For over 17 years, you’ve known Midwest Stairs and Iron as the nationally recognized metal manufacturer that we are—specializing in self-supporting, bolt-on, aluminum balconies; steel stairs; railings; and miscellaneous metals. Today, we still do all of these things, but we’ve simplified our brand to better encapsulate our offerings and showcase our work. From now on,

Seeking the Best Balcony Choice for Multifamily Buildings What are the Different Types of Balconies? What Construction Material is Available for Balconies? What Details Should You Know for Balcony Design? Which Balcony Type is Best? What are the Different Types of Balconies? Many balcony options exist for today’s multi-family construction projects. Use this guide to

Transfer Beam Installation Successfully Completed The installation of the 26,000 lb transfer beam is complete at the St. Camillus project in Wauwatosa, WI. The new 15-story independent living building sits across from the Milwaukee County Zoo. Gilbane Building Company is the general contractor. This was a record-setting transfer beam Midwest Stairs & Iron ever set.

We’re ready to meet elevated design and accelerated timelines. Modern Construction Efficiency Ideas Laser Cutting Machine Will Address Modern Construction Challenges Today’s construction challenges call for fast timelines. But how does an already pushed to the limit manufacturer meet faster timelines? The manufacturer must be flexible. Flexibility introduces the idea of laser cutting automation. Moreover,

Modern balconies in multifamily construction are hot right now. Residents want balconies for connection outside of their living space…to feel breathtaking views, take in the sounds of nature, or view the bustling city from above. This increased balcony demand creates a need for a modern way of thinking about balconies.

What helps make a balcony safe and stable? A safe and stable balcony is best created by engineering know-how and innovation. We’ve all been on balconies where the railing seems a little loose or the decking seems a little unsafe. Those balconies were built with the cheapest cost in mind, without consideration of occupant safety

Acronyms and Industry Terms of the Construction Industry Sometimes architects speak their own “archispeak,” using words like WELL, LEED, BIM, built environment, biophilia, and ROM. The other day we used Google to figure out what ROM meant from an architect’s standpoint and then translated the literal meaning from Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) to the

Today’s fast pace world expects everything right now, and the construction industry is part of this demand. Amazon adds to this mindset with its same-day shipping. I call this expectation of thinking “everything can be had in your hands at your command,” or the “Amazon Now Effect.” Seemingly, this effect finds a way into the

Deflection and live loads play a part in how occupants feel while on a balcony. Balcony and deck structure design need several considerations for the ultimate design. These considerations become crucial when balconies of a multifamily property take on how a building looks and feels in the end. You have the design and the color

Traditionally, if you wanted a balcony on your architectural design, the balcony system became a wood cantilever balcony design. Today, new methods and substrates open up options to consider a wood cantilever balcony system, or something like an aluminum bolt-on balcony system.