How are railings and banisters different?

There are many people out there who need a bit of extra support as they become less mobile. To help, our establishment offers first class handrail products. We ensure we have the best prices on our goods, and even have account options for local authorities. In addition, we can offer installation.

There are several pieces of terminology that may confuse you when it comes to home improvements. One such topic is the difference between a railing and banister. With a simple glance, they might look similar. However, this isn't the case. In a definition sense, you can't distinguish banisters from handrails. A stair railing though stops you from falling off the stairs. To help, we are going to explain the differences in more detail.

Railings

Starting with the railing, this is a barrier that exists between the person and the wrong side of the staircase. By using this terminology, balustrades and banisters would be interchangeable. Railings are what they are as they offer complete support. Both horizontal and vertical bars are included here.

It is possible for a railing to be metal, wood, or even plastic. The terminology here isn't just for stairs though. You might also see someone call a fence a railing.

The banister

Now for the banister. This can actually mean a couple of things, depending on the background. Usually, the most common definition returns to the "handrail" mention. You grab onto banisters (handrails) when walking down the stairs.

However, something else a banister refers to is your normal stair fencing. The vertical rail giving support to handrails is called a baluster. These see to it that placing any weight on the handrail shall provide the right support. This mixture of all these factors produces a balustrade, an out of date terminology. These days, individuals refer to the entire unit as a banister.

Speak to us if you need a reliable handrail

At Barrier Mart, we have become one of the UK barrier industry's leading names by focusing on quality and value. When someone is in need of top tier handrails, they come to us because of how reliable we are.

So, if you wish to do business with us, feel free to contact the team. We can help you choose a handrail design for many settings.