Railing & Handrail Repair in Vancouver & the North Shore
Loose or wobbly railings, broken welds, damaged brackets and corroded sections on existing railings and handrails — repaired on site or in our North Vancouver shop.
This page is about repairing railings and handrails you already have — fixing what has come loose, cracked, rusted or been knocked out of shape, rather than building new ones. We repair existing steel, stainless and aluminum railings and handrails on site across the North Shore and Metro Vancouver, and in our North Vancouver shop when the piece can come to us. If you are planning a new railing or a full replacement, see the section further down.
Railing and handrail problems we repair
- Loose or wobbly railings and handrails
- Broken or cracked welds
- Damaged, bent or missing brackets
- Corrosion and rust, especially at base plates and anchor points
- Bent or impact-damaged sections
- Loose connections and fixings that have worked free
- Localized section replacement where one length has failed
- Re-securing existing components that have come away from the structure
Loose and wobbly railings
A railing that moves when you lean on it has usually failed at one of a few points: the weld at a post, the bracket at the wall, or the fixing into the deck or concrete. We track the movement back to its source, re-weld or re-bracket as needed, and re-secure the railing to what it is mounted to so it feels solid again.
Corrosion and localized section replacement
On the coast, railings tend to corrode first at base plates, welds and the points where they meet concrete. Where the damage is confined to one area or one length, we can cut out and replace the affected section rather than the whole railing, and refinish the repair so it blends in. Where corrosion runs through most of a railing, replacement is usually the better value — and we will tell you when that is the case.
Repairs for strata and property managers
Strata corporations and property managers are a large part of the railing repair work we take on — a wobbly common-area handrail, a corroded section on a walkway, or a bracket that has pulled loose. For localized repairs to existing railings, this is exactly the kind of work described above. Larger guardrail replacement projects — replacing full runs across a building — are handled as new fabrication; see the next section.
Repair, or new railings and full replacement?
This page covers repairs to existing railings. For new railings, full replacement, larger guardrail replacement projects and new fabrication, our metal railings page is the place to start. If you are not sure which one you need, send us photos and we will help you decide.
If replacement looks like the better route, our pricing guide sets out what new railings cost per foot, which usually settles the decision quickly.
Guardrails and safety
Some railings are guards — they are there to stop a fall, not just to guide a hand. Repairs, alterations or replacements to guardrails may need to meet current building-code or standard requirements for the affected work, and whether they do depends on the scope of the job, the building type, the governing standard, and the authority having jurisdiction. Requirements also differ by location: the BC Building Code applies in most BC municipalities, while work inside the City of Vancouver falls under the Vancouver Building By-law. We cannot determine those requirements from a web page — where a guardrail repair may involve structural or life-safety requirements, we raise it at the enquiry stage and recommend a review by the authority having jurisdiction and, where appropriate, a professional engineer.
On site or in the shop
Most railing repairs are done in place, because the railing is mounted and cannot easily be removed — that is our mobile welding work. A removable handrail or a small section can come to the shop for a cleaner repair and refinish. Railing repair is one part of our wider metal repair and restoration service.
Get a railing repair quote
Send a photo of the railing and a close photo of where it has failed — the loose post, the cracked weld or the corroded section — and tell us where it is mounted. Request a quote or call (778) 805-5333.