What is a Railing?

A railing may pertain to a guard rail (a structure that prevents access to an area), a handrail (intended to offer support near or on a staircase), or a grab bar (a structure that provides support) in areas like a kitchen or bathroom.

Guard Rail

In its most basic form, a guard rail is a blockade or barrier made up of rails or a single rail, with vertical supports. The usual guard rail on a porch or inside a structure comes with a horizontal rail that is about waist-high and provides a safety barrier to prevent falls from the edge of vertical drips. A guard rail can also be used to mark a boundary and prevent access to off-limits or dangerous areas. At the same time, it allows light and visibility to passing through as compared to a wall.

Handrail

A handrail, as its name suggests, is intended to be grasped to provide support or stability. Handrails come in handy when ascending or descending escalators and stairways to prevent serious falls. Handrails are often either mounted to walls directly or supported by posts.

Grab Bars

Designed to avoid falls on wet, slippery floors like in bathrooms, grab bars are also used in galleys of ships. They can also be used as barres, and serve as training tools for ballerinas.