In the design of multi-story houses, stairs are an important moving area, especially handrails have the function of ensuring safety when going up and down.
Currently, there is a wide variety of stair handrail materials on the market such as wood, PVC plastic or glass. Therefore, the choice of materials also needs to be carefully considered.
However, there are 4 reasons that experts recommend considering before installing iron stair handrails.
Uncomfortable use
Stair handrails bring a feeling of safety and certainty when used. The disadvantage of iron is its ability to conduct heat very quickly. In winter or cold days, iron bars will bring a feeling of cold, conversely in summer, if the stairs are located near windows with sunlight shining in, iron will absorb heat causing burns to the hands.
According to assessments compared to the smoothness of wood or plastic handles, iron will provide a less friendly experience.
Easily oxidized by hand sweat
Despite being protected by paint, iron is still very sensitive to hot and humid environments. The handrail is a place that is often in direct contact with hand sweat. Over time, the paint layer at the positions or grips of the handrail will wear out and peel off.
When the paint layer is lost, the oxidation process will create rust stains. This phenomenon not only causes unsightliness, can scratch and more seriously, skin infection.
Expensive maintenance costs
Many families choose stair handrails made of iron because they are quite cheap. But this is a costly maintenance option because the maintenance process is quite complicated, requiring rough scrubbing, anti-rust lining and periodic color coating once every 1 to 2 years. The smell of toxic paint from iron handrails will greatly affect the health of the family.
Risk of injury upon impact
According to safety assessments, iron is a material with hardness and lack of elasticity. In case of unfortunate slippage and impact on the handrail, the injury caused will be relatively serious.
In addition, the iron handrail staircase will create a cold and heavy feeling for the living space. If welds are not handled carefully, they will reveal concave points, easily hooked into clothes or scratch the skin, causing bleeding.