Terra Cotta Balustrade

TerraGlas balustrades are both beautiful and functional.

Terra Cotta Balustrade

One architectural detail often seen in terra cotta is the balustrade, which is used within many different architectural styles. Like other terra cotta building elements, the balustrade can deteriorate and may need to be replaced with a material like TerraGlas that can help restore the balustrade and the building to its original beauty.

What is a  Balustrade?

A balustrade appeared more frequently as part of a building during the Italian Renaissance. It is categorized as both a functional feature and a decorative one in terms of making a structure both safe and beautiful.

A balustrade has many pieces, including a top rail, the spindles (also known as the baluster), and the base rail (also called the plinth. These are often found around balconies, patios, any type of drop off like staircases and pools. A balustrade can be embellished many different ways with various finishes, materials, and details.

The Effects of Deterioration on a Terra Cotta Balustrade

Like all terra cotta elements on a building, a terra cotta balustrade is subject to deterioration over time due to the exposure to extreme temperature changes, water, and weather elements like wind. Various types of deterioration can occur to the balustrade. This can include pieces falling off the rail, base rail, and/or spindles. There can be deterioration as small as a chip to as large as an entire piece coming loose.

Because a balustrade has the practical application of serving as a safety feature, any deterioration can compromise the ability of the balustrade to provide that safety. This could then lead to accidents that a building owner does not want to face. There is, of course, the fact that the deterioration can also take away from the building’s overall beauty. Either way, the balustrading may need to undergo a restoration process.

Restoring a Balustrade with TerraGlas

As an alternative to traditional terra cotta, TerraGlas can be an effective solution for a balustrade restoration project.  The benefits include a lighter weight material that does not compromise on strength and durability. In fact, TerraGlas has been tested and found to withstand the weather and temperature elements, delivering greater reliability and safety over the long term. At the same time, the lightweight qualities of the material mean less pressure is put on the building load and the installation process is easier.

As with all terra cotta elements, the deterioration can make the restoration process difficult due to trying to match the original color, pattern, or detailing. However, TerraGlas is a versatile material that can be used to recreate the existing elements of the balustrade where there is no discernable difference between old and new components.  The TerraGlas team has worked for years on the system to recreate the right color, pattern, texture and detail to facilitate the restoration process for all types of terra cotta elements, including balustrades.

Replacing a Balustrade with TerraGlas

Stromberg Architectural Products and TerraGlas have the solution you need for your balustrade restoration project. Contact our team now to learn more or get a free estimate.  Our team of experts is available at 903.454.0904 or through email at: [email protected].