Making handrail

[Paddy]

Hello,

First time over here, I'm normally over in the Rural Living. But I have some fabrication questions. History; Inside my home I have built and installed 120 ft of hand rail. The design is 1 inch square tubes, one top and one bottom, with 1/2 holes drilled on 4 inch centers. On the top 1 inch tube is welded top cap profile. The spindles are 1/2 copper clad ground rods cut to length, polished shinny and sealed. Steel is painted typical black. I think looks pretty good. The ground rods, 300+, were bought as scrap steel from the company I work for that decided to get out of the biz. lucky me

So now it's time for the outside handrail. I have about 175 ft of outside handrail yet to do. As you can image, the copper rods just pass through the drilled holes at the top and bottom. In a 10 ft section I built for a balcony, it has rusted around these holes. The steel was painted inside the holes but like knocked off stuffing the rods in. I can ream them out and figure I can keep the paint there but for how low long? 10 years max?

I have inquired about getting all these parts hot dipped galvanized, price without delivery should be around $500. A good price in my mind if I never have to think dripping rust in my life time. but that brings complications to welding and painting.

Welding I think I understand I'll need to grind the galv back where I plan to weld. Breathing protection a must and outside. Confirm your experience please. Painting is the odd one, I hear paint wants to peal off in big sheets. Painting galvanized steel is most challenging from 48 hrs after to about 2 years due to the oxides don't build a solid patina until 2 years. So before it starts and after a long time. So researching a bit is; tell the galvanizer you plan to paint, then they won't water quench is dirty oily water. I will need to "etch" the surface with a mild acid right before painting. Another option is a Brush abraded type of sand blasting, small soft grit so as to not ware of any of the zinc. Again, right before painting.

I would not be so concerned about a little rust that needs touching up but, there is a bunch of it and the trouble spot is around the drilled holes. A real pain to paint around hundreds of shiny copper rods.

So has anyone painted galvanizing and had it hold on?

 

[Fawken]

I used ground rods like that for my balcony, but they terminate into wood. Did you work for Bell also? Otherwise it is a very expensive way to make a balcony.

 

[Mysfyt]

I would go with 304 ss tube instead of galvanizing, but that's just me. Painting or powder coating wouldn't be an issue with the stainless. IMHO, it will look a lot nicer too.

You've got a beautiful place I might add!

 

[Shield Arc]

I've been involved in building miles of hand rail. Little advice on the welding. Bevel all your joints and shoot for 100% penetration. If you grind all your weld flush before sending to the galvanizers with out good penetration the heat of the galvanizing will most likely break the welds! It might be worth thinking about leaving all the welds alone / no grinding until you get the hand rail back from the galvanizers. Then grind the welds flush. You can use cold galvanize out of spray can, or hot galvanize sticks like these.

Our painters always wiped the galvanized material down with vinegar before painting.

 

[flyerdan]

Instead of hot galv have you considered powder coating? They have some marine grade polyurethane powders that stand up as well as galvanized parts, with a much nicer finish. You'd have to punch your picket holes a few thousandths over depending on the mil thickness of the coating so you won't chip any off during assembly, but it should stand up quite well.

 

[Paddy]

I might have considered SS but I have all the material now and it's drilled. To much invested to go to plan B. Powder coat has some appeal but all paint will need to be repainted at some point. And it I'm to weld after painting, touch up is nearly impossible.

I think the galv and paint is a good long term solution, called Duplex system. In 5 to 10 years when the paint begins to fail, I won't see rust but the galv surface. Minimal prep at that point and just repainting.

I believe the real challenge is a good prep on the galv.

Fawken,

Is your balcony inside or outside? Did you let the rods go natural with patina? The sealed ones inside have remained bright due to the sealer