| Home | Balustrades | Columns | Surrounds | Gallery | Questions and Answers | Colors | Contact Us | |
Questions & Answers
Q. Will my deck require steel to support your stone balustrade, like it would if it were concrete balustrade?
A. At ¼ the weight you can place our synthetic stone on sized dimensional lumber, no steel required.
Q. Will the texture of your stone balustrade have the look & feel of real stone?
A. We sandblast a texture onto our stone material, giving it the appearance & feel of real stone.
Q. What if your stone finish becomes weathered after a 20 yr period, what can be done?
A. You can re-sandblast it and return it to its original look. Local companies that strip paint off old buildings can do this; it is a very simple process. Since the color is throughout, this process removes the top 32nd of an inch of weathered material, leaving you with a brand new surface.
Q. Do you ever have to paint your synthetic stone balustrade or columns?
A. No, the color is throughout the product, the 5 colors available are, white, beige, limestone, sandstone & gray. If we do not have the color you desire, you can paint this product and still have the texture of the stone showing through.
Q. What is the product made from?
A. It is made out of polyester resin & real crushed limestone; you can actually see the limestone in the finished product.
Q. Do you have a more competitive paint line that will compete with a polyurethane system?
A. We offer a smooth fiberglass paint line; it is 20% less in cost than our stone rail. This is an extremely ridged material with the same strength as our stone railing, unlike a polyurethane balustrade system.
Q. Compared to a concrete balustrade system, does your product have to be installed by masons and will it take the same time?
A. You can install our product in ¼ the time, it is installed by carpenters with wood working tools saving time & money.
Q. What if something gets chipped or damaged after it is installed, what can be done?
A. We can send the same material to repair whatever has been damaged, the bond will be permanent, and there will be a slight difference in color & texture.
Q. Will mold grow on this product like a concrete system & will insects infest.
A. This product is mold & insect resistant, this product will not rot.
Q. What is the maximum length we can order your rails
A. (The B-system 24feet long) (The C-system 18’ feet long)
Q. What is the weight of the two balustrade systems & columns?
A. Top & bottom rails with balusters per lineal foot (B=58lbs) (C=80lbs)
Columns (10x10’=150lbs) (12”x10’=225lbs) (14”x10’=315lbs) (20”x20’=1050lbs)
Q. What do you use to cut the material?
A. You can use a standard Skil saw with a masonry blade to cut our rails & columns; a 12” miter saw will cut our balusters. A belt sander will clean the cuts up to perfection.
Q. How do the balusters attach to the rails?
A. Use PL-polyurethane adhesive available in caulking tubes, they can be purchased at Lowes home centers.
Q. How do you attach the rails to the newels or columns?
A. Use standard masonry screws, the product will hold a screw better than wood.
Q. Are your columns load bearing?
A. We had our 12” x 12’ columns tested, it failed at 55,000lbs with a 2.5 safety factor, and the column can bear 15000lbs.
Q. Can you do curved rails for landings and stairs?
A. The tightest radius we can do for either is 6 foot, which would make a complete 12’ circle.
Q. Have you had structural testing done on your rails?
A. We can provide you with a stamped engineers report for our 12’ B-system that met all ICC requirements for loads.
Q. Will your product expand and contract with the weather changes?
A. Our product will but it is very minimal, we sell a color matched rubber caulking that you use at each rail intersection to newels as well as the tops of all balusters. This caulk is very flexible and will not crack like silicone.
Q. Can you clean this product?
A. We recommend adding dawn dish soap in a pale of water, use either a stiff brush or a scouring pad, scrub and spray off with a garden hose.