If you're looking for a new wall-mounted handrail, this guide will cover everything you need to know to buy the right handrail for your stairs or steps so you can Nail Your Rail project.
Please Note: This guide is focused on helping you buy the right wall-mounted handrail for stairs.
- If you are interested in buying a stair railing (guardrail), please read our guide on How to Buy the Right Stair Railing.
- If you are interested in how to buy a ground-mounted handrail for steps, please read our guide on How to Buy a Ground-mounted Handrail.
- If you do not know the difference, please read our guide on the 3 main types of handrails and railings.
What this Guide Covers:
- Factors that impact the style of your handrail
- Rust-resistance of different types of metals
- How Handrail Brackets Influence Handrail Appeal
- How to Measure & Order a Handrail
Before You Start:
- Know Your Handrail Code Requirements
- You should be aware of the requirements, the benefits of code compliant handrails, and whether or not you will be required to meet code regulations.
- We have a collection of Code Complaint Handrails to make shopping easier, but you still have to meet certain height measurements etc. to meet compliance.
- For more information on this topic, please read our Guide to Code Requirements for Handrails.
Step 1: Understand What Factors Impact the Style of Your Wall-mounted Handrail
The style of handrail you choose is really important and is likely going to be determined by the style of your home.
For example, an engraved, hand-forged or scroll handrail may compliment a Victorian and Spanish-style home very well, while metal handrails like steel and stainless steel may fit more modern styles like mid-century, contemporary, minimalist, or industrial style homes.
Important considerations for choosing your handrail are:
- Do you need to match an existing banister?
- Will the style of handrail you like go well with your style of home or stairs?
What factors impact the style of your handrail?
- The finish (color)
- The shape and profile
- The material
- The brackets
Let's touch more on each of those below.
Handrail Finishes:
The type of finish a handrail will have will depend on its material.
We offer the following finishes based on the material:
- Steel, Wrought Iron, Aluminum:
- Standard Finishes: Matte Black (most popular), Grey Primer, and Semi-Gloss Black
- Steel, Wrought Iron, Aluminum:
- Premium Finishes: Matte Black (most popular), Grey Primer, and Semi-Gloss Black
- Please contact us if you would like a premium finish or a custom finish not listed on our website.
- Stainless Steel
- Satin Nickel Brush or a Chrome Mirror Finish
- If you would like a different finish for one of our stainless steel handrails, please contact us.
Handrail Shapes and Profiles:
This could also be referred to as the handrail tube dimensions or the dimensional design of the handrail.
There are standard tube dimensions (shapes) such as:
- Square (1.5" x 1.5")
- Rectangle (2" x 1")
- Slim (2" x 0.5")
- Circular / Round (1.5" round diameter)
- Oval (2" x 0.5" with an oval curvature)
Or there are more unique shapes like molded caps or thin 1.5" x 0.5" profiles with scrolls and engravings found in our wrought iron handrails.
The thing to understand about our handrails is that we offer a lot of the standard dimensions in multiple types of metals. For example, we have Square and Rectangle shaped tubes in steel, aluminum, or stainless steel.
We will give some visual examples of some of the main tube dimensions below.
1.5"x1.5" Square Metal Handrail
2" x 1" Rectangle Metal Handrail
1.5" Round Stainless Steel Handrail
Step 2: Understand How the Rust-resistance of Different Types of Metals Impact Outdoor Longevity
One of the biggest considerations outside of the style of the handrail is the use-case for the handrail.
If you are using the handrail indoors, any handrail will work fine for you and will literally last you a lifetime.
If you are planning to use your handrail outdoors, then the longevity you desire and the climate you live in should be a consideration.
All of our handrails are good to be used both indoors and outdoors, but the longevity of the handrail in outdoor environments will differ based on the type of metal it is made from.
The most common types of metals for handrails and railings are:
- Steel
- Most economically priced & most popular
- Have a clean, sleek, modern appearance
- Are able to be painted or powder coated for a unique look
- Outdoor Life:
- Without Galvanization:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: 5 to 10 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: ~ 5 years
- With Galvanization:
- Outdoors with protection & mild rain: 10 to 20 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 10 years
- If you would like a steel handrail from us galvanized, please contact us.
- Stainless Steel
- Are more elegant than steel handrails
- Are not meant to be painted, but are meant to be polished with a brushed or chrome finish which give them a unique appearance
- Are the most expensive and durable metal (especially using stainless steel 316)
- Stainless Steel 304 version:
- Our standard stainless steel handrails are 304. If you would like stainless steel 316 version please contact us.
- Outdoor Life:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: 10 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 5 to 7 years
- Stainless Steel 316 version:
- This is the most durable version of stainless steel (and metal in general) and it is commonly used for handrails in harsh environments such as pools where the handrail is exposed to water and chemicals like chlorine.
- Outdoor Life:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: 20+ years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 20+ years
- Aluminum
- Are more rust-resistant to outdoors than standard steel handrails
- Are a little more expensive than steel handrails
- Lighter than steel handrails
- Are a bit harder to weld
- Still have a clean, sleek look similar to steel because aluminum can also be painted with our powder coated finishes
- Outdoor Life:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: ~ 20 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 15 to 20 years
- Wrought Iron
- Traditionally made by hand-forging, heating, and hammering the metal.
- Has a more unique, textured appearance due to the hand-forging process
- Wrought iron handrails are generally more expensive due to the labor-intensive production process
- Have solid iron components (not hollow) whereas steel tubing is hallow on the inside
- Because they are solid, they will last longer naturally
- Often used for more decorative elements such as engravings
- More rust-resistant outdoors than steel
- Outdoor Life:
- Without Galvanization:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: 10-15 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 5 to 10 years
- With Galvanization:
- Outdoors without protection & mild rain: 20 years
- Outdoors near the ocean: 15 to 20 years
- If you would like a wrought iron handrail galvanized, please contact us.
- Brass
- Our brass handrail looks like gold, giving it a luxurious or classic and timeless look that can complement various architectural styles
- Requires more regular maintenance than steel
- Typically more expensive than steel
- Outdoor Life:
- It is very uncommon for brass handrails to be used outdoors simply because their appearance lends itself to indoors
- Brass is not as suitable of an option for outdoor use compared to steel because it will lose its shine
If you are using your handrail indoors, you really cannot go wrong with any of these materials. It mainly comes down to style and price. If you need an outdoor handrail, then being aware of the expected outdoor life can help you make an informed decision.
Step 3: Choose the Right Handrail Bracket Design
Handrail brackets are also an important element that will impact the overall aesthetic of your handrail.
If you purchase a wall-mounted handrail from us, it will come with the necessary handrail brackets, but if for some reason you see a bracket design or style you like better, you can always buy different brackets for your handrail.
For example, our handrails come with simple brackets, so the screws are exposed. Most people do not mind this, but our more elegant brackets come with a cover plate which hides the screws and makes the handrail look nicer.
Step 4: Use This Information to Determine What Style of Wall-mounted Handrail Is Right for You
Now that you know the basics that impact a handrail's visual aesthetic and how material impacts outdoor longevity, the next step is to apply this knowledge to choose the handrail that is right for you.
You can buy a wall-mounted handrail right here on our website. We have an entire collection of wall-mounted handrails to make browsing all of our offerings easy.
Step 5: Measure Your Stairs to Determine the Optimal Handrail Length to Order
After choosing the style of handrail you want, next you need to Determine the Length of the Handrail you need to order.
Measuring the length of your stairs to determine the proper handrail length to order is not hard at all.
The video below gives you all the info you need to measure and order a handrail on our website.
How to Measure & Order Your Handrail
Tools needed for this step:
- Just a tape measure
Measurement you need to take:
- We must take the nose to nose measurement from the bottom stair landing to the top stair landing
- The minimum handrail length to be code compliant for residential properties would be the nose-to-nose measurement
- We recommend order an additional 6" to 12" to make the handrail safer (and it looks better), just be sure you won't run out of wall space if you do this
Up Next: Installing Your Wall-mounted Handrail
Once you place an order, the next step will be to install your handrail once it arrives to your door.
Most people like to know what they are getting into before ordering, so be sure to check out our Guide to Installing a Wall-mounted Handrail so you can know what to expect. If you're a handy DIYer you'll likely be able to do this on your own without any issues and our installation guide will walk you through each step.