Most iron railings that look past saving can be repaired. Nearly every repair is one of three jobs: cutting out rusted steel and welding in new, welding a cracked or broken joint, or re-anchoring a post that has worked loose in the step or wall. We connect you with independent local railing and ironwork pros who do this on site, on front stoops, stairs, balconies and fences, across St. Louis and the Metro East.
What people call about
- Post rusted thin or through at the bottom, where it meets the step
- Iron swelling inside a step and cracking the concrete or limestone
- Weld cracked where a picket meets the rail, or at a corner
- Post loose in its hole, or a wall flange pulled out of the brick
- A run of railing that sags or flexes when you lean on it
- Old repairs (bolts, brackets, caulk) that didn't hold
Repair, rebuild or replace
Cut off the rusted bottom of a post or picket, weld in a new piece of solid steel, grind and prime it.
Clean out and re-set a post in the step, or move it to a new surface-mounted plate when the old hole is shot.
Re-weld broken joints, then strip loose rust and paint so the repair lasts.
What the pro will want to know
- Which posts or joints are rusted, cracked or loose, with photos
- What the railing is anchored into: limestone, concrete, brick or wood
- Whether the step or wall around the post is cracked
- Whether you want it painted after the repair, and what color
Questions
How is a rusted post base repaired?
The usual fix is to cut the post above the rust, weld in a new length of solid steel down to the step, and re-set it in the old hole or on a new base plate. The new steel is then primed and painted to match.
Is the repair done on site or in a shop?
Most re-anchoring and weld repairs are done on site with portable welding equipment. Pieces that need pattern matching, or a section that has to be rebuilt, may be made in a shop and installed on a second visit.
The quickest way
Call the railing line
(314) 673-1016 Call now- Where the railing is and what it's attached to
- What's loose, rusted or broken
- Roughly how many steps or feet
- Photos, if you can text them later
You'll reach our referral line, or a local railing pro we route calls to. No charge to you for the referral.
Send the details
Fill this in and a local railing pro can call you back. Prefer to talk? Call (314) 673-1016.