Stairs in the house serve not only as devices for moving honey to rooms located at different levels, but also to create a certain interior. Just a few centuries ago, special attention was paid to these structures, decorating them with marble, granite, gold items and even statues.
At the same time, wrought iron railings for the stairs were considered commonplace and even tasteless in those days.
In our time, they began to treat blacksmithing differently. People stopped using this processing method to create everyday objects, and turned forging into a real art. That is why decorating and finishing stairs with such products can turn them into a luxurious element of the interior, which will not only look good in the room, but also show the status of the owner of the house.
Forged products in the design of stairs
To date, sketches of forged railings for stairs can be developed for flights of stairs made of various materials. Therefore, in order to study this issue in detail, it is necessary to consider all types of use of similar products in different types of structures.
Wooden stairs
In this combination, the finished product looks quite original. However, it is worth noting that only a real master can correctly combine forged stair railings and a wooden structure (see also the article Interior of a hallway with a staircase in a private house - "recipes" for a cozy atmosphere).
This is due not only to the aesthetic component, but also to the fact that it is necessary to carefully consider the joints and fasteners.
- The best option for manufacturing this structure is to create a concrete base on which the forged product will be fixed.... After that, it is sewn up with wood, which allows not only to decorate the stairs, but to hide the joints between metal and concrete.
- Forged elements are often used to create support structures or some wood railings.... In this case, a groove system and assembly glue are used for the connection. It should be remembered that with this use, the metal will perform more an aesthetic function than act as a reinforcement.
- Also, a wooden staircase with forged railings can be connected using special fasteners made directly on the metal and self-tapping screws. At the same time, the structure not only gets a good appearance, but also strength. It should be noted that this installation method is perfect for both concrete products and when working with natural stone.
Advice! When combining metal and wood, it is very important to take care to protect the surface from corrosion. Otherwise, backlash of parts and signs of decay can be observed at the joints.
All-metal structures
Modern wrought-iron staircases and railings are practically indistinguishable from their ancient counterparts. On the contrary, it is believed that such structures should be more like antiques, that they should have a more expensive and respectable look (see also the article Wrought iron stair rails: types and styles).
Moreover, their manufacture and installation is associated with certain difficulties that need to be known when choosing this option.
- First of all, it should be noted that to create a forged product, you need special equipment, special skills and high physical costs. Therefore, such structures have a high price, which is also associated with the cost of the material.
- All metal stairs with forged railings are created in the forge, in the form of separate elements, and they are assembled already at the installation site. Therefore, it should be remembered that during installation it will be necessary to use a small horn or a welding machine indoors. This makes significant changes in the sequence of all construction work and subsequent finishing.
- Large forged structures are heavy, which implies a solid base and various ways of fixing to it.
- Usually, forged railings on stairs are equipped with wooden overlays, but there are designs that assume that the product will be all-metal. In such cases, you need to make sure that it will be convenient and safe to use such a device.
Advice! It is better not to use paint or similar coatings to protect forged products. Bluing or spraying will look much more practical and beautiful on metal. However, the cost of the final design will only increase from this.
Concrete or stone stairs
When installing and manufacturing structures of this type, the most important point is the way of installing forged parts and their fastening to the base.
- In concrete stairs, this problem is solved by installing fasteners during reinforcement. After pouring, you can weld almost anything to them.
- In natural stone stairs, the installation instructions recommend using a special fastening material that minimally damages the integrity of the parts. Also, when ordering such stairs, you can ask the supplier of stone products in advance to make the necessary holes or grooves for subsequent installation. For this, special equipment is usually used, which does not allow the formation of points of tension, which means that it does not weaken the product.
- If such a staircase is made by hand, then professionals advise first to create a metal frame on which the railing will be fixed. Then it is simply sewn up with natural stone. Such a solution will save a lot of money on building material and will lighten the entire structure.
Advice! When combining stone and metal, it is worth remembering that when heated, iron products expand in volume much faster. Therefore, during installation, it is necessary to leave small gaps or use special gaskets.
Glass constructions
Recently, staircases made of glass have become especially popular. They have a stunning appearance, and when combined with forged elements, they look fantastic. It should be noted that the price of such products is quite high and increases along with the complexity of the design.
All forged elements on such stairs are attached to their metal frame. At the same time, fittings for the installation of glass panels are also made in the forge, using factory products as templates. At the junctions of different materials, it is necessary to use special gaskets in order to exclude their interaction with each other.
Advice! If the manufacture of such a staircase will be done by one's own efforts, then it is worth taking a ready-made project as a basis and simply copying all its elements. This will allow you to get rid of complex calculations related to the strength of materials and their interaction with each other.
