Balcony railing is designed for safety but also has a decorative function. Various designs and materials are used to make balcony railings.  It should last as long as the house itself and be corrosion resistant since the railings are exposed to outside elements.  It must also meet consumers' aesthetic needs and be easy to work with.

Powder Painted Balcony

Super rail is preferred as a balcony material because of its superior color but also because it is economical. Super rail is formed by applying polyester powder coating on galvanized steel pipe. After going through proper pre-treatment, the pipes pass under the paint coating gun and sprayed with powder coating (coating thickness is about 60µ:m micrometer ). The powder coating adheres to the pipe electrically. However, if not dried properly in the process, coating properties may deteriorate and, if dried in high temperatures, yellowing of color may occur. With serious air pollution and acid rain, pitting, crevice corrosion, and other forms of local corrosion in welded area have become a grave concern. Furthermore, reconstruction of balcony railing is required since super rail life cycle is shorter than that of apartments (of 30~50 years).

Powder coated balcony, paints on the railing deteriorated. Powder coated balcony, frames are corroded. Powder coated balcony. Rusted due to balcony corrosion.

Before the emergence of super rail, carbon steel and stainless steel were used to make balcony railing. However, unlike super railing which can be coated in various colors, carbon and stainless steel had limited design options and high cost. Nonetheless, such factors as advancement in surface treatment technology, an increase in popularity, and superior economy of stainless steel contributed to the current attempts to replace more and more super rails with stainless steel.