidlaw can provide a balustrade infill, that extends
below the pitch line of the stair to block this potentially
unsafe gap.
Manifestation on glass
Manifestation refers to markings on clear glass doors,
screens and other large glazed areas to ensure that
people are aware of the presence of the glass surface.
It is particularly useful for visually impaired people who
may not otherwise notice the barrier sufficiently quickly
to avoid an accident.
There is nothing in the Building Regulation Approved
Documents requiring manifestation on balustrade infill
panels. However, like tinted glass, it is a way of helping
visually impaired people, while turning a plain glass infill
panel into an attractive design feature.
Options for manifestation include designs, company
logos, or other emblems created by:
- acid-etching of the glass surface
- surface application of weatherproof markings (decals).