At face value, handrails can be an overlooked design element within a home. But if you take a closer look, you’ll notice that handrails are made of a variety of different parts and pieces that add to the home’s safety, design, and functionality.
To show you what we mean, let’s take a closer look at the parts of handrail systems.
7 Parts of Handrail Systems You Should Notice
When you’re installing a handrail in your home or business, it’s important to make sure that it meets a variety of criteria.
Taking these 7 parts of handrails systems into consideration will help you make the best choice possible when choosing a handrail.
1. Reliable Brackets
Typical handrails are fixed to the wall or support structure with unsightly flanges that draw attention to themselves—often interrupting the home’s interior design.
With Promenaid’s elegant modern handrails, you can choose between our Pivoting brackets and our Sprocketlock™ system for seamless design integration that doesn’t just add to the value of your home but also increase safety.
Promenaid Pivoting Brackets
This bracket is designed for residential applications and offers adjustable flexibility. It allows for smooth and easy installation on walls with varied angles because the bracket pivots to align perfectly with the handrail and the wall. This feature is particularly useful in homes with irregular or curved walls, making it easier to accommodate custom railing installations.
Promenaid’s Sprocketlock System
The Sprocketlock bracket is geared towards commercial projects and glass installations. It is highly precise, locking securely into place with minimal adjustments needed after installation. The sprocket-like design ensures tight and durable connections, which are especially beneficial in high-traffic areas where stability is crucial.
Both of these brackets also come in a variety of finishes to ensure that the handrail you choose fits your home’s design.
The brackets used to install handrails are an integral part of a complete handrail system, and they bear the weight of those using the handrails. In fact, we designed Promenaid brackets to bear up to 500 lbs. of force in any direction.
2. Tubing
Ergonomic design is one that is designed for optimal efficiency and comfort. When designing a complete handrail system, the ergonomic features of the handrail mean the difference between one that is safe and useful and one that is decorative and may not do much to prevent a fall.
A round profile that is 1 ¼”-2” in diameter accommodates a power grip and adheres to the ADA standards for accessibility. This is not only one of the safest accommodations for handrails but also helps the handrails themselves seamlessly integrate into any home design. The vinyl extrusion on the bottom of a Promenaid handrail also enhances the gripability of the handrail.
3. Integrated Lighting
Although not a necessity, lighting is an added part of a handrail system that can increase the safety on stairways or ramps. In commercial applications, handrail lighting can meet the requirements of emergency lighting needs.
Unlike other railings systems, Promenaid makes adding lighting for railing easier by having integrated LED lighting that fits into the patented channel. The Sprocketlock™ system even includes through-holes for LED wiring, making installation even easier.
LED lights simply clip into place in the channel. To complete the smooth, round profile, a vinyl extrusion fits into the rest of the channel, creating a comfortable grip, safe space, and beautiful look.
4. Returns and End Caps
ADA standards require that handrail systems include wall returns and end caps. In a private residence, these two features can prevent clothing and bags from snagging and things getting lodged in the end of the handrail.
Promenaid’s snap-on end caps and returns connect seamlessly to the wall to create an uninterrupted handrail that enhances the safety of a stairway or ramp.
Other Factors to Consider In the Parts of Handrail
Now that we have discussed the different parts of handrail systems, let’s explore a few other factors you should look for in handrails:
5. Bends
According to both the residential and commercial building codes, including the ADA standards for accessibility, handrails must remain continuous for the length of the stairway or ramp.
This is difficult to achieve with many standard handrail kits, creating the potential for the handrail system to fail or not be where it is needed most.
A handrail system with continuous capabilities or bends, is able to change elevation and slope as well as turn corners and create a wall return for additional safety.
When designing Promenaid handrails, we saw the need for a quick and easy way to create seamless, continuous handrails. Our Sprocketlock™ bends achieves that. Armed with only a hex key, you can lock our different size collars and bends together to assemble your handrails in the perfect continuous configuration.
6. Durable Materials
Handrail systems are a requirement in a variety of environments. As a result, they must be able to stand up to different conditions. Outdoor handrails need to withstand rain, snow, and sun exposure. Indoor handrails, primarily those in a bathroom, need to withstand moisture and humidity.
Many metals are subject to rust and corrosion. Even galvanized handrail systems made with zinc-coated steel will eventually rust. Wood expands and contracts with heat, can split and splinter, and has a tendency to warp.
Aluminum hand railing systems on the other hand won’t rust or corrode. They are ideal in outdoor applications where weather fluctuations add wear and tear to the handrail. Indoors, moisture rich environments won’t lead to rust, meaning that bathroom handrails and grab bars in particular will stand the test of time and be a beautiful design element for years to come.
7. Pain-Free Installation
There is nothing worse than beginning a home or business improvement project only to find you lack the specific tools or resources to finish. That isn’t a problem with Promenaid handrails.
They do not require any special tools or skills, and they also come with a rich library of resources dedicated to making the installation process as pain-free as possible. Our Literature page is full of documents and videos for you to use as support resources as you install your handrail system.
Build a Complete Handrail System with Promenaid
A far cry from the many standard handrail options available, at Promenaid, we set ourselves apart with our ability to create custom handrails perfect for any environment. Some handrails can take weeks or months to manufacture, plus additional time to install, but our complete handrail systems can be installed in just one day.
When you’re ready to design a complete handrail system for your home or business, reach out to Promenaid for elegant functional handrails and the resources you need to get the job done right.
