Curved Stairwell Iron Railing

The owners of this country house wanted a handcrafted iron rail for their staircase. But they didn't want any welding and grinding to mess up their interior work. Custom Iron was able to supply a hand-forged iron rail that was custom made in their factory.

Custom Iron Work

For hundreds of years, ornamental iron work for curved staircases was fabricated on site. A metal strip ran the entire length of the staircase with another metal strip that the handrail was mounted to. Those had to be exact, and that was very difficult to do offsite. So fabricators showed up at the site with all their welding and bending and forging equipment, made complicated templates, and would probably seal off the stairway so nobody else could use it. Everybody had to be working very closely onsite. It was a mess, including grinding and welding, and was very time consuming.

With today's renaissance of architectural metalwork, this hand-wrought look is in high demand again.

Custom Iron's Ornamental Stairway Rail Featured in the Show

Custom IronWe installed a Custom Iron ornamental rail at our distinctive Austin house with many hand-crafted details and designs. The homeowners had a unique circular staircase that ascended from an engraved star on the floor to a Tuscan dome above. Because their interior was almost complete, they didn't want any mess of grinding or welding.

Custom IronCustom Iron is one of the premier ornamental metal fabricators in the U.S. and has a metal railing system that supplies individual panels instead of a more traditional continuous rail. The panels and balusters combine to look like a continuous frame, thanks to the technical innovations of their design engineers combined with the artistry of skilled metalsmiths. The panels arrive ready to install, with no welding or grinding. The panels give the installer the tolerances required to fit the components together on site.

Dream It, Build It

They also have a "Dream It, Build It" program where the customer or local carpenter can send in their specifications. The skilled engineers get the details of the design and then put that into a computer program that makes 3D renderings where they apply textures and colors. The customer can essentially view their railing in a finished state before the framing of the house is even done.

Process of Fabrication

The artisans do traditional old-world iron-working — where they heat the metal in a forge and form it to shapes and patterns, either using big power hammers or small hammers and an anvil. They also have CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinery that aids them and keeps the cost down because of the intense labor that's involved in handcrafted ironwork.

Fabrics and Finishing

Custom Iron RailingsThe railings are available in wrought iron, steel, stainless, brass, copper or a aluminum. The iron work has paint or finishes applied in a controlled environment for long-lasting beauty and arrive pre-painted. Finishes come in a variety of colors and textures — in custom paint, antique texture, or basic black.

Time Saving Installation

Custom IronInstallation is time saving for the contractor. The custom-made panels and balusters arrive ready for installation. A local crew can install the panels (instead of having the manufacturer do it) which helps keep costs down. They don't need a metal worker, but can be installed by a master trim carpenter or stair manufacturer or installer.