June 2008

The latest development in Glass Railing technology, the Wagner PanelGrip™ facilitates the quick assembly of structural glass railing -- without messy fillers or special tools -- with significant savings in labor and shipping costs.

PanelGrip™ -- patent pending -- utilizes a unique, light-weight shoe moulding design with a mechanical locking mechanism that simplifies the process of glass railing installation. The system exceeds structural code requirements and has been extensively tested per ASTM E935, Standard Test Methods for Performance of Permanent Railing Systems and Rails for Buildings.

Wagner expects to have sufficient product available for sale sometime in July. However, samples are available and will shipped upon request. If you would like a sample of Wagner's PanelGrip™ assembly, contact Wagner.

The demand for metals remains high and the costs continue to rise with the demand. Since January, Stainless steel has gone up 11%, aluminum is up 13%, bronze is up 18% and steel has gone up a whopping 54%.

Despite this, Wagner is being selective in implementing price increases -- in particular with Wagner standard products. Any price change will be solely based on the increase in cost in the metal content of a part.

However, please be aware of the current market conditions and note that a quote from Wagner does not hold the material for your order. The quoted price, material availability and lead time will be updated when your order is placed.

Required clearance between a handrail and other building elements continues to confound and confuse. Here's a quick review of where present codes now stand.

The 1992 Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) stated that there was to be an absolute dimension of 1-1/2" between a handrail and a wall. This was actually a "grab bar" dimension which was part of an old version of ANSI A117.1. It's purpose was to avoid someone from getting caught between the wall and the handrail. ANSI changed the notation to 1-1/2" minimum in 1990.

This was not the case with ADAAG which took 12 years to be updated. The 2004 ADAAG -- presently still making its way through the Federal approval process -- now requires a 1-1/2" minimum, as does the ICC, IRC and ANSI A117.1. Though the original ADAAG is still being applied across the country, the Access Board's position is that the new ADAAG reflects their response to questions regarding accessibility and should supercede the 1992 guidelines.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) however is not on the same page with their requirements. Originally created as part of their building code -- NFPA 5000 -- but now included in NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, the NFPA requires a 2-1/4" clearance between the wall and the handrail. This may result in a railing that will be passed by the building inspector but is not accepted by the fire inspector.

Codes also generally require that there be a 1-1/2" clearance between the underside of the handrail and any obstruction -- including the horizontal bracket arm. There is an allowance however for variations in the handrail size -- for every 1/2" of additional perimeter dimension over 4", you may subtract 1/8" from the clearance requirement. For example:

As always, we strongly recommend that you confirm all code issues with your local officials prior to specifying.