From Industrial Chic to Totally Modern
Architectural Metals offers architectural railings and aluminum handrail systems that meet differing architectural styles and tastes. All of our systems can be designed to meet OSHA, IBC, BOCA, SBC, & UBC. Various combinations of aluminum pipe, infill panels, and fittings can be selected for use in just about any building application you may have.
Glass Panel Railings
Features and Benefits
- Combines transparency and visibility with cost effectiveness
- 3/8” tempered glass provides structural strength required to meet code, less costly than 1/2” glass
- The component aluminum frame is substantialy less than the cost of a welded stainless steel system
- The two-piece panel clips are anodized aluminum vs. brushed stainless steel
- Panel clips are mounted top and bottom vs. side to side, eliminating the need for expensive safety holes in the tempered glass, while preventing any slippage of the glass infill
ADA Railing Systems
Features and Benefits
- Shipped as a “kit of parts”, field assembled and installed for easy reconfiguration
- Aluminum magnesium fittings and anodized aluminum pipe are highly corrosion resistant, providing lowest long term maintenance cost
- Can be used with 1-1/4 inch or 1-1/2 inch posts, and from 1 inch IPS to 1-1/2 inch IPS rails, meeting both ADA and UFAS codes
ADA Railing Instructions (PDF)
Infield Panel Options
All infill panels are manufactured to meet the appropriate codes. To do this, all materials, whether wire mesh or perforated, must be the correct dimensions and thickness. Installed testing equipment allows us to guarantee that our panels will meet these codes.
All steel infill panels meant for outdoor applications are electro-coated in a 4-step process that adds a corrosion resistant layer, then powder coated to our client’s specified color. The electro-coating eliminates the need for much more costly aluminum or stainless steel when these requirements are driven by corrosion concerns.
Architecture Metals offers several infill panel options, including: Welded Wire Mesh; Round and Square Perforated Steel; No-Frame Perforated Steel; and Architectural Infill Patterns. Also available are Component Picket System and Panel Retention System. These options are described below.
Welded Wire Mesh
Welded wire mesh infill panels are constructed from .120 inch diameter steel wire and every second wire is welded within the steel hem. Hems are constructed from 14 gauge steel. Three holes are drilled in the bottom hem to prevent water buildup.
Load carrying strength of wire mesh panels cannot be calculated, therefore, we test the complete panel design on our test rig to ensure it passes the appropriate code.
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Options 4" x 4" Square 1" x 1" Square |
Rectangular Wire Mesh (various patterns) 2" x 1" Rectangular 1" x 3" Rectangular 2" x 4" Rectangular |
Round and Square Perforated Steel
These panels are available for level or raked (stair) applications and are manufactured using a hem or U channel. All panels are 14 gauge steel, held within a 14 gauge steel hem. To prevent any water buildup, 3 holes are drilled in the bottom hem.
| Round Hole Patterns | |
| 1/2" Round on 11/16" Staggered Centers  |
1/4" Round on 11/16" Staggered Centers  |
| 3/4" Round on 1" Staggered Centers  |
1/4" Round on 3/8" Staggered Centers  |
| Square Hole Patterns | |
1/2" Square on 11/16" Straight Row |
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No-Frame Perforated Steel
“NO-Frame” Perforated Steel is our most cost-effective infill panel system.
Cost is reduced by eliminating the fabricated frame (also called hem or U channel) around the outside edge of the panel.
ONLY AVAILABLE IN LEVEL SECTIONS
| Standard Selection | |
| 1/2" Round on 11/16" Staggered Centers, 11 gauge steel |
1/4" Round on 11/16" Staggered Centers, 11 gauge steel |
| 3/4" Round on 1" Staggered Centers, 11 gauge steel |
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| Options | |
| Different hole sizes and stagger patterns are available on special order at an added cost.Maximum amount of open area is 50%. | |
Architectural Infill Panel Options
Handrail systems with slotted hole pattern infill will cost 25-35% more per linear foot than standard infill.
All patterns shown are in carbon steel, e-coated and powder coated.
| Standard Selection | |
| 1/8" x 3/4" Round End Side Staggered  |
1/8" x 1" Round End Side Staggered  |
| Decorative Hole Patterns | |
| Decorative hole patterns cost approximately 35-40% more per linear foot than standard round or square patterns, and require special order. | |
Techna |
Lockcrimp |
Component Picket System
The component picket system uses mechanical connectors that are specially machined to attach pickets to top and bottom rails. These connectors prevent any turning or slippage of the pickets (a common problem) and have the usual advantage of mechanical systems in having no welding marks. This is a very cost effective yet aesthetically pleasing solution. Pickets are 3/4 inch Schedule 10, and railing is available in mill finish aluminum, anodized, or TGIC Polyester powder coat.
Panel Retention System
Panel clips can be used to secure any type of infill to any type of handrail, including welded steel. They are particularly valuable when NOMMA Finish #1 is specified for welded rail — “no evidence of a welded joint.”
Standard Selection
- 145 – 15/32" slot for hems 1/4" to 15/32" (designed to fit on round pipe)
- 145S - 1/4" slot (designed to fit on round pipe)
- 145J – 3/4" slot for hems 1/2" to 3/4" (designed to fit on round pipe)
- 145F - 15/32" slot for hems 1/4" to 15/32" (designed to fit on square/rectangular pipe)
Click here to see the Infill Panel Product Sheet (PDF)
Mounting Options
Architecture Metals offers mounting options and details to fit almost every application. Materials: Concrete, Wood, Steel, Masonry, etc…
 Core Mount - click for drawing |
 Side Mount - click for drawing |
 Top Mount - click for drawing |
Finish Options
Standard finishes for fittings and pipe are architectural mill finish and clear anodized aluminum.
Our clear anodized coating is specified as M10C22A41. It is architectural class with a nominal thickness of .7 mil.
Powdercoat colors are available in a wide variety of colors with the standard being TGIC Polyester, a highly weather resistant and durable coating.
Depending on the color requirement, TGIC Polyester products that are compliant with either AAMA 2603 or 2604 may also be available.
Click here for TIGER DRYLAC
color chart (PDF)
Retrofit Panel Infill System
APPLICATION
- Retrofit existing railing with infill panels that meet four inch maximum sphere rule dictated by I.B.C.
- These panels, either perforated metal or wire mesh, can have different openings, and will also remove the effect of “ladder effect” railing.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
- Infill Panels
- E-coated (for exterior applications)
- Powder coated to customer specifications
- Attachment System
- 146 Panel Connector
- Rivet Nut – requires special tool, RST-3 to insert.
- 5/16" - 18 x 2" Sockethead Screw
Project Showcase
Railing system supplied to major airport parking garage
This parking garage has 5 stair towers and the architect/owner wanted to make a visual statement. They specified a component railing system with clear anodized finish, and selected acrylic panels with custom graphics as the infill system. Installation was a breeze with the frame coupled with our 2-piece panel clips erected on-site. This allowed the acrylic panels to be installed afterwards.
The panels utilized custom artwork done by local school children — their full size artwork was transferred to the infill panels through a special process. The result was a variety of truly unique panels on every level railing bay in the parking garage.
In an airport parking garage, our personal favorite was a panel showing the Hindenburg dirigible burning up — just what air travelers need to see prior to boarding an aircraft.