Repairing or Replacing a Balcony

You can repair or replace balconies inside and outside of your home however depending on the repairs you need to consider hiring a professional contractor.

Framing New Balcony

When repairing or replacing a balcony you need to understand and have the skill to deal with both the structural elements and the design elements of the balcony.  Sensitivity to the design is essential because altering a balcony can change the look of your home and structural knowledge is very important as you do not want the new balcony to become unstable or fall down. An improperly repaired balcony can give way and cause great harm to the structure of your home and bodily harm to anyone standing on the balcony or under it. So take care and use a professional contractor to do the work.

Interior balconies, bridges or mezzanines are really connectors to other spaces and are load bearing for human traffic. The span or the projection of a balcony is the first calculation that must be taken into account and must be right, if the span is too long you will get bounce which over time will cause damage and if the projection is not correct you will get sag or the suspended structure may actually break loose and fall.

Balconies are connected to the existing structure based on a formula  of how far the joists go back into the structure verses how far out into space they project, this is vital because joists create the structural integrity that holds the balcony in place. The work to repair a balcony’s structural integrity requires complicated and skilled planning and construction. Most likely the repair will require you to take up floors, or even remove a wall to get the joists positioned correctly. Reconnecting or connecting joists requires professional know how.

Repairs to railings and balustrades are much easier, but you need to replicate exactly the pieces to be replaced and finish tools are a necessity.  Do not try to do this without the correct tools or professional help.

Exterior balconies are also attached to the main structure with joists and exterior balconies usually have additional bracing as part of their support system. If you are doing a major repair or replacement of an exterior balcony you need to know how to attach the joists and bracing securely so the repaired balcony is stable. If the repair is structural this is a job for a professional.

Replacing the cement balcony.

When repairing the railings or balustrades of an exterior balcony you need to take into account how the design fits into the overall look of the structure. A home owner could do a nonstructural repair to the railings and balustrades if they have experience with finish work and the correct tools and ladders.

Balconies are a great feature in a home when they are designed and installed correctly and well maintained.  Structural repairs to balconies are complicated affairs and should be left to the professional contractor for the safest and best repairs.