Blog

Understand PVC Column Wrap Terms
Posted on March 23, 2022
What exactly is PVC? Are there different kinds? Today we take a look at some of the most common terms and questions about PVC Column Wraps.

Mid-Rises on the Rise
Posted on February 28, 2022
What is a Mid-Rise building and why has it become the go to building type for developers?

Explaining Alloys
Posted on January 18, 2022
People are asking about alloys, but what does that even mean?

Railing to the Rescue
Posted on December 22, 2021
How does railing help prevent slips, trips, and falls during the winter season?

Similarities and Differences In Columns
Posted on November 23, 2021
Columns can come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and materials. Today we will take a look at the different materials and the advantages each brings to the table.

Railing Renovation
Posted on October 29, 2021
How does railing fit in with the larger renovation trends?

Fence - Creating the Perfect Barrier
Posted on September 23, 2021
Creating the perfect barrier, is it really that difficult?

Guardrail Vs. Handrail
Posted on August 31, 2021
Wait, Guardrail and Handrail aren’t the same thing? Since when?

Railing and Multi-Family Buildings
Posted on July 27, 2021
How did railing and multi-family buildings become a perfect and unexpected match?

500 Vs. 550 Filling in the Difference
Posted on June 30, 2021
Minor changes can make a big difference, especially when it come to railing. With Superior offering different modifications and designs, what exactly makes these two variations the same and different?

Taking The LEED
Posted on May 28, 2021
With an increase in focus on sustainability and environmentally friendliness, how are manufacturers taking on this challenge?

How Do You Attach this Railing? Pt. 3
Posted on April 29, 2021
When installing railing, there are two main ways to arrive at a fully installed railing. What are they and how do they differ?

How Do You Attach this Railing? Pt. 2
Posted on March 31, 2021
When installing railing, there are a variety of surfaces that railing can attach to. What are they and does it even matter?

How Do You Attach This Railing? Pt. 1
Posted on February 18, 2021
When installing railing there are a variety of options from which to choose. What are they, and does it even matter?

9000 vs. 9100, 2000 vs. 2100 What are the differences in these very similar products?
Posted on January 29, 2021
Minor changes can make a big difference, especially when it come to railing. With Superior offering different modifications and designs, what exactly makes these two variations the same and different?

A Brief History of Railing Design
Posted on December 17, 2020
Looking at how railing designs have changed over time.

Hitting Refresh
Posted on November 30, 2020
How the Internet is changing the Manufacturing Industry

Assembled in America
Posted on October 27, 2020
The world is more connected than ever, so why does it matter where my product is assembled?

Aluminum Vs. Wood... Which Railing is Right for you
Posted on September 28, 2020
Old vs. New, which type of railing is right for you?

Aluminum Vs. Vinyl... How Do They Compare?
Posted on August 24, 2020
When choosing between a vinyl or aluminum railing system, is there really any difference?? Of course, there is!! Just like toppings on a pizza, what your railing is made out of will have dramatic long-term effects.

How does the building products industry create a safe work environment amid Covid-19?
Posted on July 27, 2020
The Coronavirus has created a new market dynamic within many industries, including building products. What does the new landscape look like? In our final installment of our three-part series, we take a closer look at how the building product manufacturers incorporate safe practices in their own workplace.

How does the Building Products Industry Adjust to New Supply Chains?
Posted on June 25, 2020
The Coronavirus has created a new market dynamic within many industries, including building products. What does the new landscape look like? In part two of our three-part series, we take a closer look at how supply chains have been affected by the coronavirus.

How has the Coronavirus affected the building products industry?
Posted on May 28, 2020
The Coronavirus has created a new market dynamic within many industries, building products included. What does the new landscape look like?

Column History - Present Day
Posted on April 30, 2020
Have columns really changed that much in the last millennium?

How do i keep my railing clean?
Posted on March 31, 2020
While Superior Railing is low-maintenance, there isn’t anything we can do about random dirt and messy substances getting on your products. What we can do is offer some advice in cleaning to keep your railing clean.

Taking a Closer Look At Columns
Posted on February 24, 2020
Is there really any difference in columns? Don’t they all look the same? Have they always been the same?

Aluminum Railing Vs. Other Metals....How do they Stack Up?
Posted on January 24, 2020
In today’s world there are so many choices. Do you want pizza or pasta, coffee or tea, aluminum or steel? We aren’t qualified to debate the first two, but we know a thing or two about railing!

Looking at 10 Important Cable Railing Terms
Posted on December 17, 2019
Cable railing is a relatively new trend in the industry, leading to some confusion on specific terminology. We're here to help alleviate that confusion by focusing in on 10 key terms associated with the product!

Fence Vs. Railing, what's the difference?
Posted on October 24, 2019
The terms often are interchangeable, but critical differences are key in ensuring the proper products are used….so, what are these differences?

Two-Line? Three-Line? How about some guide-lines!
Posted on September 24, 2019
The number of “lines” in a given railing system is critical to the overall project design, but the terminology often leads to confusion. So, what does two, three, four, etc. line railing ACTUALLY mean?

Do Horizontal Railing Lines Create a Ladder Effect?
Posted on August 16, 2019
From time to time we get asked about horizontal lines in railing systems creating a ladder effect… attracting children to climb into dangerous situations. Is this concern justified, or are horizontal lines safe to install on every location?

How Does Handrail Meet ADA Guidelines?
Posted on July 16, 2019
The Americans with Disabilities Act established precedents to ensure all could equally enjoy public and commercial buildings across the country, so where does handrail fit in?

How do I Clean this Gunk off my Railing?
Posted on June 11, 2019
While Superior Railing is low-maintenance, there isn't anything we can do about random dirt and messy substances getting on your products. What we can do is offer some advice in cleaning that gunk off.

Building Safety, The Superior Way
Posted on May 10, 2019
May is Building Safety Month, and at Superior Aluminum we take safety very seriously. Safe, code-compliant designs and a workforce that keeps safety front of mind are integral parts of the Superior way.

Wait, I Can Easily Get a Railing Price Now?
Posted on April 19, 2019
For years getting a project into Superior’s railing quotation process was potentially mysterious and complex, but no longer.

It's March - Time to Talk Brackets!
Posted on March 19, 2019
March is the time of year where everyone is talking brackets, and that includes Superior Aluminum (and a special guest)!

Do You Know your Code? Part Three
Posted on February 13, 2019
It's time to take another deep look at building codes! Do manufacturers just use whatever size material they have laying around to build handrail? Is it just screwed into the wall? There are handrail codes that deal with these questions and it is time to explore them.

Examining 20 MORE Railing Terms
Posted on January 23, 2019
Working with railing can often get confusing, especially when very specific terms start to get thrown around. We have already looked at 20 common railing terms, but now it's time to check out 20 more!

Railings and Beer.....a Perfect Match?
Posted on December 27, 2018
Railings and beer. Two seemingly random and unrelated topics with wildly different demographics showing heavy interest in them, right?

Investigating 12 Fence Terms....and 4 Bonus Terms!
Posted on November 13, 2018
Fence, including Aluminum Fence, is important for keeping unwanted visitors away, but can sometimes become a bit perplexing. We took a deep dive into some of the key terms associated with fence in an effort to clear away some of the fog.

Local Students Discover Superior Aluminum
Posted on October 17, 2018
The local high school is right down the road from Superior Aluminum Products, but most of the inhabitants have no idea what goes on in their own backyard...it is time to change that!

Do you Know your Code? Part Two
Posted on September 17, 2018
Does a handrail just get installed on a step because the building owner is being nice? Do they just pick a spot on the wall and say: "looks good, fasten it there?" As it turns out, handrails have their own sets of rules within the larger building code to create a consistent, safe set of standards.

How does railing go from an idea to an installation?
Posted on August 20, 2018
So you have this great idea for a beautiful railing project....now what?

How did Pipe Cable Railing come to be?
Posted on July 23, 2018
A closer look at the needs and development that led to a brand new member of the Superior Aluminum product family.

A Glimpse at Housing Trends and What they Mean
Posted on June 19, 2018
Where is the housing market going in comparison to where it has been? What does it mean for building products manufacturers?
Do you Know your Code?
Posted on May 10, 2018
Ever wondered if that hotel balcony railing was really safe to lean against? Turn's out there is a wide array of rules and regulations called building codes that ensure it is indeed safe! We tackled two of these such codes in depth!

Examining 15 Common Column Terms
Posted on April 12, 2018
Load-Bearing? Wrap-Around? What do all these fancy column terms actually mean?!

Understanding 20 Common Aluminum Railing Terms
Posted on March 7, 2018
Working with railing can often get confusing, especially when very specific terms start to get thrown around. We are here to ease some of the confusion.
The Big Game Without Manufacturing?
Posted on February 13, 2018
What would the end of a football season look like without Manufacturing? We decided to answer the question!

Understanding 12 Key Construction Terms
Posted on January 16, 2018
The construction and building supply industries tend to throw out acronyms that can make anyone pause and say: “Wait, what does that mean?”

Buy Pre-Assembled, or Fabricate on the Jobsite?
Posted on December 12, 2017
Unassembled railing kits may be priced more aggressively, but do they cost less?

Commercial Construction On the Rise
Posted on November 16, 2017
Every quarter the USG Corporation and the US Chamber of Commerce survey a panel of contractors in the commercial construction industry to gauge their perspective on the current market. Powered by Dodge Data and Analytics, this index reveals some of the most prominent and promising trends forthcoming from the commercial construction industry.