Stainless Steel Railings in Kenya: Grade Matters More Than Finish
from KES 4,000 / metre
Stainless steel does rust, in the wrong grade
The commonest complaint we hear about stainless railings is that they have developed brown staining. Almost always that is grade 201 sold as stainless, or grade 304 used somewhere it should not have been.
- 304 is the general-purpose grade. Fine indoors and in most Nairobi outdoor situations.
- 316 contains molybdenum and resists chlorides. It is what belongs near a swimming pool, and anywhere coastal.
- 201 is cheaper, magnetic, and will stain. It is widely sold in Kenya as stainless steel and it is the reason so many installations look poor within a year.
Ask which grade you are being quoted. If nobody can tell you, that is the answer.
Fabricated, not assembled
A great deal of what is sold as stainless balustrade in Nairobi is imported kit, pre-made posts and fittings bolted together on site. It goes up fast, it is cheap, and every joint is a place where movement and staining begin.
We weld, grind and polish the joints so the assembly reads as one piece. It takes longer and it is the difference between a balustrade that looks made and one that looks bought.
Rates
KES 4,000 – 9,000 per metre installed, depending on grade, tube diameter, infill and the number of posts the run needs.
Finish
Brushed satin is standard and hides fingerprints and minor marks far better than mirror polish. Mirror looks spectacular for about a week in a house with children.
We will fit either, having said that.
See what railings cost, or the areas we cover.