glass for balustrade
Discussion
I put toughened glass in for a balustrade/banister on an internal feature staircase. A few things:
1) It's not cheap
2) Use a local supplier if possible
3) If you need holes for fixings you need to make sure the drawings you submit show them - you cannot drill the glass once it's been toughened
4) If you measure it wrong and it's on site; you're buggered
5) It's tough but also vulnerable during installation/moving - if you clank and edge on stone for example it'll pop into a million bits
6) It's heavy, proper heavy
7) If you are using fixings rather than just sitting in a rebate/s you really need to use proper fixings designed for glass as opposed to sticking a great big bolt through it and tightening it up
I can't remember the thickness we had to use but it was quite substantial
1) It's not cheap
2) Use a local supplier if possible
3) If you need holes for fixings you need to make sure the drawings you submit show them - you cannot drill the glass once it's been toughened
4) If you measure it wrong and it's on site; you're buggered
5) It's tough but also vulnerable during installation/moving - if you clank and edge on stone for example it'll pop into a million bits
6) It's heavy, proper heavy
7) If you are using fixings rather than just sitting in a rebate/s you really need to use proper fixings designed for glass as opposed to sticking a great big bolt through it and tightening it up
I can't remember the thickness we had to use but it was quite substantial
GnuBee said:
I can't remember the thickness we had to use but it was quite substantial
Our staircase has a glass banister/ballustrade....I think it's about 1cm thick. Wise words about the logistics. A lot of builders don't like handling these things as they are responsible for breakage once they are on site....our architect was very surprised that the builders agreed to use one piece of glass rather than two or three smaller piece because it's much harder to handle and thus easier to break and a bigger financial risk for them.
Toughened glass is required.
You can consider toughened and laminated as this will afford additional protection.
You need to be aware of Part K of the Building Regs.
This will help you in determining what is allowable and what isn't.
Horizontal tensioned wires or ropes is not. Also pay attention to the 100mm sphere rule.
If you are not familiar with using, handling, dimensioning and installing glass, you could well be at the bottom of a fairly steep learning curve.
Best of luck!
You can consider toughened and laminated as this will afford additional protection.
You need to be aware of Part K of the Building Regs.
This will help you in determining what is allowable and what isn't.
Horizontal tensioned wires or ropes is not. Also pay attention to the 100mm sphere rule.
If you are not familiar with using, handling, dimensioning and installing glass, you could well be at the bottom of a fairly steep learning curve.
Best of luck!
Ironictwist, your thread is here!
Speak to this guy: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?mem...
Speak to this guy: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/profile.asp?mem...
Nobby Diesel said:
Toughened glass is required.
You can consider toughened and laminated as this will afford additional protection.
You need to be aware of Part K of the Building Regs.
This will help you in determining what is allowable and what isn't.
Horizontal tensioned wires or ropes is not. Also pay attention to the 100mm sphere rule.
If you are not familiar with using, handling, dimensioning and installing glass, you could well be at the bottom of a fairly steep learning curve.
Best of luck!
how come you cant have steel wire when most companies offer it :S You can consider toughened and laminated as this will afford additional protection.
You need to be aware of Part K of the Building Regs.
This will help you in determining what is allowable and what isn't.
Horizontal tensioned wires or ropes is not. Also pay attention to the 100mm sphere rule.
If you are not familiar with using, handling, dimensioning and installing glass, you could well be at the bottom of a fairly steep learning curve.
Best of luck!
Take a look at this http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulatio...
and download the Document.
Refer to section K1 1.29
"Guarding cannot be readily climbed."
I know that many companies offer it. I see it all the time on "Grand Designs" et al.
I don't know how people get away with it, if the local Building Control are half worth their salt.
I know of instances where people have fitted temporary panels to get a sign off, then replaced with tension wires.
It seems daft, but commercial and public areas don't attract the same level of caution.
I realise that Documet K does not specifically refer to Decking, but this is the Documnet most widely used and applied to decked areas. There may be a caveat depending on the height of the fall off the edge of the decked area.
and download the Document.
Refer to section K1 1.29
"Guarding cannot be readily climbed."
I know that many companies offer it. I see it all the time on "Grand Designs" et al.
I don't know how people get away with it, if the local Building Control are half worth their salt.
I know of instances where people have fitted temporary panels to get a sign off, then replaced with tension wires.
It seems daft, but commercial and public areas don't attract the same level of caution.
I realise that Documet K does not specifically refer to Decking, but this is the Documnet most widely used and applied to decked areas. There may be a caveat depending on the height of the fall off the edge of the decked area.
Nobby Diesel said:
I know of instances where people have fitted temporary panels to get a sign off, then replaced with tension wires.
That's how they get away with it - the contractor etc advises the house owner to instate a temporary cover etc and then takes it down once sign-off has been given.I know of 2 people who have work done recently by different contractors; both advised temporary structures to achieve sign-off.
GnuBee said:
That's how they get away with it - the contractor etc advises the house owner to instate a temporary cover etc and then takes it down once sign-off has been given.
I know of 2 people who have work done recently by different contractors; both advised temporary structures to achieve sign-off.
I know - it's just that as a professional contractor, I can't advise you do that I know of 2 people who have work done recently by different contractors; both advised temporary structures to achieve sign-off.
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