Rope Handrail f.a.q.s

How do I contact you?

Hemp rope with brushed steel fittings installed
Wasing Park Estate, UK image: StairRopes.com

The quickest way to contact us is by email. You can find all our contact details on the contact page.

We normally respond to enquiries on the same day, although at busy times replies may take up to 48 hours. Let us know your requirements and any other questions you might have. More information on our order page.

We are happy to consult by telephone. If you would like us to call you, please email first with your number. You can also contact us by writing to us or through a pre-arranged visit by appointment.
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What are your lead times?

This will very much depend on the choice of materials and our current workload; We have an auto-reply in place which confirms receipt of email enquiries and also details the current response and lead times.

Bannister ropes and handrails are made to individual specification and our usual delivery schedule starts at two weeks from ordering. Some bespoke orders which include a custom design, finish or shape the lead time may run to several weeks ahead.

If you have an urgent or specific enquiry, please drop us a quick email with your details to check on the latest delivery slots and stock situation. We will estimate the delivery time when you order, and email you when your parcel is despatched. If you have a specific deadline to meet, let us know and we will do our best!
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Do building regulations affect the installation of a rope bannister?

Building regulations specify that a handrail should be between 900 mm and 1000 mm in height. The other aspects of the regulations affecting a bannister rope installation will depend on the particular application, how securely the rope has been attached to the wall and also on the individual inspector.

Our rope bannisters are functional hand rails, properly made with knots or splices at each end and strong fittings with four points of attachment to the wall and secured to the rope by retaining screws (locking pins).

We have supplied many stair ropes which have been approved by UK building inspectors - generally, they are pleased to see a proper job rather than a last minute lash up! Some feedback on this from one of our customers.
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Which ropes would you recommend for outdoor use?

An untreated natural fibre rope will last only a couple of years if used outside, depending on the circumstances; the rope will absorb the moisture and then shrink, trapping the moisture and rotting from within. Ropes such as hemp or manila are a little better than most because they retain some of the plant's natural oil, so if you have a well ventilated situation you could use these, but both will eventually bleach or discolour in the sunlight, plus there is the shrinkage to consider, so you will have to allow a little more drop in the rope to account for this.

Although all synthetic ropes are generally water-proof, many of them become brittle in sunlight - polypropylene being one of the worst culprits; the small fibres of the yarn will tend to whiten, becoming rough and almost sharp at first, finally rubbing off completely as a powder.

The rope itself is still serviceable for a good long time, but it will look and feel scruffy long before a polyester rope. Many imitation hemp ropes are made from polypropylene as it is quite a cheap raw material. The rope we would recommend is the P.O.S.H., a high grade polyester fibre rope developed as a quality working rope for classic yachts with a built-in U.V. inhibitor - so it will keep its good looks outside for much longer! We have it made especially in a four strand construction which produces an attractive and comfortable handrail, as it is less bumpy than the usual three strand rope. We supply p.o.s.h. in a natural colour (hemp imitation). See our POSH rope section for more information.
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Can we use your rope handrail fittings outside?

For exterior applications, we offer rope handrail brackets in stainless steel, wrought iron or brass.

Our satin and mirror finish stainless steel fittings are made from marine grade 316 stainless steel and have the best resistance to corrosion and staining of all the materials. We supply stainless steel screws for wall/post fixing; if you need to source longer/shorter screws, these should be stainless steel - not zinc plated steel, to guard against bi-metallic reaction.

Wrought iron brackets are made of mild steel, a very durable material often used for gates and railings etc. When exposed to moisture, it corrodes by oxidising in the form of rust so is usually protected by a metal paint. We supply a variety of hard wearing paint finishes on our wrought iron hand rail fixtures and for outdoor applications a zinc rich primer is applied.

Bear in mind that the rustic finishes we offer on our wrought iron stair rope brackets (hammered and brushed steel) are protected only by a lacquer which has minimal UV resistance, so these are not really weatherproof.

Brass is an alloy that is commonly used in marine environments because it does not corrode in the same way as steel; it is protected either by polishing or by a lacquer. The problem with lacquers is that they deteriorate over the years and this process is uneven and can look unattractive. Our brass brackets are polished but unlacquered so unless they are regularly polished, they will patinate (dull) naturally as they age.
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How do I clean my stair rope?

Whilst the hemp, coloured ropes and natural p.o.s.h. tend not to show the marks, a cotton rope might need extra care.

If you can avoid soiling the rope first, or the rope is newly cleaned, then you might consider Scotchguard as a protective layer. We have had some positive feedback from customers on this, but there is a catch - when it wears off and needs another application, it is difficult to remove the first coat because it rubs into "bobbles".

Having researched this a while back by testing several upholstery cleaning products, we found that they tended to discolour the rope and were usually expensive. One tip is to use a sea sponge to clean the fibres as this generates less heat in use, and it is this heat that can make stains worse.

The simplest and most effective solution we found is to use a plain soap and work in gently with a soft toothbrush (or a sea sponge), taking care not to get the rope too wet or the fibres will tend to shrink, tighten and then trap the moisture; make it only just damp enough to get a lather. Leave for a couple of hours and then wipe off with a slightly damp cloth.
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Is your website safe to browse?

Both of our websites - Stairropes.com and Stonk Knots use the latest security protocols (https) which ensure all data transfer is securely encrypted. We have a very simple and safe interface which cannot collect, process or store personal data.

We have no mechanism set up to track your browsing or store information on your computer; Our website does not use cookies at all, nor do we link to or allow third parties to install cookies to collect user data anonymously for website analytics, advertising or social media. Please see our Privacy Policy for further details.

Our aim is to present an attractive and informative website in an easily accessible and logical format to assist you in making your choices (and, if we are fortunate, a purchase of a rope handrail from us!) without the use of overly complicated and often intrusive technology, advertisements and other distractions. We hope it proves to be a restful browsing experience.
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