A post and cable balustrade was chosen for this balcony, as it was perfectly in keeping with the location and views for this riverside decking. Our cables are designed specifically for balustrading, and haven’t just been adapted from marine rigging. This makes a big different when the balustrade spans are relatively small, as our fittings are much smaller and more discreet.
On this project, all the posts and cables were supplied fully fabricated and right ready to install. The White Glove Service is especially good for cable balustrades, as there are so many extra holes to drill in every post. In this particular project, there were 188 additional holes needed, which is a considerable saving in both time and labour when this doesn’t have to be done onsite!
When considering a cable balustrade that protects a drop, it is important to run it past your local building control before going ahead with the project. Cable balustrades can fall foul of building regulations by being ‘climbable by small children’, and whether these will be passed is very subjective; what one Building Inspector passes another may not. There are ways around this objection, such as having an offset handrail or custom posts (see this project for an example), but this is generally discussed on a project-by-project basis.
Do I have to have a handrail with a cable balustrade?
This is a question we often get asked, and the answer is almost always yes, you will need a handrail with a cable balustrade. This is so that the cables can be tensioned properly, as the handrail creates a ‘frame’ and braces all the posts. The cables are tested to withstand loads of up to 750kg each, and when tensioned these put a lot of force onto the outside posts. When fully tensioned, the cables will try to pull the posts together, and the handrail counters this pull. Our post top saddles are a solid stainless steel casting, improving the strength of the balustrade. Anecdotally, we have seen our cables used with post top saddles that are made up of 3 components screwed together, and over the course of time, the tensioned cables have broken the saddles, pulling them inwards.
Got a project where you need a balustrade? Why not get in touch?
03300 414 881 | sales@whitemetal.co.uk
All our cables are pre-cut and swaged ready for easy installation
Another shining example of the fact that: Our products are not just part numbers!
They are quality solutions designed by caring technicians with on-site experience and technical knowledge.
