Puzzling

Every project we build at Yellow Weld is influenced by our process of design and building to reach the final outcome. Here, we talk about how these beautiful white rails came together and Sam’s personal experience on her very first installation.

To start, this was an exterior and interior railing for a brand new house in which we partnered up with Stone Pillar Construction for the first time. Their team was friendly and helpful throughout the whole process! There was approximately 136 feet in total for this project. The most unique thing about the rails was that they were white. It’s rare to get requests like this and it was exciting to see something fresh. Most often we are asked to provide shades of black with different levels of sheen. White railings were a new look, and full of unique character of its own. Different colors and sheens can show dirt and smudges differently, absorbing or reflecting light across the flat surfaces. We found white to be a little less forgiving than black, but what we give up in that flexibility we get back in the unique feel and the airiness these railings provide. They give the house a different look from any other house you come by and they make everything look brighter, lighter, and more spacious.

The exterior

Angle Changes

The exterior deck railing included long runs and many angle changes. What this means is that within each change of angle (or turn), the other piece of the railing had to match exactly and had to be able to connect together without it looking like a separate rail. We decided to try a new style of joint to connect these sections as discretely as possible. This is where Sam’s reference of it coming together like a “puzzle” comes into play. There were 10 individual railing sections that needed to come together to make this deck railing system.

The Interior

Within the process, from start to finish, we were not only able to see our project coming together but also able to see the house coming together as a whole. David said, “We went to the house on a few different occasions and each time the condition of the house was different. It was cool seeing the house come together as a whole. The progress of watching the house evolve further was interesting. It is not something we get to see on every project.”

Working on the inside of a home is always very interesting with all of the hurdles with pets, kids, and just normal day-to-day items. However, this home was brand-new and empty. It was unique situation for us and a nice change for the team. Though we did miss giving treats to the pets in the home, it was nice to have a peaceful work area where we didn’t have to worry about disturbing others.

What is the difference between interior and exterior rails?

The obvious difference is the location of the railing itself, however the process of working inside the home means we have to be more keenly aware of our surroundings. There may be brand new paint, flooring, drywall, and trim we need to be careful of. There are many things to measure to ensure the completed railings fit as planned and sometimes taking these measurements is the hardest part.

Sam’s Experience

This was Sam’s very first install! Here is some of what she had to say,

“I thought it was really interesting watching how the rail came together. It goes from a pile of miscellaneous metals to pieces of what is supposed to be a rail and then finally, once when we went to test-fit it, it all just came together like a puzzle. All of the different pieces came together perfectly. Once the powder coat was on, I didn’t even know what that was until that week, I couldn’t believe how it came together the way it did. If I would not have been there for the process, I never would have known it was originally separate rails.”

She went on to share about what it was like to work with our team through this new process. Sam said she was used to people telling her to do something and not showing her how, expecting her to know already or read their minds. On this project, Sam was able to witness every part of the process and get an explanation from our crew. On the hour drive there and back, she was able to have some one-on-one time with David to pick his brain and learn more about the work that was done that day. She thought it was very unique that we ate lunch together as a team on site. This was helpful for her to connect with the team and begin to feel her place within the dynamics. “It was a really cool first week to have '', she said.

Once the pieces finally came together, it was the best puzzle Sam ever made.