Stainless steel mesh might not be the first material that springs to mind when it comes to installing a commercial stairway barrier or balustrade.
And yet, a robust mesh material such as Jakob Webnet can offer a remarkable solution for these types of installations – especially if they are unusual or irregular in terms of shape, angles or overall design.
Why Webnet mesh is an ideal material
Webnet stainless steel mesh is:
- Made from 316-grade stainless steel – this makes it non-corrosive and suitable for outdoor as well as indoor projects.
- High strength – ensuring it is robust enough for commercial barriers involving crowds.
- Highly customisable – in terms of span, shape, colour, mesh size and more.
- Malleable/bendable – making it adaptable to a wide variety of shapes and forms.
- Long-lasting and low-maintenance –lasting 25 years or more, while having exceptionally low requirements for maintenance or cleaning over that time.
- Near-transparent – allowing for natural light transmission and airflow.
- Unobtrusive in appearance – which can be great for ensuring it blends in with surrounding décor rather than detracting from it.
- Lightweight and quick to install – ideal where you need a quick barrier solution!
Project examples of stainless steel mesh balustrades
A case in point is the spiral staircase project at the RFW Children’s Charity at Manly in Sydney.
In this project, the RFW Centre recognised a need for a custom barrier solution for the four-level atrium and spiral staircase. This barrier was to be retrofitted to the existing staircase, but the client wanted it to look like it wasn’t – that is, as if it was part of the original design and had always been there.
40mm aperture Webnet made from 2mm wire rope was selected to ensure the barrier would meet the requirements for fall protection and non-climbability for children. The mesh also needed to conform to the spirals and curves of the stairway.
The corkscrew-like shape that was required to achieve this presented some new and unique challenges! However, the fabric-like nature of Webnet allowed us to achieve the shape and function that the staircase needed.
Another example is Carlton House Melbourne. This installation demonstrates how stainless steel mesh can be used for stairways in residential as well as commercial and educational settings.
This overall brief was to renovate and extend an inner-city Victorian terrace house, with the aim of making it brighter, more spacious, and contemporary-looking. To create this effect in such a tight space, the architect chose an uncomplicated design for the layout and a restrained palette.
This meant that the balustrade for the staircase needed to be minimal in appearance and light in colour. Stainless steel mesh is ideal for projects such as this, especially in comparison to other, more dense materials which do not have the same level of translucency and lightness.
Webnet mesh of 100mm aperture-opening size was chosen for the barrier, coated in white to blend in with the interior décor. The architect was pleased with the result, saying that the balustrade added detail without overcomplicating the interior.
Do you have a staircase that needs a custom safety and security solution? If so, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team.
