Regardless of the shape, size, configuration and height, the platforms in front of the entrance doors, to which a staircase of more than three steps leads, must be equipped with railings. However, porch fences bear not only a functional load, ensuring safety, but also serve as an adornment of the entrance group. If you want to design an exquisite and attractive balustrade or parapet with your own hands, the instructions below will undoubtedly come in handy.
Technical features
Like any other structural element of a residential building, the installed railings must meet certain parameters. But before considering them, we will determine which regulatory document describes the correct fence for the porch - SNiP, having the number 2.08.01-89, are valid for the porch. Some excerpts from them are given below.
Dimensions (edit)
The most important characteristic is the height of the porch railing. The mentioned instruction stipulates that the minimum size of a balustrade or parapet should be 90 cm. But many architects allow some deviations from this parameter for the sake of an attractive appearance.
Nevertheless, there are rules that are strictly prohibited to be violated due to the danger of injury to people living in the house:
- a low porch can be fenced with products, the height of which is 70 cm;
- if the site is equipped in a house with a high basement, the protective structure should not be lower than 110 cm;
- when there are small children in the family, for their safety, you need to make a railing with a height of 120 cm.
Note!
In the latter case, in addition to the minimum height, the configuration of the fence is regulated.
In particular, the balustrade should not have horizontal decorative elements along which the baby can climb above the handrail and fall.
Design
In modern construction, two main types of fences are used:
- Solid... Their peculiarity is that the space from the floor to the top of the railing is completely filled with some kind of material.
Most often they are:
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- made of metal;
- made of plastic (including polycarbonate);
- from glass;
- made of wood (including those decorated with carvings);
- from natural or artificial stone.
To give such structures an attractive appearance, various cutouts are made in them, decorated with ornaments, and so on.
An excellent option for decorating a luxury residential building is a wrought-iron openwork fence, which will emphasize the design of the facade, your exquisite artistic taste and high social status.
If you live in a wooden house, you can cut a solid fence with your own hands. To do this, you only need your imagination and an electric jigsaw.
Advice!
Solid fences make it possible to bring to life any idea concerning the exterior.
Railings can be decorated with sculptures, bas-reliefs, stained glass windows, sandblasted patterns, engraving, laser cut metal and so on.
By repeating this or that solution in other elements of the house, you will create an exquisite and unique architectural ensemble.
- With balusters... Despite all the advantages of solid structures, the most common fencing, consisting of support posts and railings.
In this case, you can vary the design of the railing by changing the appearance of the balusters, as well as the height and distance between them.
The focus should be on the handrails.Most often they are made from well-polished wood, giving it a beautiful shape. But this is not the only option. Handrails made of stainless pipe or glass have proven themselves quite well, especially if they are organically combined with the balusters themselves.
As for the dimensions, the optimal cross-section of the handrail is 45 by 70 mm.
Materials (edit)
Having decided on the design and shape, it's time to start choosing materials suitable for fencing. There are a lot of them, so we will consider only the most interesting solutions.
Wood
Most often, wood is used in the construction of porches for country houses, because it is this natural material that is distinguished by its natural beauty, environmental friendliness and ease of processing. The affordable price also had a significant impact on popularity.
The peculiarity of the tree is that with a minimum of effort, you can make a fence that will become a real work of art. The highest indicator of skill is carved balusters with handrails, but you can also make a simple fence from a bar of a suitable section.
The described solution also has disadvantages. In particular, the tree must be very carefully protected from negative environmental factors. After all, the porch railings are constantly exposed to rain, snow, insects, mold and mildew. Special antiseptic impregnations, fire-fighting compounds, paints and varnishes will help to maximize the service life of the fence and maintain its attractive appearance.
Stainless steel
In modern construction, in addition to classic wood, various innovative materials are increasingly used. In particular, stainless steel pipe.
Railings made of stainless steel have many advantages:
- absolute reliability and durability;
- excellent appearance;
- the longest possible service life.
And here it was not without some drawbacks. Stainless pipe fences cannot be made by yourself. A construction that is suitable in size and shape must be ordered from a specialized company, and this will cost a very significant amount of money.
Balusters are attached to the handrails using a welding machine or using special fasteners. The simplest option is vertical posts to which handrails are attached. Glass, polycarbonate and PVC panels can be installed between the vertical elements.
One more nuance. The metal has a high thermal conductivity, so it heats up quickly from direct sunlight and cools down in the cold season. Therefore, it is recommended to decorate the handrails with wooden pads, which will increase the comfort of their use.
Vinyl
If you do not want to spend a lot of time and money on making railings, you can use ready-made vinyl elements to make them. In hardware stores, kits of parts are sold, from which you can make a fence of any shape, size and configuration.
The strength of the structures is given by a galvanized reinforcing frame, on which plastic is sprayed. Various decorative elements will help to diversify the design: curly balusters, headbands, corner details and so on.
The material does not ignite under the influence of fire, does not emit substances harmful to the human body, perfectly resists the negative effects of heat and cold, and has antiseptic properties.
The installation procedure is easy to complete yourself. All parts are equipped with special grooves, thanks to which they fit together and are firmly held in place.
Output
The above information will help you choose the right design for your porch. But in addition to reliable and durable railings, during construction you need to take care of comfortable and beautiful steps leading to the upper platform. You will learn about the features of the manufacture of fences visually from the video in this article.
