If you are looking to redesign your home to give it a more open look or enjoy great views in your beach house, consider using cable railings. They give your home an aesthetic look, accessible space, safety, and a natural view of your surroundings. Cable railings are also becoming popular in businesses and recreational centers.
They are compatible with many building materials such as aluminum, wood, and stainless steel. They are also used in guard rail and staircase installations. However, contractors can face challenges during construction that then affects the inspection phase. Therefore, the strategies and solutions to prevent these problems can be most beneficial. Below are the common cable railing inspection issues and how to fix them – leading to more profitable and efficient installation.
Cable Railing Inspection Problems and their Solutions
Incorrect Dimensions
Dimensions based on estimates can lead to a failed inspection. Not to mention the additional job slowdowns, reorders, and re-adjustments. The most common issue with incorrect dimensions is the effect on cable tension. Often incorrect post spacing, cable spacing or height is the cause. For example, optimal measurements for the distance between posts and their height should correspond with actual dimensions and field conditions.
To avoid this challenge, it is important to have accurate dimensions before ordering your fittings and cables. This ensures that products are the right fit and prevents extra costs.
Structural Stability
The structural capacity of a cable railing is crucial to passing an inspection. However, this is not dependent on the size of the post alone. Different types and weights of railings are suited for different uses. It may be tempting to use fewer posts to create a certain look. But these can be costly to add in when needed to pass your inspection. Many cable railing posts can be a maximum of 4 feet apart, however, it is imperative you check local building codes beforehand.
Cable Spacing
It can be common to come across cable railings that droop between posts. This will lead to failure in the building inspection. Under various conditions, cables and materials perform differently. Some cable railings will stretch and sag over time resulting in code violations if they are not cared for.
It is important to understand the amount of tension experienced at the posts. Applying and understanding the appropriate installation for the top rail, intermediate, and end posts is critical. For guard rails, no opening should allow passageway of a 4-inch sphere. You should consider cable spacing of 3 inches on-center, include posts every 48 inches, and tension them properly. Stainless steel cables are available in various configurations and strand diameters, which may allow a considerable amount of stretch. Construct the posts to mount hardware and prevent deflection when tensioning cables.
Balancing aesthetic and load requirements
Many challenges appear when choosing a post design. You want your new railing to complete the building aesthetic, however you also need it to handle the tension. The ability of a properly-designed cable railing to bear loads starts with choosing a post design. Construction codes also require you to choose a post size according to what can tolerate the tension-related stress of the cables.
Select your posts keeping in mind their load-bearing ability and tensioning sequence as recommended by the manufacturer.
Bottom Line
Cable railings have become increasingly popular in opening up and creating aesthetics in homes and business institutions. However, the installation process is faced with various challenges, such as the structural inability of materials, which causes inspection issues. Solve these issues by following guidelines from the manufacturer on accurate dimensions to use and the kind of posts they require.
If you are looking to improve the look of your house or business, Atlantis Rail has easy to install cable railing systems. Made of stainless steel and aluminum, which require low maintenance. Call us on our toll-free number 1 (800) 541-6829 or contact us for more information.