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When it comes to a home or business, interior railings are sometimes treated as “second class citizens.” They serve a very specific purpose and are designed as such, with a clear focus on safety and functionality.

That’s all well and good, but from a style point of view they are an indispensable feature that can add charm and depth of character to any environment, whether leading to a basement family room, or a library loft tucked into a converted garage. The professionals at M.E Railings have been designing and installing indoor stair railings for more than 10 years, and have built a reputation for quality and value with hundreds of customers throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
Like any other piece of architecture, indoor stair railings need care and attention to retain their beauty and functionality. If you have a set of railings you’d like to draw attention to with a new or fresh coat of paint, make sure to follow these helpful tips before starting your project:

• Interior stair railings, whether made of wood, wrought iron, or any other material, need to be cleaned before they can be painted. Paint has a tough time adhering to dirt and debris, and even if it does, you’re left with unsightly gobs of dirty goo under the paint that will require starting the project from square one.
• In fact, some types of interior stair railings don’t take to paint very well, meaning they need to be abraded first. This is especially true of vinyl or steel railings, which will have to be worked over with sandpaper before applying primer and paint.
• Priming is a crucial step that many do-it-yourselfers ignore for painting jobs if they’re in a hurry or working with a budget. Our advice is simple: Whenever possible, make sure to apply primer to your interior stair railings before the final coat of paint goes on. Without it, paint will eventually crack, chip, or peel.
• If you’ve committed to painting your indoor stair rails on your own, we recommend using the correct set of tools and accessories so the job goes smoothly. This means quality paint brushes or sponge rollers for the type of paint you’re using, drop clothes to catch paint spills, painter’s tape, a drip-free bucket for the paint, a rolling pan if necessary, rags to wipe up spills, and a set of clothes you’re not worried about ruining!

M.E Railings is the number one railings company in the Greater Toronto Area specializing in all types of interior and exterior stairs and railing systems. We have served hundreds of customers in Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Maples, Markham, and surrounding communities for more than a decade. Each of the services we provide are custom, never cookie cutter, and come with a 100 percent customer satisfaction guarantee that is the best in the industry. For more information, please call us today or visit our website, and we’d be happy to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation during whatever frame fits your busy lifestyle.

Stylish, high quality and affordable indoor railings can complement and enhance the beauty of any home, but the key to a finished product you can be proud of is understanding what you want, and using that as a baseline for the rest of the project. Make sure to follow these tips before starting your project.

Pick the design that fits your existing architecture

If your home is a quaint story-and-a-half with wet plaster, coved ceilings, and hardwood floors throughout, it’s unlikely that indoor railings made of glass and stainless steel will blend in. One of the biggest dilemmas customers face is trying to force styles together that just don’t fit. There’s nothing wrong with “unique” – just make sure you never cross the line into “embarrassing.”

Always look for an option that fits a pre-determined budget

We are the Greater Toronto Area’s number one company for custom indoor railings and other home improvement projects, and we’ve lost track of how many customers have told us jobs by other companies ended up costing more than they were comfortable with – all because they didn’t set a budget before the job started. Our company is growing and profitable not because we control a customer’s budget, but because we work within that budget.

Popular styles for indoor railings

• Contemporary indoor railings exude a feeling of openness. The key is building a railing that is simple and uncomplicated, with minimal accents or details on the railing itself. It’s difficult to grip a railing if you’re trying to get your hand around a gargoyle carved into the wood, for instance! A flat design for the railing is probably the best design, rather than something curved or fitted with grooves. Paint the railing in whatever colour complements the interior of the room. As a change of pace, try steel cable cords, staggered every 4 to 6 inches in between the baluster points and horizontally placed for a glossy, high-tech appearance.
• Rather than a darker wood, incorporate natural light-colored indoor railings for a staircase that is made from acrylic or glass for a modern look. To add even more style, think of the fusion of ash, beech, white oak and birch railings to make the use of glass or acrylic even more visually stunning. Keep in mind the railings can be rounded or curved to enhance the overall design. To add contrast, attach the railings to the balusters using stainless steel hardware. Finally, why not think about including finials and end caps made of brass or chrome to make the indoor railings look truly modern?
• Ultimately, few styles are as timeless as classic wooden indoor railings that feature turned balusters to further complement the overall style. The railings could be attached to the balusters with curves, bellows or grooves on the base.

Other tips to consider for indoor railings are choosing “classic” wood and stains for the railings — oak, mahogany and walnut. We also may recommend using varnish to add ease and smoothness to the touch when people grasp the railings while they climb the stairs.

When it comes to outdoor structures including decks, gazebos, pergolas, playscapes, benches, tables, and many others, the most popular building material in use today is wood because of its durability, affordability, and range of available styles. For many of the same reasons, wood railings never fall out of style and are the most recognizable feature of any deck, whether it’s ground level or multi-tiered.

To make your wood railings and other outdoor structures last, you want a company like M.E Railings, whose experienced designers and installers have served hundreds of satisfied customers in the Greater Toronto Area for more than a decade.

Besides excellent customer service, attention to detail, and a staff that keeps up with trends in outdoor landscaping and construction, M.E Railings excels at educating customers on the benefits of certain designs, structures, and building materials to use for their project. Many of the homeowners we work with often ask about wood railings and how they compare to those made from wrought iron, steel, or other materials, and the answer is always the same – “Very well.”

Here is a quick rundown on the types of wood used for wood railings, and what you need to know about their different features:

• Redwood: High quality redwood has a deep red color and is an ideal choice for wood railings because it’s resistant to rot and insect damage.
• Cedar: Cedar is another good choice for wood railings, but we mostly recommend that customers go with a premium grade variety. Mostly golden brown in color, it’s a much softer wood than other varieties and is most often used for decorative features.
• Cypress: Cypress is the near equal to Redwood thanks to its natural resistance to insect damage and rot caused by long term exposure to the elements. This type of wood, however, is known to twist and warp unless properly treated.
• Pressure-treated: Pressure-treated wood is made mostly of pine and sometimes fir, and is treated with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), which is an insecticide-preservative. This type of wood may also be treated with water repellent. When it comes to wood railings, make sure your contractor selects what is known as “Grade 1” pressure-treated wood.
• IPE: Tropical wood like Ipe or other species native to South and Central America are extremely hard and durable. Ipe, for instance, is known to last for 40 years or more – without being stained, painted, or otherwise treated with wood preservatives. Keep in mind, however, that many tropic wood species are expensive – Ipe can cost up to $50 a linear foot!
• Composite Wood: plastic-wood composites are another option for wood railings. As the name implies, these are made from a blend of 30 to 50 percent recycled wood fibers and plastic materials and are well known for their durability. A major drawback, however, is that composites will fade over time – mostly to a shade of gray.

M.E Railings has been the premier outdoors landscaping contractor in the Greater Toronto Area for more than 10 years, proudly serving hundreds of customers in Ontario and the surrounding communities of Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan, Maples, Markham and many others. Please contact us today for a free consultation or visit us online.

A spacious, well designed and professionally built deck can add functionality and value to any home. If constructed properly with the right materials and expert craftsmanship, and regularly maintained, a deck can last for years. One popular feature that many consumers have asked for are wrought iron railings, which only add to the appeal of a beautiful deck and further enhance existing landscape design.

When it comes to wrought iron railings, decks, pergolas, and other outdoor construction projects, there’s only one company in the Greater Toronto Area with the right combination of knowledge, experience, and customer experience to pull it all together – and that’s M.E Railings.
Typical deck railings are made of wood, composite materials, or even vinyl, and while these may be less expensive to install, wrought iron railings present numerous advantages that more than make up for the price difference.

Here are some benefits to consider before making your choice:

• Wrought iron railings are extremely versatile. They come in a variety of styles, from traditional to Victorian to Modern to everything in between. If your home’s architecture is Contemporary, then pair your wooden deck with wrought iron railings to enhance its beauty even more.
• Customization is another key feature of wrought iron railings. With expert design and manufacturing techniques, a number of ornamental features can be added to the final product, such as swirls, scrolls, animal or flower shapes – or even a family crest. These types of railings can also be enhanced with multiple colors, each one matching a home’s architecture and style from year to year.
• Wrought iron railings are legendary for their durability. Unlike wood, they resist moisture and other damage from the elements, and will not rot, splinter, or crack. These types of railings are also strong, and cannot be kicked over or bumped out of place. They also withstand high wind, and are a good option for elevated decks as they cannot be knocked down if someone or a heavy object like a barbecue grill or serving cart falls into them.
• Wood railings may crack and splinter over time, requiring stripping and refinishing every three to five years; vinyl railings will lose their color and may suffer from expansion or twisting when exposed to heat and humidity; but wrought iron railings have no similar weaknesses. Occasionally, their finish may chip off, but that can be easily touched up with paint and rust inhibitor.

If you have a wooden deck that seems “old” or doesn’t have the allure it once did, or would like to have one built, consider a spacious, multi-level model that includes durable, wrought iron railings from the design and installation experts at M.E Railings. Thanks to years of experience and the latest 3D-design software, our staff can show you a wide range of styles that will blend in with your current landscape or architecture at a price you can afford.

M.E Railings has been the premier outdoors landscaping contractor in the Greater Toronto Area for more than 10 years, proudly serving hundreds of customers in Thornhill, Markham and many other communities. Please contact us today for a free consultation or visit us online.