Pros and Cons of Wooden Balustrades

If you live in a house that has a staircase, you must be well aware of the importance of balustrades with staircases. Not only is it an important safety feature, but it also gives the interior of your home a personality. While in modern homes, many architects choose to completely eliminate balustrades, giving the interior a minimalistic look, if yours is one with kids, getting rid of the balustrades is not quite a good idea.

However, having balustrades with your stairs doesn’t necessarily mean that your house has to look old fashioned. Balustrades come in tons of contemporary designs that amplify the overall look of your entire house. In addition to the variety of design, you can also choose from balustrades made of different material such as metal, wood or even plastic, however, wooden balustrades remain our favorite.

If you are considering renovation of your staircase, it’s high time you replace your balustrades with some trendy or classic designs and what’s better than traditional wooden balustrades. Here are some pros and cons of wooden balustrades laid down by experts.

Pros:

Traditionally Modern: You might think what a contradictory statement in itself this is, but let us explain first. Steel staircase at Active Metal are typically made of steel, which is one of the oldest construction materials and thus carries a heritage of ancient architecture. However, given the versatility of the material, steel balustrades can easily be carved into varying designs to give them a modern finish. However, if we were to state our favorite, it would be the classical solid steel balustrades with well-defined edges. If you have a thing for vibrancy, you can always paint them different.

Finishing & Paint: Wooden balustrades offer a very finished and classical look to your house interior and given that wood is a natural material, it can be conveniently painted, dyed or stained as per your liking to give it an exotic look. Wooden balustrades also compliment the rest of the wooden furniture around your home and give a finishing touch to your well-though interior.

Non Conductor & Safe: Since wood is a non-conductor of electricity, it is quite safe and if you have a thing for creating a beautiful effect with lighting, you might want to opt for wooden balustrades as they are very safe and don’t allow electric currents to pass through them in case a naked wire gets in contact with the balustrade.

Cons:

High Maintenance: Timber is generally high maintenance and requires you to varnish every few years or so to avoid it from rotting. It also requires you to consistently monitor it for any damage because it can be really hard to fill in or larger wood damages.

Pest Infestation: Since wood is a natural material, it is also a very favorite spot for pests. Woodworms, wasps and other pests can easily make their nests inside the wooden balustrades. It is best that you closely observe for any tiny prickly holes in the wood as they are a clear sign of pest infestation and require you to fumigate and clean immediately.

Rotting: Given the organic nature of wood, it is also prone to rotting over the years but it can be maintained with frequent varnishing, cleaning and maintenance.  

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