RESIDENTIAL ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT · INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RAILINGS · FORT ERIE

Bilateral Handrails & Exterior Accessibility Railing in Fort Erie

At this Fort Erie home, we corrected the mounting of an existing handrail, added a rail on the opposite wall and fitted aluminum railing to the front steps. The work was part of an occupational therapist’s accessibility project.

Fort Erie, OntarioInterior handrail correction, bilateral stair support and exterior aluminum railing

Location: Fort Erie, Ontario
Property: Residential shoreline home
Project: OT-related interior and exterior accessibility railing modification
Existing handrail: Disassembled, mounting corrected, restored and reinstalled
Interior improvement: Second handrail added for bilateral support
Exterior improvement: Low-maintenance aluminum railing over the front steps
Approach: Practical support integrated with the existing home
PLANNING A RESIDENTIAL HANDRAIL MODIFICATION?

Project overview

Interior and exterior support

The interior stairs had a handrail on one side. We restored that rail, added support on the opposite wall and installed a new exterior rail along the front steps.

Completed Fort Erie interior staircase with restored existing handrail and an added opposite-side handrail providing bilateral support. — Inside, the completed staircase provides handrail support on both sides.

Completed aluminum accessibility railing over the front steps of the Fort Erie shoreline home. — Outside, new aluminum railing adds support across the front-step approach.

What we found during disassembly

Correcting the existing attachment

Taking the custom rail apart revealed unsuitable wall anchors. We replaced the attachment before restoring and reinstalling the rail.

Disassembled connection from the existing Fort Erie custom handrail during the mounting assessment. — We dismantled the existing handrail to inspect its connections and underlying attachment.

Existing handrail end and removed fasteners during the Fort Erie interior railing correction. — The handrail end and removed fasteners during assessment of the original mounting.

Restoring the retained handrail

Restoring the custom handrail

We kept the custom handrail and restored its finish after correcting the mounting. A second rail on the opposite wall gives the user support on either side of the flight.

Original Fort Erie staircase before handrail correction, restoration and installation of the opposite-side rail. — BEFORE - the original staircase had handrail support on one side.

Finished Fort Erie staircase with the restored existing custom handrail and new rail on the opposite wall. — AFTER - the restored custom handrail works with a new rail on the opposite wall.

Before and after · interior staircase

Handrails on both sides

The restored custom rail and the new opposite rail provide support on both sides of the flight.

Fort Erie staircase before the accessibility work, with handrail support on one side. — Before

Fort Erie staircase after the accessibility work, with the restored handrail and a new rail on the opposite wall. — Before

New opposite-side handrail mounted along the Fort Erie interior staircase for bilateral support. — The added wall-side handrail continues along the stair flight for support on both sides.

Before and after · exterior front steps

An exterior rail for the front steps

The front steps were open on one side. We fitted an aluminum rail from the lower approach to the existing porch-level guard.

Fort Erie shoreline home's front steps before the exterior aluminum accessibility railing was installed. — BeforeBEFORE - the open side of the front steps without the new aluminum railing.

Completed white aluminum railing installed over the Fort Erie home's exterior front steps. — BeforeBEFORE - the open side of the front steps without the new aluminum railing.

Shoreline property context

Aluminum for the shoreline setting

The new aluminum railing has a light finish that matches the existing porch rail. It continues down the front steps at the shoreline home.

Completed Fort Erie exterior railing with the Strataline work van and shoreline visible beside the home. — The completed entrance railing at the home's shoreline setting.

Wide completed aluminum railing and front entrance at the Fort Erie shoreline property. — The aluminum rail follows the front steps and joins the porch-level guard.

Finished result

Handrails inside and out

The finished interior retains the restored custom rail, now paired with a rail on the opposite wall. Outside, the new aluminum railing completes the route up the front steps.

Completed bilateral interior handrails at the Fort Erie residential accessibility project. — The finished interior provides visible handrail support on both sides of the staircase.

Completed exterior aluminum accessibility railing at the Fort Erie home's front entrance. — The completed exterior adds a low-maintenance rail along the front-step approach.

PROJECT GALLERY

Interior and exterior handrail work

Original Fort Erie interior staircase before the accessibility handrail work. — BEFORE - handrail support was available on one side of the staircase.

Disassembled handrail end and fasteners during the mounting correction. — PROCESS - the existing handrail connection and fasteners during the mounting correction.

Finished Fort Erie interior staircase with handrails on both sides. — AFTER - the restored rail and new opposite-side handrail provide bilateral support.

Exterior front steps before the aluminum accessibility railing installation. — BEFORE - one side of the exterior front steps was open.

Completed low-maintenance aluminum railing installed over the exterior front steps. — AFTER - the new aluminum railing follows the steps to the porch.

Completed exterior railing, Strataline company van and Fort Erie shoreline in one project-context view. — The completed exterior railing at the shoreline home.

CONTINUE EXPLORING

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Planning an interior or exterior handrail modification?

Send photographs of the steps and existing handrails, along with any recommendations from your occupational therapist. We’ll review the mounting, position and finish of the proposed rails.

Call or Text (416) 471-5999