Use our configurator to create a metal guardrail with perforated sheet metal infill for use in one of your projects. For your architect, this guardrail will combine regulatory safety requirements with architectural finishing touches.

In accordance with standard NF P01-012, metal guardrails must protect people from accidental falls from balconies. Standard perforated sheet metal with round holes fulfills this safety function while avoiding the unattractive appearance of traditional vertical bars. Thanks to standardized perforations ranging from R5T8 to R20T25, you can choose both the appearance of the guardrail and the degree of transparency or privacy from prying eyes. The wide range of classic perforated sheet metal offers a choice of transparency from 10 to 50% with several types of round holes, square perforations, rectangular slits, and oblong openings, allowing light to filter through while ensuring the desired degree of privacy or visibility. Metal railings on a building balcony, along a metal staircase, or protecting a pedestrian walkway can all be clad in perforated sheet metal, which serves as a protective, aesthetic, modern barrier with no risk of children getting their fingers caught.

The advantage of perforated sheet metal in guardrails lies in its monobloc appearance. Easy to install by a metalworker, perforated sheet metal is often attached with invisible rivets or blind screws, saving considerable time on the construction site.

Perforated sheet metal railings offer the perfect balance between natural light and privacy from neighbors. Unlike solid concrete balcony infills, which darken spaces, or overly open bar railings, which allow everything to be seen without filter, round perforated sheet metal allows you to play with the percentage of open space to finely adjust transparency. For example, a pattern such as R6M12, with its well-spaced perforations, allows soft light to pass through while breaking the direct line of sight. The Rd 6-12 configuration is ideal for balconies in urban areas where proximity requires a form of visual retreat without darkening the balcony. The transparent perforated sheet metal railing allows light to pass through onto the balcony without exposing it to the view of neighbors.

In public housing complexes, controlled transparency of guardrails becomes a fundamental issue: sunlight must be allowed into living spaces, but residents' privacy must also be guaranteed. In this regard, perforated sheet metal acts as a smart filter on balconies. Depending on the orientation of the facade, the height of the guardrail, and the type of perforation (R10T15, C20U32, etc.), the openwork effect can be easily adjusted to suit the functional requirements of the social housing complex. Viewed from the street, the perforated sheet metal guardrail reveals silhouettes and veils, while from inside the apartment, the view of the city remains unobstructed.

This interplay between light and shadow also adds significant architectural value: the patterns created by the perforated metal panels used to fill the balcony railings create visual rhythms and moving projections on the ground, enriching the perception of the public housing complex without weighing down its structure.

In both new construction and renovation projects, this control of balcony transparency allows technical specifications to be met while offering a contemporary, refined, or graphic look. Architects appreciate round perforated sheet metal for its minimalist aesthetic, while users appreciate the visual comfort it provides. Round perforations also reduce glare without obscuring the view and ensure optimal lighting comfort, particularly in south-west facing rooms. Perforated sheet metal thus becomes a truly breathable envelope for the balcony. Perforated sheet metal railings are therefore much more than just a protective element: they contribute to comfort and the architectural ambiance.

Standard perforated sheet metal is the ideal filling solution for balcony railings thanks to its remarkable simplicity of design and installation. Unlike railings made of bars, complex cables, or composite panels, perforated sheet metal offers a single-piece system that is quick to install. A single perforated panel, cut to the precise dimensions of the project, can be fitted between two posts without the need for multiple assemblies or specific accessories.

In terms of design, the standardization of perforation patterns (such as Rv10-15 or C20U32) allows design offices to easily prepare the development of sheets from one balcony to another. Whether in terms of module length, height, or width, standard perforated sheet metal can be bent to suit requirements. Solid edges are integrated into all four sides of the panel, making it easy to attach to the frame without the need for additional drilling. The result is considerable time savings in the workshop and on the construction site.

The fact that the sheets are flat, lightweight, and rigid also simplifies transport and handling. In renovation projects, their thinness allows them to be integrated directly into existing structures without adding weight to the supporting structure. In new construction, they adapt perfectly to modular layouts or variable slab heights. A simple adjustment to the nearest millimeter is all that is needed to ensure perfect continuity.

Perforated sheet metal offers unparalleled design freedom for architects, designers, and metalworkers who want to customize a balcony railing for public housing. Thanks to the diversity of patterns—round, square, rectangular, decorative—perforated metal becomes a medium for artistic expression. This graphic richness is evident in contemporary architectural projects as well as in the renovation of old buildings, giving the structure a strong and consistent identity. The position of the round holes can also be progressive or customized, allowing a visual story to be told on the façade: a sequence of round patterns of different sizes on each level, a graphic animation along the linearity of the public housing bar, or even a single pattern that repeats and structures the façade with a different RAL color scheme for each façade.

Beyond aesthetics, this architectural freedom also allows the transparency of the perforated sheet metal to be adapted to the needs of each facade: more openwork R12T16 type with 51% open space on north-facing balconies to let light through, more closed R6T16 type with 13% open space on landings exposed to the street. The round perforated sheet metal thus becomes an active filter, designed according to the use of the space.

Perforated sheet metal railings are not only aesthetically pleasing, they also provide a rigorous technical solution to the requirements of residential buildings. Their primary quality is safety. Compliant with standards NF P01-012 and NF P01-013, perforated sheet metal railings form a rigid, stable barrier that is impact-resistant and provides no footholds for climbing thanks to their continuous surfaces.

Mechanically, galvanized steel sheet provides excellent resistance to bending and impact. The perforations are calculated to provide an optimal balance between void ratio and structural strength.

Perforated sheet metal is also compatible with a variety of fastening systems: screwing onto tubular frames, folding frames, blind riveting, or cassette integration. This technical range offers great flexibility of integration, adapted to the constraints of the construction site.

Another advantage is its durability: thanks to surface treatments (galvanization, powder coating, anodizing), perforated sheet metal is highly resistant to weathering, corrosion, and UV rays. This guarantees long-lasting performance without oxidation or color loss, even in coastal areas or harsh industrial environments.

The performance of the perforated guardrail extends to user comfort: it acts as a partial windbreak, protects users without enclosing them, and allows light and air to circulate, reducing the confining effects of the balcony.

Perforated sheet metal is also a wise economic choice for locksmiths and metalworkers. At first glance, a perforated panel guardrail may seem more expensive than a bar guardrail. However, its simplicity of installation and industrial production allow for overall savings on the construction site.

First, a perforated panel is ready to install. There is no need to align several elements (bars, crossbars, welds): a single perforated plate provides protection and filling, reducing assembly and welding time in the workshop. The frame can be standardized, optimizing procurement and production.

In addition, industrial perforation or digital punching are fast and reproducible processes. Using standard perforation templates, panels can be mass-produced with excellent efficiency, especially for orders of 50 m² or more. Standard patterns (such as Rv10-15, C20U32, etc.) are particularly economical as they are commonly used, with tools employed in production on a weekly basis.

In terms of installation, perforated guardrails reduce the amount of handling required on site. Their low weight means they can be installed by one or two people without the need for heavy lifting equipment. In renovation projects, perforated sheet metal guardrails cover the concrete slab and easily conceal the existing structure without requiring too much masonry work. This reduces labor costs and shortens lead times.

The integrated aesthetic aspect of perforated sheet metal eliminates the need for additional coverings (baseboards, wall coverings, slab nosings, privacy screens, clip-on decorations, reed screens), as everything is integrated into the same original panel. Perforated metal becomes both structural and decorative: a 2-in-1 combination that appeals to clients who are sensitive to economies of scale and reducing the number of services in the technical specifications.

One of the great advantages of perforated sheet metal in guardrails is its remarkable adaptability. Whether in new construction or renovation projects, perforated sheet metal meets the needs of professionals with the same efficiency.

In a new residential building, perforated sheet metal is integrated into the design from the outset. Architects can play with round holes, colors, and shapes to create a distinctive façade. It then contributes to the overall aesthetics of the building while fulfilling a safety function. The balcony guardrail can be installed in the French or English style, on a concrete slab or parapet, with or without a slab nose to be covered.

When renovating, perforated sheet metal for balconies is a real asset for giving new life to 1960s public housing buildings. It can be used to cover old railings, modernize the image of a public housing complex, and bring it up to standard without affecting the supporting structure. The panels are cut to size to fit the precise measurements of the existing balconies.

The lightness of perforated sheet metal allows for quick installation without major modifications. In addition, it can incorporate corner returns and side panels, or be complemented by a welded or clipped handrail, creating a uniform and elegant whole.

It is suitable for social housing as well as high-end housing, public facilities, and commercial buildings. The height of the perforated sheet metal will be used to conceal defects in an existing facade (damaged slab edges, water stains) thanks to a lightly perforated cladding that covers imperfections without visually weighing down the building.