Dio-Met supplied and installed bespoke steel access handrails at St Christopher Church in Shiregreen, Sheffield, to the ramps and stepped entrances, giving the congregation safe, compliant access into the building. The handrails were designed, made and fitted by our own team, close to home in north Sheffield.
Project overview
- Client: St Christopher Church, Shiregreen (community / place of worship)
- Location: Shiregreen, Sheffield
- Work: Bespoke steel access handrails to ramps and stepped entrances
- Material / finish: Galvanised steel, powder-coated black to suit the church exterior
- Application: Safe access and egress for ramp and step users
- Scope: Survey, design, manufacture and installation
- Note: Warm-to-touch PVC capping was added separately by others after our installation
The brief
The church needed safe handrails to the ramp and stepped entrances so that everyone, including less mobile members of the congregation, could get in and out safely. The rails had to meet access-handrail requirements, stand up to the weather and constant use, and look at home against the building rather than industrial.
Design and fabrication
Dio-Met took precise site measurements and designed handrails to suit the ramp gradients and step entrances. The rails and posts are steel, hot-dip galvanised for corrosion resistance, then powder-coated black to sit cleanly with the church's exterior. Galvanising under the powder coat is the right call for an external rail in constant public use: it protects the steel from the inside out and keeps maintenance to a minimum. After our installation, warm-to-touch PVC capping was fitted to the rails by others, adding extra comfort underhand in cold weather.
Expert insight
"Access handrails are about dignity as much as safety, people need to get into a building confidently. Galvanised and powder-coated steel gives a rail that is compliant, weatherproof and tidy, and we make and fit it ourselves so it suits the building it serves."
Frequently asked questions
Do you make access and ramp handrails for public buildings? Yes. We design, manufacture and install bespoke steel access handrails for ramps and stepped entrances to churches, halls, community buildings and commercial premises, to suit the specific gradients and layout.
Why galvanised and powder-coated steel for external handrails? Hot-dip galvanising protects the steel from corrosion from the inside out, and the powder coat adds a tough, colour-matched finish on top. Together they give a long, low-maintenance life on a rail that is outdoors and in constant use.
Can handrails be made warm to touch? Bare metal can feel cold, so warm-to-touch options such as PVC or nylon capping over the steel are available. On this project that capping was fitted separately by others after our installation, but it is a common addition for access rails.
Do you cover Sheffield and beyond? Yes. This project is in Shiregreen, Sheffield, minutes from our workshop, and we supply and install handrails and balustrades across the UK, supply-only or fully fitted.
Explore more from Dio-Met
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Helpful guides
Need access or ramp handrails?
Need handrails for a ramp, steps or entrance at a church, hall, business or home? We'd be glad to help, anywhere in the UK. Call us on 0114 243 9009 or email sales@diometonline.co.uk, or request a quote online.
Tags: access handrails, ramp handrails, steel handrails Sheffield, galvanised handrails, powder-coated handrails, church handrails, disabled access handrails, bespoke handrails, Shiregreen, Sheffield
