Balustrade 4.74.201

A facade balustrade base rail, 3 m long, 140 mm deep and 89 mm high: the moulded bottom rail that the balusters stand on. It belongs to the smaller, lighter 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 4.71.201 (baluster), Balustrade 4.72.201 (handrail), Balustrade 4.73.201 (flat post cap), Balustrade Post 4.75.201 (post), Balustrade Post 4.76.201 (pyramid post cap) and Balustrade Post 4.77.201 (ball finial). For a balustrade fixed flat against a wall, Balustrade 4.74.211 is the flat-backed half-depth version of this base rail.

Like the rest of Gaudi’s facade range it is polyurethane foam: light, moisture resistant and supplied white, ready to paint. Fix it with Multipurpose Adhesive 290ml (G10.U.290) and bond every joint with Joint Adhesive 290ml (G07.S.290) (or Joint Adhesive 60ml (G08.S.60) for small repairs). 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.