Frequently Asked Questions

Brass develops a patina as it reacts with air. To keep a railing bright, we lacquer it, and upkeep is just occasional dusting. To let it age, we leave it unlacquered and you control the patina with an occasional polish. A living-finish bronze is meant to age and needs essentially no maintenance. We will recommend the approach that fits your railing and how the home is used.

Brass develops a patina as it reacts with air. To keep a railing bright, we lacquer it, and upkeep is just occasional dusting. To let it age, we leave it unlacquered and you control the patina with an occasional polish. A living-finish bronze is meant to age and needs essentially no maintenance. Being local, we are easy to reach if a question ever comes up.

Occasionally, and it is normal rather than a fault. Cable is under tension and can require a check and a small adjustment in the first year as everything settles. After that it is generally trouble free. Sagging that persists usually means the end posts were undersized or the intermediate supports spaced too far apart, which is an engineering issue rather than a maintenance one.

No. One of the main reasons homeowners choose cable railings is because they provide maximum visibility. The thin horizontal or vertical cables keep your view open and airy compared to wood or iron pickets.

No. One of the main reasons homeowners in Seattle, WA choose cable railings is because they provide maximum visibility. The thin horizontal or vertical cables keep your view open and airy compared to wood or iron pickets.

They suit it exceptionally well. Contemporary Eastside homes are usually built around open volumes and long sightlines, and a conventional closed staircase works against both. A floating stair keeps a double height entry reading as one space and becomes a sculptural feature rather than a necessary obstruction.

In a renovation they frequently do. A minimal steel and timber stair against original woodwork in a South Capitol house reads as a deliberate contemporary intervention. The practical question is the existing opening and the structure around it, which in a period house needs measuring properly rather than assuming.