T C Rowan fabricates bespoke steel balconies across Banbury and Oxfordshire, from lightweight Juliet balconies that guard an upper-floor opening to full cantilevered structural balconies you step out onto. As a family-run fabricator we handle the whole job under one roof: in-house design, fabrication in our own Banbury workshop, and installation by our own team, so the firm that draws your balcony is the firm that bolts it into the building. On a balcony, where the steelwork is both load-bearing and on permanent display, that single line of responsibility is what keeps the structure safe and the finish clean.
Types of steel balcony we fabricate
Every balcony is made to your opening, your elevation and your structure, so nothing here is off the shelf. The common types we build are:
- Juliet balconies. A guarding to a full-height door or window opening, with no walk-out platform. Lighter and simpler than a structural balcony, available in plain steel bar, glass-infill or feature designs to suit the elevation.
- Cantilevered structural balconies. A walk-out balcony that projects from the building with no posts beneath it, supported by steel cantilevered back into the structure. The most demanding type to engineer and the most striking to look at.
- Supported and balustraded balconies. A walk-out platform carried on posts, brackets or columns, with a balustrade to the perimeter. Often the right answer where a clean cantilever is not practical.
- Glass-and-steel balconies. A steel frame and balustrade with toughened glass infill panels, for an open outlook and a contemporary architectural finish.
Need the guarding side covered on its own? See our steel balustrades and handrails page, which often pairs with a balcony as the same package.
The structural side: fixings, cantilevers and engineering
A balcony is not a decorative add-on. The moment you walk out onto it, it carries live load, and that load has to travel through the steel and back into the building safely. This is where a balcony succeeds or fails.
For any load-bearing balcony, the steel sections, the cantilever support and the fixings that tie back into the structure must be sized from a structural engineer’s calculation. A cantilevered balcony in particular puts large forces through the connection back into the floor or wall, so that detail is engineered, not assumed. We fabricate to the engineer’s drawings rather than guessing dimensions, and we can coordinate with your engineer or recommend one if you do not yet have calculations.
Load-bearing balconies also fall under Building Regulations, so they need Building Control sign-off alongside the engineering. Depending on the property and location, adding or altering an external balcony can need planning permission too, which is worth checking early. For the wider engineered side of this work, see our structural steelwork page.
Finishes for outdoor durability
An external balcony lives in the weather, so the finish is part of the engineering, not an afterthought. For mild steel balconies we typically hot-dip galvanise for corrosion resistance, then powder-coat over the top where you want a specific colour and a hard-wearing finish. That combination protects the steel and lets you match the balcony to the building.
Where the look calls for it, we also fabricate balconies and balustrades in stainless steel, which gives a clean architectural finish and strong corrosion resistance without coating. The right specification depends on how exposed the balcony is, the finish you want and your budget, all of which we confirm with you before any steel is cut.
From design to install: how a bespoke balcony comes together
Every balcony follows the same disciplined path, and it is why ours arrive ready to fix rather than ready to argue about.
- Survey and drawings. We work from your architect’s plans and the structural engineer’s calculations, or we carry out our own site survey to capture the real opening and fixing points rather than assumed ones.
- Design and fabrication drawings. We produce fabrication drawings, agree the balcony type, the balustrade detail and the finish specification, and sign it off with you before cutting steel.
- Fabrication. Cutting, drilling, welding and finishing in our own Banbury workshop, to the agreed drawings, by qualified coded welders.
- Installation. Our own erection team installs the balcony, ties the steel back into the structure and completes any on-site welding, so the connections are finished correctly in place.
T C Rowan is CE approved and fabricates to BS EN 1090 execution standards, with material traceability available on request. Working with a single fabricator from drawing to final fixing closes the gaps where balcony projects usually go wrong: mismeasured openings, fixings that do not line up, and connections that clash on site. This balcony service sits within our wider custom steel staircases and balconies work, where staircase, balustrade and balcony are often one coordinated package.
To talk through a Juliet, cantilevered or glass-and-steel balcony for your project, contact us for a free quote.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a structural engineer for a steel balcony?
For any load-bearing balcony you walk out onto, yes. A cantilevered or supported balcony carries the weight of people and the structure itself, so the steel sections, fixings and connection back into the building must be sized from a structural engineer’s calculation. We fabricate to those drawings rather than guessing. A Juliet balcony that simply guards a door opening is lighter and simpler, but the fixings still need to be specified correctly. We can coordinate with your engineer or recommend one.
Does a steel balcony need Building Control approval?
A structural, load-bearing balcony does. Because it carries live loads and ties back into the building, it falls under Building Regulations and needs Building Control sign-off, alongside the engineer’s calculations. Adding or altering an external balcony can also need planning permission depending on the property and area, so it is worth checking with your local authority early. We fabricate to the approved drawings so the steel matches what has been signed off.
What finishes do you use to stop an external balcony rusting?
External balconies are exposed to weather, so protection matters. For mild steel we typically hot-dip galvanise, then powder-coat over the top where you want a specific colour, which gives both corrosion resistance and a durable finish. Where a clean architectural look is the priority we also fabricate in stainless steel. The right specification depends on exposure, the look you want and budget, which we confirm before any steel is cut.
Can you fabricate and install the balcony, or only supply it?
Both. We can supply a fabricated balcony for your own contractor to fit, or our own erection team can carry out the full installation, including tying the steel back into the structure and on-site welding where a connection has to be finished in place. Using one firm from drawing to final fixing is our core advantage and is what keeps the balcony from arriving wrong on site.