Installation
Installation instructions
Raipolen PVC handrail profiles are based on many years of proven top quality. Our modern production technology is used to achieve the highest standards of dimensional stability. Its modern ingredients are harmless to health and contain no harmful heavy metals. Raipolen handrail profiles are available for all standard bottom rail dimensions: from the flat profiles 30 x 8 mm, 35 x 8 mm, 40 x 8 mm and 50 x 8 mm, which are most frequently used for staircase construction, to design handrails as round profiles. For the representative staircase, Raipolen offers architects and building owners an optimum number of shapes and a varied colour range with up to 27 modern individual colours.
Raipolen handrails are made of thermoplastic material and can therefore be easily thermoformed and welded during installation. In daily use, it is durable, abrasion-resistant and easy to maintain. The Raipolen PVC handrail retains its good looks for years and has a pleasant feel.
The use of gold, blue and aluminium is not recommended for outdoor use.
Core rail
To ensure that the Raipolen PVC handrail profiles sit firmly on the core rail, it must be checked before installation that the dimensions of the core rail correspond to the nominal dimensions of the handrail profile. For this purpose, the profiles are produced with appropriate pre-tensioning to the exact dimensions. An assessment of the effective dimensions is only possible in the mounted state.
The core rail metal must be corrosion-protected, smooth and even in the sheathing area. Any knocks or welding residue on the bottom flange must be removed. Any dirt must be removed beforehand.
Heating and fitting the profiles
The Raipolen handrail profiles must be heated to approx. 80° C to 90° C before fitting. The Bicothermic SIS hot air blower has proven to be ideal for this purpose.see tools).
The PVC handrail is conveniently installed from the top floor downwards. The handrail profile is heated as it is slowly pulled through the air guide hose of the Bicothermic device until the profile is easily malleable. The heated profile is then clipped onto the core railing by bending up the two side beads so that a perfect fit on the bottom rail is guaranteed after cooling.
In the area of curves, the handrail profile must be heated more than on the straight line. In the case of sharp bends or small radii, the profile is overstretched on the outer edge and maintained on the inside. Fixing by taping, e.g. with the Raipolen fixing tape (see accessories), has proven to be effective until it has cooled down. For outdoor use, especially in areas exposed to strong sunlight, it is advisable to weld in safety bars on the underside to prevent the handrail profile from jumping off. The internal diameter should not be less than the following dimensions:
- F308 >= 10 cm
- F358 >= 11 cm
- F408 >= 12 cm
- C408 >= 12 cm
- F508 >= 15 cm
- R40 >= 20 cm
- R55 >= 25 cm
Welding the Raipolen PVC handrail profiles
Blunt joints and angles are cut cleanly with special scissors (see tools) or a fine saw. The joint edges of the profiles adjacent to the bottom flange are chamfered with a finishing file to prevent the formation of an obstructive welding bead. The profile ends are then placed on both sides of the heated flanks of the welding axe. When melting begins visibly, the ends are pulled away and then both plasticized ends are joined together so that they flow into each other.
After welding, the bead created on the outside is adjusted to the shape of the handrail using a sharp knife. On the inside, the weld bead should lie in the moulded edge so that it does not need to be reworked if possible. After cooling down, the welding points straightened with the knife are sanded with a finishing file and then with fine emery paper (120/180 grit). The resulting scratches can be completely removed with the recommended construction finish (see point 5).
Illustration of the process - see here
Profile ends of the Raipole handrail
EK 408: Finished Raipolen end caps for the F 408 and EKC 408 flat handrails for C 408 - Conturline
FB 600: The matching Raipolen flat strip for the production of end caps for the flat profiles F 308, F 508 and the round profiles R 40, R 55.
The finished EK 408 end cap is inserted into the matching Raipolen PVC handrail profile F 408 and EKC 408 for C 408 - Conturline and cold-welded into the handrail profile using welding adhesive SK 15. For all 27 colours of the F 408 and the eight colours of the C 408 - Conturline, Raipolen offers matching end caps of the same material and dimensions.
The FB 600 flat strip is used to produce and thermic welded end caps. The end cap is first cut out of the flat strip and welded onto the end of an already installed handrail using a hardwood block and a welding axe. Welding is carried out as described above. When welding on the end cap, make sure that the handrail profile is at least 25 mm longer than the bottom rail.
The perfect finish after installation of the Raipolen PVC handrail
The use of RP 25 cleaning and care polish for Raipolen PVC handrails
Finally, we recommend using the special RP 25 cleaning and care polish for all Raipolen plastic handrails. Using a non-linting, light-coloured cotton cloth soaked with RP 25, wipe the surface in one direction if possible. Allow the product to flash off first. Depending on the result, you can repeat the process until a perfect result is achieved. If any scratches have occurred during installation, they can be lightly sanded out with 180 grit sandpaper and then polished out with RP 25.
We recommend this finishing work for all Raipolen handrail profiles so that you can achieve a perfect, sealed and dirt-repellent handrail surface.
Here you will find pictures of the tools required to install the Raipolen handrail:
- Bicothermic SIS hot air blower
- PVC welding hatchet
