Hollow vs. Solid Iron Balusters

Hollow vs. Solid Iron Balusters – Strength

Solid vs. Hollow Iron Balusters

What is the difference between hollow and solid wrought iron balusters? This is probably one of the most, if not the most asked question I receive about our products.

In terms of strength, both hollow and solid pass the strength testing required by building codes. The hollow is actually made out of a higher grade steel than the solid which allows it to remain strong. Your railing system will be just as strong using hollow as it would be using solid. There will be no difference in swaying, dipping or support in general.

Hollow vs. Solid Iron Balusters – Visuals

Visually there are minor differences in the two products. The solid balusters have sharper corners (on the square products) and the hollow have a slightly more rounded corner. See the photo below as an example. The difference in corners only applies to the square balusters. Round balusters all look the same and you can easily mix hollow and solid without any visual difference.

Some finishes, such as oil rubbed bronze & copper vein, are thick enough that you could easily mix the two styles and never notice (although we suggest you always stay with one type of baluster and stick with it.) We use the same measurements on all hollow and solid. Every dimension from the bars to the twists will be the exact same.  The only real visual difference is the corners on the square balusters.

Hollow s. Solid Iron Balusters – Price & Installation

Because hollow iron balusters use less materials, the cost per baluster is less than solid by an average of $1.00 per baluster. If you have a fairly large staircase and need over 100 balusters, I would always suggest buying the hollow and saving money on the cost of parts. In addition to being cheaper in price, they are also cheaper to ship! The average weight on a solid baluster is 3 pounds where a hollow baluster is half of that. You can save almost half the price on shipping just by switching to hollow!

The installation method is the same on both hollow and solid, except that some people prefer the hollow as it is lighter and easier to handle and easier to cut. But with an experienced stair installer, installing solid or hollow would take the same amount of time.

Hollow Iron Baluster Photo

Google+
Hollow vs. Solid Iron Balusters