Interior Industrial Pipe Handrail

Who says that pipe handrail only belongs outdoors?! Those are fight'in words! OK, OK I'm not that passionate about the subject, but pipe railing can make a really great alternative to standard indoor stair handrail. I thought so, and that's why I used it in my new office. Pipe handrail can create a really great industrial accent to a space. In my case it also fills a very functional role. The knee walls around the stairwell are only as high as my knee! To make the office safer I needed to install some additional guardrail onto the knee wall. Kee Klamp pipe railing not only served a good basis for the railing coming up the stairs, but also surrounding the stairwell.

Because I am using Kee Klamp, the pipe does not need to be threaded to build these railings. Kee Klamp uses a unique set screw mechanism that tightens against the pipe, making installation and adjustment easy.

Stair Handrail

Building code requires that you have a handrail going up and down the stairs of your home or office. What the code does not say is that the railing has to be boring. Pipe railing can give your room an industrial flair, while providing a functional role. Steel pipe railing is rock solid and can easily be cut to fit the length of any stairway. Installation is straight forward. Here is a quick list of parts and a few installation tips:

Installation:

• Draw a line down the middle of the pipe from one end to another.
• Using this line attach the wall mounted brackets to the pipe (use self drilling screws)
• Pound the plugs into the ends of the pipe with a rubber mallet.
• Attach the railing to the wall with screws. Try to hit a stud or use really strong wall anchors.

Like I said, installing these stair handrails was very easy, and they add both form and function to the office. Here's a view of the two railings that I installed:

Stairwell Railing

My stairwell railing really has two roles in this space. For one, it is used to accent the other pieces of pipe furniture. The railing along the shelf has very little functional role except to visually balance out the other side of the stairwell. In addition to playing an accent role, it also has a very functional role: providing fall protection around the stairwell. As I mentioned before, the knee wall was not high enough to protect people from falling into the stairwell. Adding a 12" high railing around the outside provided adequate protection as well as a nice addition to the look of the office.

Installation

To install this railing I put the uprights in place and then measured the exact length of pipe that would be needed to connect the uprights. After cutting the pipe, I attached the railing together, and put it in place before I mounted it. When I got the railing all lined up where I wanted it on the top plate, I secured it with some screws. Because the fittings can be adjusted, I was able to make last minute adjustments by loosening and tightening the set screws in the fittings.

Pipe railing is a great way to add some industrial flair to your home or office. Simplified Building offers free phone and e-mail consultations. If you have a question about how you can use pipe railing in your next space, give them a call, they will be happy to help you. Simplified also offers a complete line of simple pipe handrails that can be installed on a building exterior. These railings are great when you need a railing to help you meet building or insurance guidelines.