What Is MS Railing? Meaning, Materials, Designs and Price

MS railing means mild steel railing: a railing fabricated from low-carbon steel sections that are cut, welded and then painted or coated. "MS" is the Indian trade abbreviation for mild steel, in the same way that "SS" stands for stainless steel. It is the most common railing material in the country because the steel is cheap, every local fabricator can work it, and it can be made into almost any pattern.

To be clear about our position: Prince Railing manufactures stainless-steel and aluminium glass-railing systems. We do not make MS railings. This page is here because buyers ask what the term means before they compare options.

What mild steel actually is

Mild steel is iron with a small amount of carbon, typically up to about 0.25 %, and no meaningful chromium. That makes it strong, ductile, easy to weld and strongly magnetic. It also means the metal has no corrosion resistance of its own. Bare mild steel starts to rust as soon as it meets moisture and air, so an MS railing is only as durable as the coating on top of it.

Stainless steel is different because it carries chromium, which forms a thin protective layer on the surface. The practical consequences of that are set out in MS vs SS railing.

What an MS railing is made from

A fabricator builds an MS railing from standard steel sections bought by weight from a steel stockist.

The pieces are cut to length, tack welded on a jig, fully welded, ground smooth and then finished. Hollow sections keep the railing light, and solid bars and flats give the traditional look.

How MS railing is finished

The finish is the part that decides how long the railing lasts.

• Primer and enamel paint. The usual finish: a coat of red oxide or zinc-based primer followed by two coats of synthetic enamel. It is cheap, can be done on site and can be touched up with a brush. It is also the thinnest protection of the three.
• Powder coating. Dry powder is sprayed on and baked in an oven to form a hard, even film. It looks better and resists chipping better than brush paint, but the railing has to fit the oven, and joints welded on site afterwards are left with only touch-up paint. Colour choice is covered in our RAL colour guide.
• Hot-dip galvanising. The finished railing is dipped in molten zinc, which coats every surface including the inside of hollow sections. Zinc protects the steel even at small scratches. It is the most durable option for outdoor MS, and it can be painted over when a colour is wanted.

Whatever the finish, rust and weld slag have to be cleaned off first. Paint applied over mill scale or rust fails early.

Common MS railing designs

• Vertical bar railing. Square or round bars between a top and a bottom rail. Simple, cheap and hard to climb.
• Horizontal pipe railing. Rails running along the length. It looks modern but gives a child footholds; see gaps and child safety.
• Flat-pattern and geometric railing. Flats welded into boxes, diagonals or repeating motifs.
• Laser-cut panel railing. A sheet cut with a jali or floral pattern and framed in hollow section.
• Wrought-iron style. Scrolls, collars and twisted bars, usually painted black. The modern takes are in black railing design.
• MS frame with other infill. A steel frame holding wood, mesh or glass.

The same sections and patterns are used for window and balcony grills. The two are not the same product, and the distinction is explained in railing vs grill.

MS railing price per running foot

MS railing is indicatively ₹250 – ₹600 per running foot, against ₹700 – ₹1,200 for an SS 304 pipe railing. Both figures are market ranges from our railing price per running foot guide, not quotations. Within the MS range the price moves with the weight of steel per foot, how much cutting and welding the pattern needs, and whether the finish is brush paint, powder coat or galvanising.

Where it suits and where it rusts

MS does well in dry places: internal staircases, mezzanines, covered corridors and decorative work that stays out of the rain. It is also the practical choice for ornate patterns, since scrollwork is fabricated by hand and mild steel is the easiest metal to bend and weld.

It struggles outdoors. Rust starts at the places where the coating is thinnest or broken:

• weld joints, especially those welded on site and painted by brush
• cut ends and drilled holes
• the foot of each post, where water sits on the floor
• the inside of hollow sections that were never sealed or galvanised
• chips from furniture, planters and cleaning tools

Once rust starts it creeps under the surrounding paint and lifts it. Coastal air and monsoon humidity shorten the interval a great deal.

Upkeep

Inspect the railing once a year, before the monsoon if it is outdoors. Where paint has chipped or blistered, wire-brush back to clean metal, prime the patch and repaint. A full repaint every few years is normal for exposed painted MS, and the exact interval depends on the exposure and the quality of the first coating. Keep the post bases clear of standing water and soil.

MS and SS at a glance

• Cost: MS is roughly half the price of SS 304 at purchase.
• Rust: MS depends on its coating. Stainless protects itself and needs washing, not repainting.
• Design: MS can be fabricated into any pattern and painted any colour. Stainless railings are usually pipe, flat or glass systems.
• Glass: frameless glass is held by stainless or aluminium hardware, not by painted steel. Our railing systems page shows the options.

If you decide on stainless, be aware that it comes in grades and the cheap ones disappoint outdoors. A magnet will tell mild steel from most stainless, but it will not tell one stainless grade from another; the reliable checks are in how to identify SS 304 and SS 202.

For a stainless or glass alternative to an MS design, send us the run length and location and we will suggest a system.