How to Sanitize Railings in Your Business: Part 2

Webmaster November 30, 2020

If you have a business or office that’s running during COVID-19, you might be wondering how best to clean your railings. As railings are one of the most frequently touched parts of a building’s structure, they can be the most deadly. While touching other surfaces can be easily avoided, railings are imperative for safety. Therefore, we must sanitize railings to allow for use without risk of spread.

If you haven’t read part 1, you’ll want to take a peek there first. In part 1, we covered why soap is effective in killing COVID-19 as well as how to clean steel railings. Here, we’ll talk about some other types of railings.

Glass Railings

Because glass railings are made with such a simple material, the method to cleaning them is equally simple. Simply fill a bucket with hot, soapy water and wash them down with a rag. It is highly recommended to wear rubber gloves during this process to minimize any potential contact with COVID-19.

When you’ve washed down the entire surface with soapy water, you’ll need to go over it again with plain water to remove soap and “dead” COVID-19. While the virus does get neutralized by soap, it’s still better for everyone’s peace in mind for it to be washed away entirely. Indoors, using a fresh rag and bucket of clear water will do. Outdoors, using a hose to spray down the soapy railings is just as effective, and much easier.

After the railings have been sanitized, you can go over them again with glass cleaner to remove streaks, if desired. It is recommended that, if your business or office is busy throughout the day, that an employee sprays the glass railings with alcohol and wipes them down multiple times during business hours.

Iron Railings

Where things get a little less simple is with iron railings. Both wrought iron and cast iron railings are much more prone to rusting. Plus, repeated wipe-downs can damage the coating. If cleaning your iron railings has damaged them, give us a call and we can help you restore them to their usual quality.

In order to work around the fragility of iron in relation to water and scrubbing, we have to get creative. There is always the option to let them get damaged and worry about renewing them when the pandemic has cleared up, but that’s not the only option.

Covering Railings

While creativity can lead to all kinds of solutions. However, one of the easiest and most hassle-free solutions to protecting iron railings during the pandemic is by covering them. That’s right – you can just cover them in sheet plastic. It isn’t very attractive – certainly not as attractive as the iron railings themselves – but it is effective.

To cover your iron railings, saving them from copious amounts of cleaning, buy some sheet plastic. You can get these from the local hardware store. Then, attach the edge of the plastic to the top or bottom railing with some simple Scotch or masking tape. Wrap the roll over and under the railing a few times, working your way down the railing until you hit a support pole. Then, repeat on the next section of railing.

When you’re through with this process, you’ll want to line your railing with a strip of plastic along the top. This will cover any seams in the wrapped plastic and allow for easy washing without water seeping through the cracks and then rusting the iron beneath. If you can wrap the railings somewhat neatly, this method doesn’t even look all that terrible. Times are a bit weird at the moment. Protecting your iron from damage certainly isn’t the weirdest thing your clients will see the day they visit.

Give us a call at Pro Weld if you need help protecting, repairing, or replacing railings. We’ve got years of experience caring for railings. We’re happy to pass any information we can along to our clients. Stay safe!

How to Sanitize Railings in Your Business: Part 1

Webmaster November 30, 2020

In the midst of a pandemic, to sanitize railings in public places is more important than ever. While copper doorknobs may self sanitize, iron and steel have no such power. The question is, how do you properly clean your railings? Are there special rules to account for? How do you know if you’ll end up damaging your railings? Pro Weld has put together a short how-to for all of our business owner clients looking to protect themselves and their customers. Let’s check it out.

The Effect of Soap

The first thing to note about COVID-19 is that is can be killed with soap. Any soap. A common misconception is that you must use antibacterial soap to kill the coronavirus. This is completely false! COVID-19 is not a bacteria; it’s a virus! The two things are easy to categorize under the ‘germ’ category in your mind, but they’re very different and are effected by different things. Therefore, antibacterial soap is no better or worse than any other.

The way soap kills COVID-19 is by dissolving the lipids holding it together. Because a virus isn’t a living, breathing organism the same way you and I are, it works a bit differently. Suffice to say, soap deactivates it completely and washes it away.

Steel Railings

Now that we have some basics down for fighting a the coronavirus, let’s talk cleaning railings. Steel railings are some of the most common in public spaces. Fortunately, these are also some of the easiest to clean. Simply using soap and water is sufficient for sanitizing them.

Indoor

For indoor, steel railings, after closing time, use a bucket of hot, soapy water and a cloth. Wash down railings throughout the building. Follow the soapy washdown with a plain water washdown to remove soap.

Washing down the vertical railings is recommended for maximum safety. However, if your business or office doesn’t get much traffic, just washing down the top railing may be sufficient. However, if you ever have small children in the building, you’ll want to wash the vertical railings no matter how popular your business is. Small hands can quickly go from a vertical, support railing and then directly into the mouth, making even support railings dangerous.

If your business or office has moderate to heavy traffic, it is highly recommended that an employee use a spray bottle of alcohol along with a rag to wipe down railings during business hours. This will minimize spread and ensure that, during the many hours your business or office is open, nothing will transfer from your railings.

Outdoor

Outdoor steel railings are even easier. This is because you have the benefit of running water outdoors. After doing your soapy washdown, you can simply use a hose to spray soap off of the railings. If you don’t have a hose, using a bucket and slowly pouring water out as you move along the railing can still be much easier than manually wiping each surface a second time.

Sanitize Railings of Other Kinds

If you don’t have steel railings to protect from COVID-19 transfer, you’ll want to check out part 2. There, we’ll talk about how to sanitize railings of other materials. If you’d rather speak to a Pro Weld professional, give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

What’s the Difference Between Wrought Iron and Cast Iron?

Webmaster October 31, 2020

For many people, the difference between wrought iron and cast iron is somewhat of a mystery. After all, they’re both made of iron and they’re both black. From there, the differences must be few, right? Well, not entirely. There are actually some pretty notable differences between the two, primarily in their uses.

What Is Wrought Iron?

Let’s start with wrought iron. What, exactly, is wrought iron? Let’s start with the name. Wrought means it is worked. Wrought iron products start as a solid piece of iron and are then worked, with heat and a hammer, into the final product.

The reason why wrought iron is so sought-after is because of its strength and ability to hold coatings. Because the iron has been worked over and over again, it has a lot of strength. There’s less carbon, overall, which means the ending piece of iron is more solidly, well, together. Carbon leaves weak points in the metal, making each tiny bit of iron that much less adhered to the next. Without as much carbon, wrought iron comes out the strongest of the two.

Plus, because wrought iron is so much stronger than cast iron, it can be formed into smaller and more delicate parts without breaking. That makes it ideal for intricate and beautiful railing designs from Pro Weld.

What Are the Cons?

While wrought iron sounds pretty good right now, there is one con. The primary con of wrought iron is that it’s very labor intensive. That makes it a great investment if you’re looking to spent a solid chunk of change. However, you do tend to get what you pay for. If you’re looking for long-lasting, beautiful railings, wrought iron is a fantastic choice.

What is Cast Iron?

Once again, let’s start with the name. Anything that is cast is something that’s made with a once-liquid material, poured into a mold. In this case, that material is molten iron. The cast sits and cools and what remains is a beautiful cast iron railing.

While wrought iron is stronger and less brittle, it can bend and is, overall, softer. Cast iron has the benefit of being harder. However, with this hardness comes a more brittle product. If you’re looking for railings that are primarily for show and are unlikely to see any impact in their lifetime, cast iron may be the better, more affordable option.

What Are the Cons?

As mentioned before, cast iron does come with the con of being more brittle. This makes it less impact resistant. Instead of bending at the point of impact, it will break instead. Breaks in cast iron can be mended with welding, though the resulting product will be weak at the mended point.

Cast iron is primarily used for cookware because it distributes heat very evenly and it a nice, hard material. However, if you’ve ever owned a cast iron pan, you know that cast iron must be seasoned or it will rust.

Cast iron does not hold coatings very well. That means cast iron railings will need more frequent upkeep or risk losing some of their attractive quality.

Give us a call if you’re in the market for iron railings and need help planning your order. Our professionals at Pro Weld look forward to helping you.

Loft Railings for Your Home or Office

Webmaster October 31, 2020

Got a loft in your home or business? The most important part of having a loft, of course, is the safety of its railing. Having a loft that overlooks the first floor of a building gives an incredible view. However, that view is not always the same quality when looking up from the floor below. If you want your loft to look as good from the first floor as its view does from the second, you need quality loft railings. Here’s how Pro Weld can help.

Beautiful Iron Loft Railings

One of our most popular products is our selection of iron railings. Not only do we offer wrought iron railings, we also offer cast iron railings. Both of these iron railing choices are great for loft railings.

What makes our iron railings such a hit with loft owners is the beautiful designs we can create our of iron. If you enjoy art nouveau we have a large selection of designs that we use regularly. Or, if you want your home to be one-of-a-kind, you can also bring us an original design, which we will be happy to make into a reality. If simplicity is more your style, we can do away with the art nouveau and focus, instead, on beautiful, simple designs. Our more simple designs are perfect for accentuating rather than distracting from the elements of the home that you find more important.

Sleek Glass Railings

While iron railings are a kind of art in and of themselves, glass railings are the perfect choice for anyone who wants to enjoy the view from the loft. Glass loft railings allow you to see clear to the bottom floor without having to approach and look over a set of railings that otherwise impede your view.

Glass loft railings are great for businesses with large, sprawling floors. They maintain the open concept design of the building’s interior, whereas metal railings may make things feel closed off.

Plus, glass railings offer unique decorating opportunities. Drawings, artworks, photos, string lights, and garlands can be attached to glass railings very easily. Decorations can be seen from both sides while visuals can be taped on for an impermanent improvement.

Professional Steel Railings

If you want your interior to look a mix between sleekness and professionalism, steel railings are right for you. These railings have a more stern look to them than their iron or glass counterparts. However, they also have a lighter color, which makes them a good choice for lighter-toned interior design.

Steel railings go great with light-colored tile, pale, hardwood flooring, fluorescent lights, and lots of windows. Together, steel loft railings and these other elements provide a cohesive and airy aesthetic.

Buy Pro Weld

If you’re ready to buy some quality railings for your loft, you know where to go. Pro Weld is the most trusted railing design company in Toronto. Let us know if you have questions about our products or how to order. We look forward to serving you.

Steel Railing Styles for Your Home or Business

Webmaster September 30, 2020

If you have stairs, a walkway, or a porch on your home or business, you may be looking for some railings to provide safety and meet with building codes. Pro Weld is the #1 railing company in Toronto. We specialize in wrought iron, cast iron, and stainless steel. Today, we want to tell you about some amazing steel railing styles that would look great inside or outside your home or business.

Vertical Bars

One of the most classic steel railing styles and a great choice for walkway railings for a business are steel railings with vertical bars. Close-set vertical bars are an effective way to keep things divided. These are great for lining walkways beside grass that you’d like to keep intact. Keeping people from moving off the path will protect it from getting trampled on and destroyed with time.

Plus, these close-set bars are great at making an effective barrier. They make it nigh impossible for dogs or small children to crawl under bars to the other side while their guardian struggles to get them back. This is a bonus for all involved.

Glass and Steel

Another of the popular steel railing styles is the glass and steel hybrid railing. These railings are made up of a steel frame with a glass panel in the middle. This style is especially good inside chic businesses like malls, boutiques, and any two-story shop. They provide a high measure of safety for second floors as well as promote visibility.

Railings without glass – those with bars instead – make visibility between the first and second floor quite difficult. Trying to look between the bars leaves you with an interrupted view. The only way to remedy this is by going all the way up to the railing to look over the top. With glass and steel railings, you can look directly through the glass without needing to approach. Plus, the glass and steel look just amazing together. They’re both light and somewhat reflective in appearance.

Spaced Out

Last but not least, we have more spaced out steel railings. These are great for safety in places where small children are unlikely to be left unattended or where height is a non-issue. These steel railings come with the top railing as well as some spaced out bars for attaching said railing to the ground, floor, or stairs. The primary purpose of this style is to provide a railing to grip.

This style is most commonly seen up the middle of an outdoor stairway or alongside an indoor stairway. However, this style is also seen along boardwalks, outdoor walkways, and at the edge of small ridges. They work well to keep people from climbing down them rather than use an existing stairway.

Hire Pro Weld

If you’re in the market for railings of any type, Pro Weld is exactly the team you need. We’ve been crafting beautiful, iron and steel railings for the people of Toronto for 30 years. When you’re ready to order some new railings, we look forward to doing the same for you. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Iron Railing Repair Services in Toronto

Webmaster September 30, 2020

Do you have wrought iron or cast iron railings in your home or business? If you’ve had your iron railings for a while, you might notice that they can get pretty beat up. This is especially true of more intricate designs. You might think iron railings can withstand anything, but a car backing into one is not going to end well for it. Here’s how Pro Weld can help you with our iron railing repair services.

Mobile Welding

The first thing to note is that Pro Weld offers mobile welding. This service can be used for anything from assisting with machine construction to repairing railings. If the break in your railing is due to two iron pieces coming apart or one splitting, we can repair it with mobile welding. We’ll take our services directly to you and have your railing repaired in no time.

Our mobile welding is most effective for railing repair services if the damage is minimal. However, damage is not always as simple as welding some pieces back together.

Railing Repair Services

If your railing damage is a bit more extensive, we can take your railings with us to our shop and get to work on fixing them there. Some damage, like bent parts or broken-off supports, need more than just welding gear to fix. This is where more specialized machinery comes in.

We can have your iron railings repaired in no time. Before you know it, your railings will be back where they belong and looking better than ever.

Railing Replacement

If your railings are outdated and break with the slightest provocation, it might be time to replace them. Iron railings are not as sturdy as they look and feel when they’re brand new. They actually tend to lose their strength over the years – especially cast iron.

If you’re in the market for high quality railing replacements, we’re the team you’re looking for. With many years of experience serving Toronto customers like you, we’ve gotten great at serving up exactly what people are looking for.

If you want the old design back, we can mimic the railing design of the old railings. Or, if you want something a little different, we have a lot of other looks to offer you. Check out our gallery to see some of our work with iron railings. You can even order custom designs. We love a new custom design challenge and look forward to giving you what you’ve been imagining.

Hire Pro Weld

When you need a welding team to fix or create iron railings for you, Pro Weld is the obvious choice. We’ve been working out of Toronto for over 20 years. As a matter of fact, many of the metal railings you see throughout Toronto are our very own work. Let us serve you the way we’ve served countless others in the community. If you have questions or would like to plan a consultation, give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you!

Affordable, Attractive Outdoor Railings in Toronto

Webmaster August 31, 2020

Are you getting ready to install a balcony, deck, or a new stairway? No matter what your reason, if you need outdoor railings, Pro Weld is the place to go. Not only do we offer a variety of materials and styles, we also do custom work. Here’s how we can deliver you the high quality, outdoor railings in Toronto that you’ve been dreaming of.

Home or Business

Our railings aren’t just good for at home. The quality of our products means they’re the perfect addition to your business as well. Whether you’re looking to outfit a professional building or a personal one, we have what you need.

For more professional settings, consider something sleek and sturdy like our stainless steel railings. Looking for something more luxurious than sturdy? Glass railings are one of our hottest products. Plus, add a little more strength to your glass railings by choosing a design with a metal frame. This gives you the incredible visibility you’re after with the strength your clients need.

A Style for Everyone

So, you have very specific needs, do you? We know that everyone has different needs in railing designs. That’s why we don’t limit ourselves to one type of metal or one type of design. We have a large variety of designs and styles for you to choose from.

All metals react to weather differently. Choose from wrought iron, cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, and more. You can have exactly what you need when you order Pro Weld.

Plus, it’s not just our materials that are varied. We’ve been in the business for a long time. We have quite the repertoire of designs stacked up. Take a look through some of our existing designs and you’re sure to find many things that are right for you.

Custom Designs

If you really can’t find what you’re looking for, never fear. Pro Weld is made up of a team of professional welders and metalworkers. If you have a custom design in mind, we can give you something completely new and completely you. When you receive your order, your home or business will have the most beautiful, custom, outdoor railings in Toronto.

Affordable Outdoor Railings

If appearance is important to you but you’re working from a budget, you don’t need to worry. Pro Weld may be the best in the business, but we haven’t made our name by overcharging. Our railings are attractive and affordable. Get the best results for the price when you rely on us.

Let us know if you have questions about our products or services and we’ll be more than happy to help. We love getting to know our clients and building a lasting, business relationship with them. Just give us a call and that can be you!

Glass Railing Variations Available from Pro Weld

Webmaster August 31, 2020

If you’re in the market for some new railings in Toronto, you’ve come to the right place. Pro Weld is Toronto’s #1 railing production company. And, we’re not #1 without a reason. Our railings are quality, crafted in our shop especially for our clients. Today, we want to focus a bit on our high quality glass railing variations.

Variation Importance

Glass railings are great for a lot of settings, but what really makes it perfect is the glass railing variation you choose. There are a few different variations you can choose from, each with their own unique style. If your home or business has a specific design aesthetic you’re aiming for, matching your railings is important. Ensuring the design you choose matches the rest of the property can be the difference between railings that enhance or detract from the overall property appearance. So, without further ado, here are some of the glass railing variations we have to offer at Pro Weld in Toronto.

Frameless

One of our most sleek and popular designs is our frameless glass railing. These railings are held up only by the metal mounts, leaving the railings themselves completely transparent. This allows for a fantastic view, unobstructed by framework.

Some of the perks of a frameless glass railing are:

There’s hot metal railing frame in the summertime
No obstruction in your view
And, no risk of rust or weathering of metal

If you’re looking to have Pro Weld’s glass railings installed along the perimeter of your deck or balcony, frameless is a choice you won’t regret.

Panel Connectors

Want most of the visibility that comes with a frameless glass railing with a little more support? Adding metal connectors between the vertical edges of each pane will add just that. These connectors will make each pane sturdier, relying, as well, on the strength of the adjoining panes, instead of just its own strength.

Steel Frame

Looking for something a little sturdier? If you want a glass railing that’s better at handling traffic and those seeking some support, a steel frame is just the choice for you. Steel-framed glass railings put less pressure on the glass panes, making them less likely to break under a lot of force. All of the pressure is, instead, put on the metal frame.

Stainless steel is a fantastic look for more industrial interiors, exteriors with a lighter aesthetic, or for surrounding pools. The light color of the steel compliments the light, metallic nature of these styles.

Iron Frame

If you want something a bit more bold, try going for the iron frame. Our iron-framed glass railing variations have a black, iron frame. The black of the iron frame goes really well inside or outside of brick buildings. It also suits contemporary design. While frames leave a little less visibility, it adds so much more that it’s hard to resist.

Hire Pro Weld

If you’re in the toronto area and looking for quality railings, you know we’re the best in the business. Put your money in a company you can trust to deliver high quality results. If you’re not happy with the product you receive, you can be sure we won’t make you settle for less than expected. Give us a call if you have questions and we’ll be happy to help you out.

Fun Perks to Glass Railings in Your Home

Webmaster July 31, 2020

There’s a surprising number of people that don’t know you can have glass railings in your home. These are either frameless of have a metal frame that the glass panes attach to. While these beautiful railings have merit all in their appearance, we want to talk about some fun perks to glass railings as well. Here are some ways glass railings can improve your life that you might not have thought of.

Visibility

The first and most obvious of the perks to glass railings is that they promote visibility. For homes with lofted second floors or stairways that are directly beside the living room, this is fantastic. Railings with bars or other such barriers make it hard to see from one side to the other.

From a loft, you can only get a clear view of the first floor by completely approaching the railing. Forget sitting in an armchair and looking down. All you’ll see are railing bars. With glass, this is no problem.

Decals and Decorating

This is especially valuable if you have kids in your home. You know those plastic decals you can stick to the window for holidays? In the winter it might be snowflakes, snowmen, Christmas trees, or any number of other things. In autumn, it might be pumpkins, spiders, witches, or colorful leaves. No matter what your subject of choice is, you can now bring this tradition further indoors. Glass railings are the perfect place to stick these decals, giving a little festive spirit to the inside of your house.

Don’t stop there! Decals aren’t the only holiday decorations that can adorn your glass railings. You can also dress them with garlands or lights. Plus, because they’re glass and can be easily washed off, you can even use paint pens on them. You know, the ones people use to write, “Class of 2020,” or, “Just Married,” on their car windows. Bring the celebration inside the home by decorating your glass railings however you like.

Display Things

While this isn’t as refined as garlands and lights, you can also decorate your railings with photos or children’s artwork. While tape residue may take a little elbow grease or specialized cleaner to get off, it’s very effective. By placing a photo, face out, against the back side of the glass, you’ve turned your glass railings into a picture frame. Do this with a lot of photos and you have a beautiful collage.

Document your kids’ childhood. Spread the love with pictures of you and the love of your life. Make your home your friends’ home by putting up photos of your years of adventures together. The possibilities are as vast as your own creativity.

Buy Quality Railings

No matter how you choose to enjoy your glass railings, you want to make sure they last. Therefore, buy the best quality glass railings in Toronto by shopping Pro Weld. Our glass railings will outlast years of celebration, tape, decals, and little ones pressing their noses to the glass. They’re made with safety and durability as the top priority.

Give us a call if you want to talk railings and we’ll be more than happy to help.

Apartment Balcony Railings that Attract Tenants

Webmaster July 31, 2020

Whether you’ve owned a complex for a long time or are taking ownership from someone else, it’s never too later to improve what’s there. Today, Pro Weld wants to talk about apartment balcony railings that will help you to attract more tenants.

Wrought Iron Railings

One of Pro Weld’s specialties is wrought iron railings. These are the railings we want to talk about today. Wrought iron railings are great because they can be done in so many different ways. You can have iron railings with straight bars, you an have art nouveau, or you can try something unique, like a crest. Because iron can be made into just about anything, wrought iron railings are endlessly customizable.

The Appeal

While the ability to customize wrought iron railings is one benefit, the appeal to tenants and potential tenants is the aesthetic. Especially when paired with brick buildings, the sharp, black appearance of wrought iron is quite an attractive look. They appear sturdy, durable, and trustworthy. However, even with how strong they are, they still exude an elegance that plain, wooden railings just can’t provide.

As far as curb appeal, these railings are really a hit. If you’ve ever passed by a brick building with wrought iron balcony railings, you know how it tends to draw the eye. The combination is stark, beautiful, and stands out from the slew of buildings with less than exciting wooden railings.

However, curb appeal isn’t everything. There’s also the matter of how they are to live with. If the right design is chosen, wrought iron railings should be as effective, and more attractive than the alternatives. A tenant favorite is keeping a balcony garden and allowing the greenery to grow along the balcony railings. Combining wrought iron with the exuberance of a garden is really something.

The Benefits

The benefits of having wrought iron railings aren’t just for the tenants. Because using wrought iron for apartment balcony railings improves the appearance, they also improve the value. So long as the interior of your apartments are kept functional and reasonably attractive, these railings can add to the rental price.

Plus, these railings don’t need much upkeep. Wooden railings can break easily. The bars of the railing can break just from an adult putting their weight on them. The top of the railing, if people regularly put weight on it, can come loose in just a few years, requiring repair. Wrought iron railings can withstand so much more. Their low upkeep requirements make them great for apartments.

Buy Pro Weld Railings

If you’re in the market for wrought iron railings in Toronto, come check out our work at Pro Weld. After all, we are the leading railing manufacturers in the GTA. Our crafted wrought iron railings are all over the city, improving every building they’re installed on. Let’s add yours to the list. Give us a call if you have any questions or want to discuss an order.

Blog

Glass Railings

Iron Railings

Covering Railings

The Effect of Soap

Steel Railings

Indoor

Outdoor

Sanitize Railings of Other Kinds

What Is Wrought Iron?

What Are the Cons?

What is Cast Iron?

What Are the Cons?

Beautiful Iron Loft Railings

Sleek Glass Railings

Professional Steel Railings

Buy Pro Weld

Vertical Bars

Glass and Steel

Spaced Out

Hire Pro Weld

Mobile Welding

Railing Repair Services

Railing Replacement

Hire Pro Weld

Home or Business

A Style for Everyone

Custom Designs

Affordable Outdoor Railings

Variation Importance

Frameless

Panel Connectors

Steel Frame

Iron Frame

Hire Pro Weld

Visibility

Decals and Decorating

Display Things

Buy Quality Railings

Wrought Iron Railings

The Appeal

The Benefits

Buy Pro Weld Railings

CONTACT US

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