Wrought Iron & Metal Railings in Baltimore, MD

Iron Is the Baltimore Stoop Railing

Walk any rowhouse block and the railings beside the steps are black iron: square-bar rails, twisted pickets, cast newels with a ball on top, and scrollwork at the bottom post. Much of it is a century old and still sound above the step. We make new railings in solid steel bar and ornamental iron components, and we make new sections that match what a row already has, so a replaced stoop rail does not stand out from its neighbours.

Matching an Existing Pattern

Simple patterns can be copied from measurements and photos. Scrollwork, cast collars and finials may need a close look on site, a salvaged piece, or a sample from the rest of the rail. Matching is not only a matter of looks in the city: Baltimore City's zoning code says that when porch elements on a rowhouse are replaced, the original elements of the row must be matched as closely as possible. In a local historic district such as Fells Point or Bolton Hill, CHAP reviews exterior work before the building permit.

Where Iron Fails, and How We Set It

Iron rarely fails in the middle. It fails at the bottom, where a post is leaded or cemented into a hole in marble or concrete and water sits around it through every freeze. New posts are set on base plates or in sleeved, sealed sockets, and the steel is primed and painted or powder coated so water and winter salt reach bare metal as slowly as possible. An old rail that is sound except for a rotten base is a repair, not a replacement.

Inside, Too

Iron balusters with a wood handrail are one of the most common interior upgrades, and an iron rail with no wood at all suits a loft or basement stair. Whatever the design, the code numbers do not change: handrail 34 to 38 inches above the nosings, guards over a 30-inch drop, no gap a 4-inch sphere can pass. We build iron for stoops and porches from the city to Catonsville and Ellicott City, and correct older iron that falls short of the handrail rules.

How long does it take? Stock iron goes in quickly once measured. Custom work is fabricated to measure first, so the install date follows the shop time.

Questions About This Work