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An architect was designing a beautiful bay front deck railing and wanted the railing design to be somewhat traditional with a rustic flavor, yet minimalist, to not obstruct the panoramic views of the bay.

There was also a need for iron grates to provide fall protection at the basement window well areas. Initially, the architect had specified a wrought iron railing, but at the meeting to finalize the terrace railing design, various options were brought forth and recommendations made. With the harsh environment present at the waterfront, it was recommended to use aircraft grade aluminum for the structure and marine grade aluminum for any cast decorative railing components.

The final aluminum railing design was to do a surface hammer texture on all four sides of the picket for aesthetics. And with a flat bar cap rail, it was reminiscent of a flat cap rail from a wrought iron railing of a by-gone era.

And without time tested powder-coat finish for waterfront “wrought iron” projects, this project can look beautiful for many tears to come, and would require virtually no maintenance, yet still be indistinguishable from iron railings.

The grate areas were constructed with 1/2″ X 2″ upright flat bar. This met the code requirements, blocked minimal light to the basement windows and yet is sturdy enough to support any person that was to venture on it.

This beautiful bay front property in Maryland, now has a phenomenal residence and spectacular views from the terraces with aluminum railing to provide safety and rigidity for the occupants. And the grates provided their function for fall protection, also in aircraft grade aluminum for longevity and safety, for many years to come.

Please enjoy the short slide show at the top of the page.

Blogger Marty

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Thanks to the Compass team. The original work that was done 12 years ago still looks great. Unfortunately, we had to remove the railings to install new pillars this year due to weather related issues with the stones. Compass removed the rails and reinstalled them after the repairs were done. All looks beautiful again.

Thomas Zentz

We were thrilled to work with Compass again on our back porch project! The end result is gorgeous and the process was seem less. In a time characterized by delays, labor shortages and supply chain issues, Compass exceeded our expectations by providing a beautiful product and outstanding service in a timely manner. We look forward to working with Compass again in the future on all our metalwork needs.

Thank you so much again for your help!

Gina Bevan

Compass was very flexible when we changed our design. Quality was so wonderful, and unexpected.
We would never go to anyone else.

Amy Stone

Amos, your team exceeded extremely high expectations. The stairs are the heart and soul of the house, and as the main focal point are a treasure to the owners and architect. Every visit is followed by “come see the stairs”. I know how challenging it was to build and install this masterpiece, having worked as a builder for 50 plus years, and admire how your crew stayed positive and focused throughout. I can’t wait for the next one!

Custom Home Builder~ Northern VA
Front entrance metal gate