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Glass balustrades the first choice for balconies

The popularity of glass balustrades has grown considerably over the past few years, making them the go-to choice for balconies, screening and barrier applications.

While there are plenty of manufacturers, Natralight can always guarantee a great service, installation and understanding of your project’s exact requirements.

Our glass balustrade systems undergo rigorous testing to ensure safety and peace of mind ensuring you get great performance and an easy installation.

What buildings can use glass balustrades?

A glass balustrade is the use of frameless glass as a protective barrier, often used to protect against a change in floor level or drop. 

Balustrades in private residential buildings require a balustrade when the difference in floor level is greater than 600mm. 

In all buildings other than private residentials a balustrade is required when -

  • On staircases with more than two risers
  • Where the floor level change is greater than 380mm

The above is the required location for a balustrade but of course, you can integrate glass balustrades everywhere as they can be useful to provide direction or guidance for people moving through a building or structure. 

Popular applications for structural glass balustrades include -

  • Staircases
  • Landing
  • Mezzanine floor
  • External balcony
  • Rooftop space
  • Terraced areas

Are there any glass specifications for frameless balustrades?

The standard structural glass specification for frameless glass balustrades adhere to all residential regulations and load requirements (Building Occupancy Classes 1 and 2). For public buildings and projects where a higher load requirement exists (Building Occupancy Classes 3 and 4) Natralight can provide a structural glass specification and base fixing that will be able to withstand significant horizontal load using high strength interlayers. 

The strengthening interlayers used by our design team are specialist architectural glazing interlayers designed to increase the strength of a toughened laminated glass structure significantly. They are so strong that even if the thick toughened glass panels within the structural glass balustrade were broken, the ionoplast interlayer between the panes maintains the structural integrity of the balustrade until a replacement is installed. 

As long as our team is fully aware of the location and purpose of the balustrade, we will be able to engineer our glass specification and base fixings to make sure a safe and efficient guarding is installed while completing your design. 

Is glass a permitted material for balustrades?

As mentioned, glass balustrades are a feature of staircases, Juliet balconies, balconies mezzanines floors and can be found inside and outside of both domestic and commercial premises. 

Here are some reasons glass is becoming more popular as a balustrade material -

  • Glass is rigid and strong, able to resist pressure and force
  • It doesn't bend, buckle or break when significant pressure is applied

Get in touch with any questions

If you have any questions about glass balustrades, please do not hesitate to contact Natralight today.