Balustrade 4.74.101

A facade balustrade base rail, 3 m long, 180 mm deep and 100 mm high: the moulded bottom rail that the balusters stand on. It belongs to the larger of Gaudi’s two balustrade series, which assembles from base rail, balusters and handrail between posts to stand about 1 m high, and dresses a parapet, a terrace edge or the space under a window. The other parts of this series are Balustrade 4.71.101 (baluster), Balustrade 4.72.101 (handrail), Balustrade 4.73.101 (flat post cap), Balustrade Post 4.75.101 (post), Balustrade Post 4.76.101 (pyramid post cap) and Balustrade Post 4.77.101 (ball finial), plus Balustrade Post 4.78.101 (footpiece). For a balustrade fixed flat against a wall, Balustrade 4.74.111 is the flat-backed half-depth version of this base rail.

Gaudi make it in polyurethane foam, which is light, moisture resistant and supplied white so it can be painted to suit the house. Fix it with Multipurpose Adhesive 290ml (G10.U.290) and seal the joints with Joint Adhesive 290ml (G07.S.290) or Joint Adhesive 60ml (G08.S.60). Outdoors, finish it with a good exterior masonry paint once it is fixed; the painted finish protects the surface from sun and weather. Like all polyurethane decor it is decorative, not structural: a balustrade made from it is not a safety barrier and must never be relied on to stop a fall from a balcony, terrace, landing or stair. Where guarding is needed, it has to come from a proper structural rail.