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Beauty takes pain! This project was tedious and strenuous, but we know it has a finish that will last for decades! See for yourself below!

A landscape designer in Virginia was working on a Washington DC suburb property and building a beautiful terrace and outdoor space. As part of the plan, they needed terrace railings to provide safety and beauty for this upscale property. The home had existing porch railings that they wanted to pull inspiration from.

The original iron railings had an inferior finish and was subject to some corrosion. We recommended creating the new terrace railings in an aircraft grade aluminum material. Also, we suggested improving the detail on the forged tapered scroll for more of a craftsmanship detail. Furthermore, we improved the detail at the collars for a better visual.

As part of the project, stair railings were needed on the front and back of the house to provide safety for people as they traverse the stairs. We recommended the same 2 ¼” cap rail as the rest of the house railing. We also suggested 1 ½” square post and to add in hand-forged scrolls at post. This would allow design continuity as well as an artistic effect. The railing areas were measured once the columns were completed. Then, we did the entire terrace railing design in CAD in both plan view and elevation view to make it easier for the landscape designer and the client to review and approve.

Then we individually forged all the tapered scroll ends for the entire custom aluminum railing project. These were then mounted in place and the decorative bandings were put in their location with a special clamping tool.

The railing finish process was initiated with a sandblast process to completely remove all dirt, organic matter and forging material. Then a special phosphate chemical wash, clean water rinse and chemical sealer completed this pieces pretreatment. Next the terrace railing sections were preheated, and a resilient primer was applied. That was followed by another preheat and a top-coat powder-coat. To completely finish it off we applied a second topcoat to really give us assurance that the entire terrace railing project would provide decades of service for this urban Washington DC home.

The beauty of this project far outweighs the pain! Like what you see and want one of your own?
Contact us here:https://www.compassironworks.com/connect/
Not ready yet and need more inspiration? Check out our other work on our socials: pin.it houzz.com

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We love our front porch railings! They certainly add a lot of beauty to our home and they fit the period of our home. When elderly guests come to visit, it’s always good that they have something strong to hold onto, and they fit perfectly what we were looking for. Thanks to everyone on your team for their artistic work. We are very happy with our final products!

Indiana Cleint

Compass delivered absolutely amazing, high quality product. They are true masters.  I am also pleased with their timely communication and guidance, as we worked through the design and transaction process. 

I would definitely recommend them and work with them again.

Wisconsin Client

What an excellent experience we had with Compass Ironworks!! We have spent four years restoring and remodeling a Pre-Civil War home in North Alabama. We have learned a lot through the process and made more than a few mistakes. But choosing Compass Ironworks was not one of those. From the very first interaction, Amos and his team have been a pleasure to work with. Old homes are quirky! No right angles. No two measurements are precisely the same. So using a company in Pennsylvania was a risk. And we are SO GLAD we took that risk! Absolutely flawless!! The designs, the collaboration, the execution, the QUALITY, the timeline and the finished product were all first class!!! We will absolutely choose Compass again for our next project and recommend them to anyone who asks.

Alabama Designer

The railing is installed and is beautiful … a work of art, to be sure!

My expectations were high and certainly met. I was able to visit the shop and see the railing in progress. It was a thrill to see it then, and very exciting when it arrived at my home.

I have already recommended you to others!

Massachusetts Client
Front entrance metal gate