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Installation & finishes

# Installation and finishes: from fixing to lasting protection

Iron sections, fixing methods (chemical anchoring, baseplate, mechanical anchor) and finish choice — galvanizing and powder coating — depending on your guardrail's exposure.

Fixing

## Three methods depending on the support
       Chemical anchoring
Resin anchor injected into a drilled hole — the reference method on a stone, concrete or old masonry support.
   Bolt-down baseplate
Baseplate bolted at the base of each post, set on a slab or step — removable, quick to fit on an accessible structural support.
   Mechanical anchor
A faster alternative to chemical anchoring, with slight post-leveling adjustment after fitting.

Layout

## Top fixing or face fixing

The choice of fixing point depends on your configuration: available walkway width, support thickness, and the look you want.

**Top fixing (French style).** The guardrail is fixed on top of the step, slab or low wall — the most common method.

**Face fixing (English style).** The guardrail is fixed to the vertical face of the support — useful when floor space is tight or to preserve walkway width.

Finishes

## Protecting an outdoor structure durably
       Powder coating alone
Oven-cured powder paint — holds colour and resists UV, but doesn't durably protect bare steel against corrosion outdoors.
   Hot-dip galvanizing
Immersion in a molten zinc bath (NF EN ISO 1461) — decades of anti-corrosion protection, recommended for any outdoor structure before a surface finish.
   Galvanizing + powder coating
The combination: zinc protects the metal, powder paint adds colour and UV resistance — the most durable solution for an outdoor guardrail.

[Detail on the NF EN ISO 1461 standard and zinc thicknesses →](https://garde-corps-fer-forge.fr/en/standards-and-safety/#galvanizing)

Fabrication

## Galvanizing happens before installation

The zinc bath takes place in the workshop, on the shaped raw piece — never once the guardrail is already fitted. That's what guarantees even protection across the whole piece, including weld seams.

Frequently asked questions

## What we're asked most often
        Which fixing method for an old stone staircase?
Chemical anchoring is the reference method on an old stone or masonry stair stringer — confirmed on site depending on the support's exact condition.
     Is galvanizing needed indoors?
Generally not — it's mainly justified for a structure exposed to the weather (balcony, terrace, facade window). An indoor stair guardrail is most often fine with powder coating or a blackened finish.
     Can an already-fitted guardrail be repainted?
Yes, a powder-coated guardrail can generally be refreshed with a new coat after surface prep — assessed depending on the support's and metal's condition.
     Top fixing or face fixing, how to choose?
It depends on your configuration: face fixing (English style) preserves walkway width on a narrow staircase, top fixing (French style) is most common when space isn't a constraint. Assessed together at the quote stage.

Quote

## A particular support to describe?

Old stone, concrete slab, facade — the workshop replies with the right fixing method within 48h.