# Railings — Aluminium, Stainless, MS and Glass

> Railings are protective barriers in aluminium, stainless steel, mild steel or glass, designed to the imposed handrail load for the building's occupancy under IS 875 (Part 2), which sets the base fixing, post spacing and glass thickness. Glass balustrades use laminated glass so the barrier stays in place if a pane fails.

## What we deliver

**Aluminium, stainless steel, mild steel and glass railing systems** —
balustrades, balcony railings, terrace and staircase railings, engineered to the
imposed loading for the occupancy rather than assembled to a standard detail.

A railing is a protective barrier before it is a design element. It is one of
the few facade components where a specification error puts a person at direct
risk, which is why the load case and the base fixing get designed rather than
assumed.

## Facade leadership experience

Our Director – Facade, Akhilesh Kumar Singh (25+ years in facade engineering),
has led delivery on projects including:

| Project | Location | Scope | Quantity |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Krisumi Waterfall Residences | Sector 36A, Gurgaon | SS railing with imported aluminium doors & windows | 7,107 r. m. + 13,871 sq. m. |

## Scope of works

| Stage | What we deliver |
| --- | --- |
| Load assessment | Imposed handrail load per occupancy, IS 875 Pt 2 |
| Design | Post spacing, base fixing, glass thickness, connection detail |
| Material selection | SS grade, aluminium alloy and finish, glass build-up |
| Fabrication | In-house cutting, welding, finishing |
| Installation | Setting out, anchor fixing, glass setting, levelling |
| Handover | Load verification of fixings, finish inspection, snagging |

## What drives the cost

Running length · material — SS, aluminium, MS or frameless glass · stainless
grade (304 versus 316 for coastal or external exposure) · glass build-up and
thickness · whether posts are surface-mounted or core-drilled · handrail profile
and joint detailing · site access.

## Where projects go wrong

- **Single toughened glass in a barrier.** If it fails, the barrier is gone.
  Laminated construction keeps the panel in place.
- **Base fixings not designed for the load.** The anchor into the slab is the
  weakest point in most failed railings, and it is invisible once finished.
- **304 stainless in coastal or heavily polluted exposure.** It pits and
  tea-stains; 316 is the grade for those environments.
- **Post spacing set by appearance.** Spacing follows from the design load and
  the glass or infill span, not from what looks balanced on an elevation.
- **MS railing with an inadequate coating system.** Economical on day one,
  rusting within a couple of monsoons.

## Why Hagerstone

**In-house fabrication and welding** — a dedicated welding team within a
facade organisation that also delivers glazing, cladding and fenestration, so
railing interfaces with the facade are one party's responsibility.

**100% in-house execution**, ISO 9001 / 14001 / 45001 certified, 79+ quality
checkpoints, with work-at-height and lifting safety covered under our HSE
system.

## Standards referenced

Protective barrier requirements under **NBC 2016, Part 4**. Imposed handrail
loading from **IS 875 (Part 2)**. Architectural safety glass, including
laminated construction for barriers, under **IS 2553 (Part 1)**.

## Frequently asked questions

### What glass is used in a frameless glass balustrade?

Laminated glass, and normally laminated toughened. The lamination is what matters: if a toughened pane fails, the interlayer holds the fragments in place and the barrier stays standing. A single toughened pane that shatters leaves an open edge at height, which is why laminated construction is the right specification for any barrier protecting a drop.

### How is a railing load actually designed?

From the imposed horizontal line load on the handrail under IS 875 Part 2, which varies with the occupancy — a residential balcony and a public assembly area are not the same case. That load determines the base fixing, the post spacing and the glass thickness. A railing sized by eye or copied from another project is a genuine safety risk.

### Which material should we choose?

Stainless suits external and coastal exposure and premium residential where the finish is part of the design. Aluminium is lighter and lower maintenance for general balcony and terrace work. MS is economical but needs a properly specified coating system to survive outdoors. Frameless glass is chosen where the view matters more than the cost.

## Sources

- [NBC 2016, Part 4](https://www.bis.gov.in/standards/national-building-code/?lang=en) — Fire and life safety — protective barriers
- [IS 875 (Part 2)](https://standards.bis.gov.in/website/published-standards/department-wise) — Imposed loads — handrail loading
- [IS 2553 (Part 1)](https://standards.bis.gov.in/website/published-standards/department-wise) — Safety glass — architectural

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Source: https://hagerstone.com/services/facade-glazing/railings