Custom Metal Railings in New York

Expert Metal Railing Fabrication & Installation

Whether you need sleek, modern stainless steel cable railings for an outdoor roof deck or hand-forged wrought iron railings to preserve the historic character of a Brooklyn Heights townhouse, Urban Forge delivers unmatched architectural quality. We handle every step of the process—from engineering calculations and material selection to precision fabrication and white-glove installation. Our team works hand-in-hand with luxury architects, designers, and homebuilders to bring custom railing systems to life.

Our Custom Railing Profiles

We work with a wide range of structural and decorative alloys, tailoring the metallurgy to match your interior design scheme or outdoor exposure demands:

• Modern Cable Railing Systems: Utilizing marine-grade T316 stainless steel cable infills and slim steel posts for a minimalist look that preserves panoramic city and landscape views.
• Hand-Forged Wrought Iron: Forged by hand on traditional anvils. We create custom scrolls, pickets, collars, and finials that match the historical architectural contexts of brownstones and estates.
• Luxury Brass & Bronze: Living alloys polished to a mirror finish or treated with statuary chemical patinas. They naturally tarnish and develop rich character under high traffic.
• Industrial Steel & Pipe Railings: Heavy-duty profiles suited for commercial lofts, industrial fire escapes, and utilitarian spaces requiring structural resilience.

Strict NYC Building Code Compliance

Designing guardrails and handrails in New York City requires absolute familiarity with local building departments. Our engineering team ensures every project meets or exceeds the following safety codes:

1. Height Standards: Guardrails must stand at least 42 inches tall from the finished floor level, while handrails must be consistently mounted between 34 and 38 inches from the stair tread nosing.
2. The 4-Inch Sphere Rule: Pickets and cables must be tensioned and spaced close enough together so that a 4-inch diameter sphere cannot pass through any point of the infill, preventing safety hazards.
3. Structural Load Requirements: All guardrails must withstand a concentrated load of 200 pounds applied in any direction at the top rail, or a uniform load of 50 pounds per linear foot.

The Art of Surface Finishes

To ensure your custom railings remain beautiful for decades, we apply specialized coatings. For exterior railings exposed to rain and coastal environments, we execute a multi-step rust prevention treatment, including hot-dip galvanizing or zinc-rich primers, followed by high-durability electrostatic powder coating. For interior commissions, we specialize in oil-rubbed bronze finishes, hand-applied beeswax coatings, and unlacquered satins that preserve the metallic sheen.