Choosing the right materials for your balustrade

Choosing which materials to use for your balustrade can be a hard decision, as each material can bring a different style to your home. This guide will help you choose which materials to use for your balustrade, including the benefits and features of each.

Which materials can you choose from?

Wood

Wooden balustrades are often known as traditional balustrades, providing the home with a classic feel. There are many different woods to choose from, which include the following:

Hardwoods

  • White oak
  • Walnut
  • Sapele
  • Ash
  • White primed wood like birch or poplar

Softwoods

  • Pine
  • Hemlock
oak staircase

A traditional oak staircase.

fusion

Glass panels from the Fusion range

Glass

Providing a modern, elegant appearance, glass balustrades feature toughened glass panels, which feature glass that is typically 8mm to 10mm thick. The process of toughening glass involves subjecting it to a high heat, around 700 degrees celsius. This is known as quenching. Quenching creates a strong layer on each sides of the glass, locking in tensions in the core of the glass. Glass then becomes four times as strong.

You can read more about the parts of a glass balustrade here.

Metal

Metal staircases provide a unique design that is the perfect line between traditional and modern. We offer stair parts in the following types of metals:

  • Chrome. Chrome is a plated metal where a thin layer of chromium is applied to the surface of the metal. This addition helps prevent corrosion and provides a highly reflective surface.
  • Brushed nickel. Brushed nickel is perfect for simple yet modern styling of your staircase. Suitable for a large variety of tastes, brushed nickel is used in many of our stair part ranges.
  • Black metal. All of our black metal parts are designed from mild steel which has been powder-coated with a matt black finish. We offer black metal stair parts in both stylish contemporary styles and traditional styles.
  • Brass plated. Brass is commonly paired with timbers such as ash, pine and oak. Adding brass plated stair parts to your staircase creates an elegant, high-class appearance.

You can read our full guide to different metal stair parts here.

contemporary iron

Contemporary iron balustrade

Main considerations when choosing the material for your staircase:

    • Aesthetics of your home
    • Available finishes
    • Durable material
    • Cleaning and maintenance
    • Cost

Choose wood if:

…you want to take advantage of the rich colours and tones that different types of wood can offer. Wood can be used to create both contemporary and traditional finishes. In Victorian or Edwardian properties, where you can want to retain a period aesthetic, wood balustrades are your best choice.

If you want to paint your staircase then go for a white primed wood.

Choose glass if:

…you like a contemporary, minimalist feel or want to create more light in your property. Glass balustrades can radically change the feel of an open-plan room, making it feel less cluttered.

Glass is very easy to clean and requires little to no ongoing maintenance. Robust safety glass is always used. Glass panels can look fantastic with wooden hand or base rails and metal brackets.

Choose metal if:

...you like a striking contrast between contemporary and traditional, or an industrial look. Metal stair parts can be used in combination with both wood and glass. Metal can also add a modern, industrial look to a traditional looking staircase.

 

Wood Glass Metal

Aesthetics

Owners of older period properties may want to retain a traditional style, in which case a wooden balustrade is often favoured. Lighter woods or woods with white finishes can work in contemporary properties too.

Tends to suit contemporary décor, or can make a striking contemporary feature in a more traditionally styled home.

Glass works well for smaller spaces and open-plan layouts, while it can brighten up darker areas.

Tends to suit contemporary décor, or can make a striking contemporary feature in a more traditionally styled home. The reflective quality can help to increase light. Metal can be used in conjunction with both wood and glass, giving your balustrade a contemporary edge.

Finishes

Most woods can be varnished to emphasise the natural grain. Some can be finished with paint.

No finishing required.

No finishing required.

Durability

As a general rule, wooden staircases are very durable and will last a long time. Some woods are more susceptible to scratches and nicks so may not work in a busy, family household.

The safety glass used is incredibly robust, making it a safe choice for the home. Glass is naturally less likely to get scratched or nicked compared to wood.

Metal is naturally very durable.

Cleaning and maintenance

Easy to clean and maintain. Depending on the wood it can be polished and may need retreating with varnish over time. Treatex hardwax oil can protect and enhance wooden surfaces with just two coats.

Very easy to clean and requires little to no maintenance.

Very easy to clean and requires little to no maintenance.

Cost

A range of prices available meaning it can be very cost-effective. For example, a spindle can cost from as little as £1 up to £75. You can choose a less - expensive wood and still benefit from the sophisticated look and feel of this material.

Glass is only used for panels as a replacement for spindles. If you need few panels it can be a very cost-effective option. Panels range from £28 to £111.

Like wood, a good range of prices available, from approximately £4 to £120.

Wooden balustrades

If you’re sure that wood is the material of choice for your staircase, then our Guide to Wooden Stair Parts gives you all the information you need to compare the benefits of different types of wood.

Hardwood vs softwood

There are pros and cons to choosing a softwood or hardwood balustrade, with the main difference being the cost — hardwood is usually more expensive, making softwood a more cost-effective choice.

There are a few other points to consider, including:

      • Softwood tends to be a more environmentally friendly choice than hardwood, as the trees grow much quicker and can be easily managed on timber plantations. Hardwoods, such as oak, take far longer to grow and are harder to cultivate.
      • Some hardwoods, such as sapele, only grow in certain locations, whereas softwoods like pine can be grown in a variety of locations, which makes the wood more readily available and more affordable than hardwoods.
      • Hardwoods tend to be more durable than softwoods so are less likely to dent and scratch or show other signs of wear and tear.
      • Softwoods like pine and hemlock can be easily painted, allowing you to choose the finish of your choice for your décor. Although hardwoods can be painted, they are more expensive than softwood so most people prefer to retain their natural beauty.

Wood colour guide

Click on the images below to find out more information on each type of wood. This can help you choose your preferred hand rail, base rail and newel post wood shade.

White oak

Looks great in its natural form, with a distinctive tiger stripe that often features yellow flecks and rays.

      • Strong hardwood that will provide sturdy support
      • Can be varnished to enhance natural look or stained and painted as required. Treatex is designed to protect and enhance the appearance of your wood.
      • Considered a high-quality material and thus more expensive than alternatives

Walnut

Rich colour ranging from pale brown to deep chocolate with a visible dark brown grain. Grained texture is tight and straight.

      • Rich colour means it looks particularly good when varnished
      • Works well in busy homes as dark woods hide scratches and chips well
      • Since it’s much darker than other woods it can make a dramatic focal point when used for stair parts

Sapele

Reddish-brown, close textured hardwood.

      • Great strength and durability
      • The ribbon-like striped grain looks great when varnished or polished

Ash

Straight, regular grain with minimum knots in attractive pale brown, sometimes with a red tinge.

      • Similar grain to oak
      • One of the toughest hardwoods — able to absorb shocks without splintering

Pine

Knotty wood, ranging from creamy white to yellow with brown knots.

      • Resistant to shrinking and swelling, but can be prone to scratches and dents
      • Over time can gain patina, which gives it an aged look. Some people find this desirable, others may want to rectify the problem
      • Versatile wood suitable for painting, staining and varnishing. Very easy to stain
      • Pale colour makes it perfect for hallways with neutral tones
      • One of the most sustainable woods available

Hemlock

Straight grain and pale colour without knots.

      • Non-resinous North African softwood
      • Similar appearance to pine but without knots so provides clean-looking finish
      • Stronger than many hardwoods and its high density means it will not split or break while being worked
      • Ideal for staining and painting

White primed wood (birch or poplar)

Can be left white or finished in a colour of your choice.

      • Knot-free and can be sprayed white for a high-quality, even finish
      • Birch in particular is extremely strong and resistant to warping, making it an ideal choice for stair parts

For detailed comparisons of different types of wood visit our Guide to Wooden Stair Parts.

Glass balustrades

Glass stair parts can be used to give the effect of a seamless finish without any other materials on show or can be used in combination with other materials. You can choose between a variety of shapes and sizes of high quality glass panels.

Here are some popular glass panel designs:

fusion glass

Fusion glass stair panel

clarity glass

Clarity rake glass panel

You can use glass panels alongside an ungrooved handrail or a glass grooved handrail. Ungrooved handrails can be used alongside glass clamps to hold the panels in place. Glass grooved handrails feature a groove, which allow toughened glass to be fitted.

If you’re looking for wider panels or have an unusual staircase configuration, we recommend having bespoke panels made to fit the space you are renovating. This can be done by fitting the frame that the glass will sit into and then making a template for the glass out of plywood. This template is then provided to the glass manufacturer to ensure an accurate fit.

The Richard Burbidge stair part systems combine wood, metal and glass and are in stock at Jackson Woodturners. You can view details of the Richard Burbidge range of stair parts here.

Metal balustrades

Black metal

Black wrought iron Edisto spindle

Brushed nickel

Fusion brushed nickel landing spindle

Chrome

Axxys chrome landing spindle

Brass

Antique brass petal wall bracket

Black metal

      • Distinctive black metal spindles make a great alternative to wrought iron, which is better suited to outdoor use and can also be heavy and expensive.
      • Black metal provides a nice contrast against a wooden base and handrail and can be used to achieve both a modern and traditional look, depending on the style of the property.

Brushed nickel

      • Matte finish as opposed to the high-shine finish of chrome.
      • The matte finish hides dirt better than chrome.
      • Suitable for both modern and traditional staircases, so opt for statement spindles or subtle detailing on wall brackets, sockets and endcaps to add a contemporary twist to a traditional staircase.

Chrome

      • Chrome is great choice if you want a highly polished finish.
      • Chrome is reflective so can help brighten dark spaces.
      • Used in conjunction with wooden handrails and spindles creates a sophisticated, industrial aesthetic.
 

Brass

      • Luxurious gold shade.
      • Often the metal of choice to create a sophisticated, warm feel in the home.
      • Brass can be effectively used to add detail to a balustrade, through brackets and decorative end caps.
      • For a subtle effect, antique brass has a more muted colour with a less polished finish.

You can find out more about combining wood with chrome or brushed nickel by reading our Guide to Axxys Stair Parts and our Guide to Forge Stair Parts - both ranges fuse wood and metal to stunning effect.

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