Metal Staircases in Marietta
National Iron Works is a family-owned Marietta shop that builds custom ironwork in-house. Welds and installation carry a 5-year warranty (powder coating not covered; not transferable).
- Family-owned and operated
- General liability insured
- 5-year warranty on all welds and installation
- Free estimates
Repair or Replace: How to Decide
Start with the parts that hold the weight. On most metal stairs, that’s the stringers. These are the long side pieces the treads sit on, plus the spots where the stairs attach to the floor and the landing. If those are sound, almost everything else can be fixed. If they aren’t, no amount of patching up the rails will make the stairs right.
These problems can usually be repaired:
- A cracked or broken weld at a baluster, tread bracket, or rail joint
- A handrail or newel post that wobbles when you grab it
- A bent or missing picket
- A bolt-on tread that’s worn, loose, or damaged
- Rust spots that sit on the surface and haven’t pitted deep into the metal
A broken weld is often a quick fix. If that’s your main issue, our welding repair page covers it in more detail. Loose or damaged rails are handled through our railing repair work. Both keep the staircase you already have and skip the cost of a new build.
Replacement starts to make more sense in these cases:
- Rust has eaten through a stringer or left the metal flaky and thin
- The stairs sag, bounce, or have pulled away from the floor or landing
- You’ve had the same welds fixed more than once and they keep failing
- You’re remodeling and the stairs are in the wrong spot or the wrong shape
- The steps feel uneven or steep, and fixing that would mean rebuilding the frame anyway
When you do need a pro, it helps to know how the cost works. On-site repairs at National Iron Works have a $450 minimum. Very small fixes can cost close to what a slightly bigger one would. If you’ve got a few issues going on, it usually makes sense to get them all looked at in one visit. A full replacement is priced on its own terms, by size, design, and how hard the install is. That’s why the free on-site estimate matters. We can look at the frame in person and tell you plainly which side of the line your stairs fall on.
Interior and Exterior Staircase Applications
Where your stairs go changes almost everything about how they should be built. A staircase in a dry living room and one on the back of a house in the rain face very different jobs. The steel may be the same, but the treads, the finish and the way the stairs attach shouldn’t be.
Inside, metal stairs are often picked for looks and space. They can be thinner and more open than wood, so light passes through and a small room doesn’t feel boxed in. Common indoor spots include:
- Basement stairs, where a slim steel frame frees up room under and around the steps
- Lofts and open floor plans, where a single center beam or open risers keep the view clear
- Shops, garages and storage mezzanines, where you need something tough that handles boots and heavy loads
- Tight corners where a regular run won’t fit, which is where spiral staircases come in
Outside, the job turns into a fight with water. Marietta gets hot, humid summers and plenty of rain through the year, and that moisture is what turns a small chip in the paint into rust. Outdoor metal stairs show up on decks, second-floor entries, apartment buildings and the back doors of commercial spaces. For any of those, a few details matter more than style:
- Treads that drain, like grated or perforated steel, so water doesn’t pool and freeze on the rare cold morning
- A finish made for the weather, with a rust-blocking base under the paint or coating
- Solid footings at the bottom, so the stairs don’t sit in wet soil or settle over time
- Strong connections at the top, because a deck or wall that moves will pull on the stairs
Staircases are part of our metal fabrication work. National Iron Works is a family-owned and operated shop with three people. Matt handles the calls, the estimates and the scheduling. His father owns and runs the business and oversees the fabrication. We’re general liability insured, and our work comes with a 5-year warranty on welds and installation. Powder coating isn’t covered, and the warranty isn’t transferable.
Thinking about Metal Staircases? Let’s talk. (770) 309-6681
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to build and install a custom metal staircase?
Timelines depend on your design, but you can plan around a few clear steps: the free on-site estimate, locking in the design, fabrication of the stringers and treads, then installation. Outdoor jobs can take longer if rain delays the finish work, since paint and coatings need dry surfaces to bond well in Marietta’s humid summers.
Do I need a permit for a new staircase in Marietta?
It depends on the project. Exterior stairs that reach a deck or an upper floor often need a permit, so it’s worth checking with the City of Marietta or Cobb County before work starts. Sorting this out during the design phase keeps the project on track, since changes after the steel is cut cost far more than changes made on paper.
Can you match a metal staircase to my home's existing railings or style?
Yes, since each staircase is custom fabricated for your exact opening rather than pulled off a shelf. During the free on-site estimate, you can talk through frame style, tread choice, railing details, and finish so the final design fits the look of your home.
What drives the cost of a custom metal staircase?
There’s no set price because no two openings are the same. The biggest drivers are size and height, shape, frame style, material, treads, railings, and finish. A straight run with a simple handrail costs the least. Turns, landings, and ornamental railings add labor. When you compare quotes, check whether each one includes installation, the finish, the railings, and removing the old stairs.