Build your own balcony railing

Build your own balcony railing - suggestions and tips for your project

Are you planning to equip your balcony with a new railing and are considering building it yourself? We'll explain the legal aspects you need to consider beforehand, the costs involved, and when it's more advisable to choose a ready-made kit rather than building it yourself.

The railing: Safety and decoration for your balcony

A balcony is only complete with a suitable railing. First and foremost, a balcony railing is responsible for safety, ensuring there is no risk of falling when stepping onto the balcony. At the same time, it also serves as a screen against prying eyes.

To our privacy screen sets

Furthermore, a railing also serves a decorative purpose and contributes significantly to the overall aesthetic appearance of your house or apartment. While a wooden balcony railing looks rustic and cozy, a wrought iron metal railing adds a romantic and elegant touch to your balcony. Aluminum railings, especially in combination with glass elements, appear very modern and puristic.

Male craftsman assembles metal railing posts

©rh2010/ AdobeStock: Craftsman assembles metal railing posts

Regardless of which material you choose for your balcony railing, you should consider a few important things before starting your DIY railing project.

Safety for your DIY balcony railing

The general rule is: Every balcony is subject to A building permit is required, which you must obtain in advance. Regardless of this, even if you're "just" a hobbyist, you can consider your balcony railing a DIY project and build and install it yourself. However, safety is paramount, as you are responsible for your own safety when building your balcony railing yourself. It's better to plan the construction project in too much detail than too little – especially if you have children and pets in your household, who are particularly dependent on a stable and correctly installed balcony railing.

Balcony surrounded by a metal railing with two chairs and various potted plants.

©Iriana Shiyan/ AdobeStock: Balcony with metal railing

You should also familiarize yourself with the applicable building regulations beforehand, which vary from state to state. This way, you can avoid legal problems right from the start.

Before you can start your DIY balcony railing project, check the following points:

Structural engineer	Consult a structural engineer or architect
State building regulations	Check the applicable State Building Code
Building Permit	Obtain a building permit
Building Inspection	An official building inspection may be required.

Height: How high does the balcony railing need to be?

There are clear regulations regarding railing height that you must observe. State building regulations specify a minimum height of between 90 cm and 110 cm. The height is generally measured from the floor slab. The exact specifications vary from state to state. To be absolutely certain, check the building regulations applicable to you or your state.

Spacing of the bars – to protect children

The spacing between the individual bars is also important to consider. To protect small children, a maximum spacing of 12 centimeters is specified. Some state building regulations also stipulate that horizontal railings are not permitted, as they could be used by children as ladders and thus pose a hazard.

In general, if a walkable surface is more than one meter above ground level, a railing is required for safety reasons. As a rule of thumb, you can remember that if the height is more than five steps, a railing is necessary. This also applies to terraces, loggias, entrance platforms, and even garage roofs, provided they are accessible.

Railing is attached to the balcony with special posts

©KPixMining/ AdobeStock: Craftsman tightens screws on railing posts

Static calculations – weight and loads are crucial
If you're building a balcony railing yourself, you need to calculate not only the height but also the static calculations. These calculations are based on the weight of the railing itself and the projected load the railing is intended to bear – for example, flower boxes, people leaning on it, and also the pressure of wind and storms.
To determine the correct value, it's best to consult a structural engineer who can calculate the load according to DIN standard 1055. Based on this, the profile cross-sections of your railing and post spacing can then be determined.

After you have calculated the height and structural strength of your future railing, it's time to consider the material. Rustic wood, modern stainless steel, or elegant wrought iron – the options are endless, and all materials have their own unique appeal.

Build your own metal balcony railing – modern and clean

Metal balcony railings have the great advantage of being virtually indestructible. Moisture, cold, and dirt have virtually no effect on the durable material. Furthermore, a metal railing looks very modern and fits perfectly with puristic new buildings.

Building a stainless steel railing or a metal balcony railing yourself requires craftsmanship, as it involves welding and grinding. For a simple and relatively inexpensive metal balcony railing, it's best to choose square tubing, which you can find at any well-stocked hardware store.
Pipes are suitable as handrails because of their ergonomic shape and their rounded shape, which also makes them suitable for hanging flower boxes later on.

In the following video, you'll find tips for building a stainless steel railing yourself, especially for welding it:

Building a wooden balcony railing yourself – a rustic classic

A wooden balcony railing is one of the timeless evergreens for balcony safety and impresses with its rustic charm. Wood is an uncomplicated building material, and even a simple balcony railing can be installed with little manual skill.

Woman standing at the railing of a wooden balcony talking on the phone

©Comeback Images/ AdobeStock: Woman talking on the phone

The first question is the choice of material. The following wood species are well suited because they are relatively resistant to weather influences:

Douglas fir
Larch
Beech
Oak

You can purchase pre-cut individual components such as balcony boards, handrails, brackets, and decorative panels from specialist retailers, unless you want a ready-made kit.

The right protection is crucial for the weather resistance of your wooden railing. You can protect the wood sustainably with impregnating varnishes and topcoats.

The Costs: What You Need to Consider When Building a DIY Railing

Building a balcony railing yourself is, on the one hand, a time-consuming project. Plan on several days or weeks until the railing is fully functional and adorns your balcony.

Secondly, you should calculate the material costs in advance. Depending on the size of your balcony and the choice of material, this can easily add up to several hundred euros. A wooden balcony railing will be cheaper than one made of stainless steel or metal – at least if you don't want to build a wooden railing made of wild service tree or bog oak. Screws, nails, nuts, etc. will also need to be purchased, as well as additional special tools.

If you want to build your new railing more cost-effectively, a ready-made kit is certainly a good option. While this largely eliminates the fun of handcrafting, you can rest assured that the costs will remain manageable and only be incurred once.

Buy wrought iron balcony railings as a kit – customized and perfectly tailored

Especially if you want an elaborate wrought iron railing for your balcony, a ready-made kit is the ideal choice. Professional and specialized suppliers of metal railings offer to manufacture kits tailored to your needs and deliver them directly to your home.

Wrought iron balcony railing with wooden posts

©ELEO Express: Metal railing "Bologna"

Even if you choose a ready-made kit, you still have creative freedom. On ELEO Express, for example, you can freely configure the type of coating that complies with DIN standards and specify the desired dimensions online, in addition to a wide range of modern and delicately romantic balcony railings. This way, you get a custom railing that you can assemble yourself – and at the same time, you save yourself the potentially unforeseeable costs that can quickly arise with a DIY railing.