What is the difference between Handrails and Balustrades?

Any ideas of buying home improvement? Looking to upgrade halls, stairs and platforms? Well chosen. While often overlooked, updating this busy residential thoroughfare can make a real difference to the overall look and feel of your property. So it's really important to take the time to do your research and think about how you want it to look and what works for you.

But where do you start? If you're planning to modernize and open up your stairwell, you need to think about how to achieve this. Do you want to take things down right away and just put a handrail on the wall, or do you want to install a whole new railing system?

However, before you can properly consider any of these, you need to understand your handrail from the railing. And, at Leader Hardware, we're here to help. We strive to provide excellent service and choice, and are here to answer any questions you may have. So let's first take a closer look at the differences between these two options.

What are handrails?
A handrail is a railing next to a staircase—essentially, it's something you grab with your hands to guide and stabilize yourself as you go up and down the steps. Handrails can be installed on the wall behind the stairs, and/or you can install handrails (also called balustrades) in a railing system - for example, a metal handrail on top of a glass balustrade.

What is a balustrade?
In short, this is the bit under the armrest. Railings consist of vertical columns or solid sections that sit on the side of the stairs and follow their path upwards. Their main purpose is to provide protection and safety, preventing people from falling.

Typically, they are made of wood or metal, but with an increasing emphasis on creating attractive halls, stairs and platforms, people are now turning to glass and wire rope alternatives for a more exclusive and contemporary feel.

Depending on the look you want to achieve, we offer a wide range of railing systems including:

Modular Glazing System
Steel and wire rope systems
Frameless glass railing
Modern and classic design
Standoff Bolt Railing System
So you see, you can have one without the other - or a combination of the two - but to make an informed choice and choose the right option for your needs, it's important to be clear about what each feature offers.