FAQ

• Why is fiberglass any better than other products?
• Do the railings come in other colors besides white?
• Can I paint the railings?
• Can I cut the railing sections?
• What is the recommended method for cleaning?
• Does Armor-Rail meet building codes in my area?
• How do I use the Flush Mount Bracket?
• Can I use my existing posts?
• Can I bolt fiberglass posts to the outside of my deck?
• Can I attach one end of a railing section to a wall instead of using a post?
• How do I use structural fiberglass columns to support a porch roof?
• How do I install posts on concrete or masonry?
• How do the railing sections attach
• How do I deal with steps and stairs?
• How can I tell if my steps are Standard Slope?
• What is the range of adjustability for Adjustable Slope Stair Railings?
• What happens if I use Standard Slope railing on non-standard steps?
• How do I wrap Hand Rail around a post?
• Can I use Armor-Rail on a wheelchair ramp?
• Can I install Armor-Rail around a bay or gazebo?
• Are the turned balusters in Armor-Rail's Colonial Style railing structural, like the other styles?
• Can I attach Armor-Rail® deck and stair railings to a round column
• How can I determine how many pickets or balusters I need for an adjustable stair railing?

Fiberglass is neat and attractive, and it's resistant to salt, corrosion, and chemicals; it won't rust, rot, crack, peel, blister, or deteriorate, and it's extremely strong. Structural fiberglass retains its high strength over time, so there is no loss of dependability over the life of the product. Structural fiberglass is not vinyl, and it doesn't expand in hot weather, nor does it need any metal reinforcements to hold its shape and strength. It doesn't get brittle or shrink in cold weather, either. Even extreme cold won't affect it. It's colorfast and virtually maintenance free - maintenance is reduced to washing.

Do the railings come in other colors besides white?
Yes. All styles of Armor-Rail come in white, green, sand, and black, plus a selection of premium designer colors. See your dealer or check our printed color brochure.

Can I paint the railings?
Yes. Armor-Rail railings can be painted or trimmed in any color using a good quality, exterior grade paint. The factory recommendation is Polane exterior urethane paint. Sand all surfaces to be painted lightly, using very fine grit sandpaper. Wipe the sanding dust clean, and apply automotive plastic primer only to the molded brackets and caps (if they are to be painted). Then apply exterior grade coating using even flow of paint.

Can I cut the railing sections?
Yes. Sections of pre-assembled Armor-Rail deck and stair railings come in convenient lengths of 8', 10', 12' and 14' that you can cut to suit your needs. For efficiency, try to cut short sections evenly out of longer pieces - for example, cut two seven-foot sections out of one 14-foot, or three four's out of a twelve.

What is the recommended method for cleaning?
To remove dirt, use common household cleaners, like dishwashing detergents, and a garden hose. For stubborn stains and mildew, use a cleaner made for vinyl siding. Do not use bleach or other products which may affect the color. Do not use abrasive detergents, scouring pads or devices, sanders, scrapers, or other tools, and do not use pressure-wash devices.

Does Armor-Rail meet building codes in my area?
Yes. Armor-Rail meets or exceeds most ICBO and UBC code requirements for dimension, safety, and strength. The railings are made in 36-inch, 38-inch, and 40-inch heights, and can be installed at a 36-inch or 42-inch railing mounting height, as required by local codes. The required toe space can be 2 or 4 inches. Check the building code for your area and choose the mounting height and toe space for your area.

How do I use the Flush Mount Post Bracket?
Locate posts at least 2" from the edge of the deck. Position them alongside the floor joists, and make sure the decking is firmly attached to the joists at the location of the posts. Two of the Flush Mount Bracket's lag bolt slots should face the inside of the deck, and the flat vertical section of the bracket should face the railing assembly bracket where the rail sections will be attached.

Bolt the bracket securely to the deck. The bracket should not be attached only to the deck flooring. Use an additional support block under the flooring and attach the bracket by bolting through the flooring and into or through the support block.

Slide the fiberglass 4x4 post over the flush mount bracket and insure that the post is square and plumb. Bolt the railing brackets to the post. The screws are long enough to secure the post to the flush bracket at the same time. The Armor-Rail Spec Book provides drawings and instructions.

Can I use my existing posts?
Yes, if the posts are of sufficient strength and condition. The best way is to cut them off and round the corners of the protruding stubs just enough so the structural fiberglass 4x4 posts will slip snugly over them. The fiberglass 4x4 posts attach to the wooden stubs by assembling the railings to the posts. The bottom railing bracket secures the post to the wooden stub inside it. The Armor-Rail Spec Book provides drawings and instructions on the various methods of post attachment.

Can I bolt fiberglass posts to the outside of my deck?
Yes. The best way is to drill two 1-inch diameter holes (upper and lower) in one face of the posts, and a 3/8" hole in the opposite face, in line with the larger hole. The small hole is for lag bolts, screws or through bolts used for fastening the post to the deck. Be sure to use large galvanized washers for extra strength around the bolt heads and to prevent damage to the structural fiberglass post's wall. The larger hole is there to admit a socket so you can tighten the bolt. If you attach posts in this manner to the outside joists, and if the railing sections are more than 6 feet long, you will need an Offset Center Support.  Use 1" Hole Plugs to cover the access holes. See diagrams and instructions in Section 1c of the Spec Book.

Can I attach one end of a railing section to a wall instead of using a post?
Yes, if the wall is structurally capable. Simply attach the end brackets of the railing section to the wall, instead of a post or column. Use attachment hardware (not supplied) that is appropriate to the surface.

How do I use structural fiberglass columns to support a porch roof?
Simply substitute 4x4-inch or 5x5-inch structural pultruded fiberglass columns in place of - or in addition to - 4x4 posts in your deck design. The end brackets of the railing section attach to the fiberglass columns the same as to the posts. If you use 5x5 columns, be sure to take the extra width into account when calculating the length of the railing sections. Diagrams and instructions are in the Spec Book.

How do I install posts on concrete or masonry?
The simplest way is to attach a Flush Mount Bracket to the concrete or masonry surface using Tapcon fasteners. The alternative method is as follows:

Drill two 1/2-inch diameter holes into the concrete or masonry surface.  The holes should be about six inches deep, approximately two inches apart, and they should be located within the area enclosed by the hollow end of the post when in its installed position.

Insert a 14" piece of 3/8" diameter steel rebar in each hole and bond it into place with epoxy.  After the epoxy has set, slide the fiberglass 4x4 post over the rebar. Slightly bend the rebar so that the fit is tight and snug.  Attach the railing brackets and railing in the normal way, and insure that the post is square and plumb.

Remove the top cap and fill the inside of the post with concrete to a height of about eight inches.  Reinstall the cap. The Armor-Rail Spec Book provides drawings and instructions on these methods of post attachment to concrete or masonry surfaces.

How do the railing sections attach?
Snap the rail supports onto the ends of the railing sections and use the supplied screws to attach the rail to the posts. Drilling a pilot hole is recommended. Attach the bottom rail first. The screws that hold the railing section to the post are long enough to attach the post to the Flush Mount Bracket. It's a simple installation. If the length of a rail section is six feet or more, snap the supplied center support to the center of the rail section. The Armor-Rail Spec Book provides drawings and instructions.

How do I deal with steps and stairs?
Armor-Rail makes most stair railing installations a breeze.  First determine the slope of your steps.  Most manufactured units are Standard Slope, which means you can use our ingenious angle brackets and pre-assembled railing sections. Remember to use one size longer post at the bottom of the stairs than the intermediate and top posts. Install the stair brackets, install the railing section, and you're done.  If your stairs are other than Standard Slope, you can use Armor-Rail Adjustable Slope Stair Railing.  This system allows you to orient the pickets to the angle needed to accommodate a wide range of stair slopes.  Armor-Rail Victorian Style Stair Railing has its own system of re-angle-able mounting brackets to adjust for non-standard slope stairs.  For more detailed information, see the Armor-Rail Spec Book, which provides drawings and instructions for all of the stair railing systems.

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How can I tell if my steps are Standard Slope?
Standard Slope steps have a 7" rise and a 11" tread, or approximately 32 degrees from horizontal.

To determine whether your stairs are of standard slope, measure the rise, not counting the thickness of the step itself, and then measure the tread, not counting any lip or overhang. If these are 7 inches and 11 inches, respectively, then your steps are Standard Slope.

What happens if I use Standard Slope Stair Railing on a step that isn't standard?
The pickets for a stair railing should be plumb, even though the rails themselves approximate the slope of the stairs.  If you use Standard Slope Railing on a step that isn't standard, the pickets won't be vertical, and the railing wont be parallel to the slope of the stairs.  Functionality is probably not hindered, but it won't look quite right.

What is the range of adjustability for the Adjustable Slope Stair Railings?
The Traditional, Classic, and Clear View Style Adjustable Slope Stair Railings will accommodate slopes of 10 to 40 degrees.  Victorian, Heritage, and Colonial Adjustable Slope Stair Railings are designed in a different way, because of the shaped top rail, and will accommodate slopes of 27 to 37 degrees.

How do I wrap hand rail around a post?

Most building codes require, and Shakespeare Composite Structures strongly recommends, the addition of hand rail to all stair railings.

Install the handrail side brackets on the posts oriented so that the hand rail will be parallel to the stair rail at the appropriate height. Cut a section of hand rail to size, and attach up- and down-angles to it. Cut a short section of hand rail and insert into the angles, and then add a 90-degree angle turn at each post corner. Add another short section of hand rail and another 90-degree turn. Add the final short hand rail section and an end cap.

After snapping the hand rail assembly into the side brackets, secure with set screws (not supplied). The Armor-Rail Spec Book provides drawings and instructions.

Can I use Armor-Rail on a wheelchair ramp?
Yes. The usual slope for wheelchair ramps is within the range of Armor-Rail Traditional, Classic, and Clear View styles. You might have to do some mitering and fitting of the hand rail, but it will work fine.

Can I install Armor-Rail around a bay or gazebo?
Yes. You can use 22.5-degree, 30-degree, of 45-degree angle brackets to install Armor-Rail Traditional, Classic, and Clear View style railings around a bay structure or gazebo application. Only 45-degree angle brackets are available for Victorian, Heritage, and Colonial styles. Diagrams and instructions are in the Spec Book.

Are the turned balusters in Armor-Rail's Colonial Style railing structural, like the other styles?
Yes!  All styles of Armor-Rail are structural, including Colonial Style.

Can I attach railings to a round column?
Yes.  The Armor-Rail® Round Column Adapter kit accommodates round columns of 8" to 12" diameter.  Simply apply the adapter between the railing mounting bracket and the column during installation.  IMPORTANT:  Be sure the column you're mounting to is of sufficient structural strength. See Spec Book.for further information.

How can I determine how many pickets or balusters I need for an adjustable stair railing?
The number of pickets (or balusters) needed is the length of the stair railing in inches divided by 3¾ (three and three-fourths) inches.

Further questions?
If your questions aren't answered here, see the Spec Book, or just call Shakespeare.