Balustrades – More Than a Safety Feature

Balustrades ARE for safety and functionality, but they’re more than just a safety feature. Their role in architecture and design extends far beyond simply preventing falls. A well-designed balustrade not only ensures compliance with strict building regulations; it also adds significant aesthetic value, enhancing your home or space’s overall appeal. The choice of materials used can contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly environment. Not bad for essential building elements that fit both residential and commercial projects alike.

We’ll explore how balustrades go beyond safety to encompass regulatory compliance, design aesthetics, and sustainability. As it turns out, balustrades aren’t just a functional necessity—they’re a key feature that can transform the look and feel of any space while promoting responsible building practices.

Technically, a balustrade is an essential feature in buildings or structures with elevation disparities – namely staircases, balconies, decks, or ramps. Its purpose is to provide safety and stability by acting as a barrier to prevent falls from heights. You’ll commonly find balustrades in residential and commercial buildings and public spaces such as museums, theatres, and shopping centres.

Building codes and regulations often mandate the installation of balustrades to ensure safety and accessibility, as defined in Document K for England.

For decks and balconies exceeding 600mm in height, a balustrade is essential. The minimum height of the balustrade from the finished floor varies between 800mm in front of windows to 1100mm for external balconies, edges of roofs, and decking. If your deck’s stairs exceed 1 meter, handrails are also required on both sides of the stairs.

For any public space or building, however, balustrades for safety are required for all heights over 380mm, with a minimum height of 900mm.  Not expecting such a low height? You’ll find that it acknowledges the increased risks caused by higher foot traffic. Partnered with the general public’s inexperience with new places, businesses have to make sure they’re aptly prepared to keep them safe. You might not think such a low height would need a railing system, but even small drops can pose a risk, particularly for toddlers, the elderly, or anyone with mobility struggles.

NeoTimber’s composite balustrades are designed to be strong, safe, and compliant with all building regulations. We’ve ensured that they’re also easy to install and highly adaptable. That way, they’re able to meet the specific requirements of any space, no matter how complex. Complete with a hybrid system, our balustrades can be effortlessly added to straight stretches and stairs, without requiring an absurd amount of planning time. So yes, a balustrade is for safety. But it’s also a beautifully versatile addition that looks incredible from the moment it’s installed.

NeoTimber’s composite decking handrails are a modular solution that tie in perfectly with the colours of our existing decking, cladding, and fencing collections. Whether you prefer the natural warmth of teak and chocolate or the sleek, modern look of antique, grey, and charcoal, our handrails offer a cohesive, stunning finish to your outdoor project. Use our colour visualiser to experiment with different styles and looks.

Our composite handrails are not only perfect for decking, but also compliment a variety of surfaces. You can easily install our posts onto a solid concrete base, or directly onto our composite decking boards. Whatever you choose, we offer a versatile and customisable foundation for your design. Additionally, our handrails are engineered to suit both level applications and angled installations, making them ideal for decking and balcony steps. For more detailed information on the flexibility of our handrails, be sure to check out our comprehensive installation guides.

Here at NeoTimber® we’re committed to sustainability. We offer eco-friendly composite balustrades that not only enhance outdoor spaces, but also help protect the environment. Our balustrades are made from a carefully balanced blend of recycled plastic and wood fibres, significantly reducing the demand for new raw materials. By repurposing these materials, we help minimise waste and reduce the environmental impact typically associated with traditional balustrades.

But we do more than just use recycled materials; our balustrades are designed to last for up to 25 years. We’re so confident in this, we even give you a warranty to match. Unlike traditional timber, our balustrades are resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage, meaning they don’t need to be replaced as often. This durability reduces the long-term environmental impact by cutting down on resource expenditure.

Partnered with our optimised, energy-efficient manufacturing process, we do our best to tread lightly on the planet. By choosing NeoTimber®, you’re investing in a product that offers the beauty of natural wood, while also maintaining the beauty of the world around us. Creating an eco-conscious space doesn’t have to be difficult, and we make sure it isn’t.