Types of glass railings of stairs and methods of their installation

Glass stair railing is used on various objects: in private houses, shopping complexes and office buildings. Such designs allow you to visually enlarge the room and make the interior more attractive. The main thing when installing such railings is to choose the right fasteners and carry out the installation.

Features, pros and cons

Glass canvases for stairs give the march a special elegance. Such designs are suitable for interiors in the Art Nouveau and futurism style. They are often equipped with additional lighting sources that allow you to highlight certain areas or create multicolored highlights.

A handrail made of metal or wood is installed on translucent railings. Externally, such designs look more representative.

There are certain requirements for glass panels for stairs. The main one is to preserve the safety of the residents of the house, so even with a large impact, no glass fragments are formed. The canvas is only covered with cracks.

Positive:

• the opportunity to install a stylish design in your home that will emphasize the features of the interior;
• no need to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the canvas. Glass does not need special care, cleaning is carried out as often as washing windows;
• resistance to UV, water, temperature changes;
• visual expansion of the room space;
• long service life;
• high safety — in the manufacture of such railings, special glass is used, which is not capable of causing injury in case of splitting.

When installing glass railings on the stairs, many design solutions open up. You can place an engraving or a self-selected image on the glass.

Handrails for stairs made of glass are made transparent or matte. The glass bends easily when using special equipment.

The disadvantages of glass structures include the high cost of the material. Some point to the fragility of glass in comparison with wooden or metal railings, but this disadvantage is relative.

Types of constructions

Glass stair railings are produced in various configurations. Partitions can be fixed on racks or be self-supporting. Glass railings are distinguished depending on the method of fastening, material and method of manufacture.

According to the methods of fixing the glass

There are the following ways of fixing glass:

• Coin (also called point). This method of fastening got its name due to the appearance of the fixing elements – they resemble large coins. The glass is attached to the end of the stairs.
• Fastening with a clamping profile. With this installation option, the glass railings of the stairs are installed in special profiles placed at the bottom.
• With the help of connections. These are clamping fasteners that connect the frame of the railing with glass screens.

These are the main types of fasteners of glass railings. However, individually designed fixation elements are often used. The main thing is to choose something that will match the style of the interior.

By glass material

Glass for stair railings is produced using technologies that allow achieving high strength, resistance to temperature and other useful properties. There are several main types of glass for railings.

Hardened

Such glass is subjected to heat treatment. As a result, it acquires positive properties:

• high temperature resistance;
• resistance to mechanical stress;
• high impact strength.

Heat treatment is performed at high temperatures, then the glass is cooled with air. When destroyed, it is not dangerous, since the fragments have blunt edges, and also have the shape of a trapezoid.

Tempered glass is made frosted, transparent or tinted. Such constructions are often decorated with a sandblasting machine.

Mollified

Molling allows you to obtain curved glass elements. Such structures are made by bending glass at high temperature on an all-metal mold. The bending radius is set arbitrarily.

Frost – resistant

Frost-resistant glass railings are used for external stairs. Such glass is not affected by low temperatures. It retains its strength and decorative properties even during severe frosts.

Triplex system

A commonly used variant of glass fencing is multilayer triplex systems. The structure consists of several elements glued together with a polymer film or adhesive composition. All components are connected into a single system. In the process of joining the canvases, they are pressed at high temperature.

Among the advantages of the triplex system are:

• high strength;
• operational safety;
• good heat resistance.

Since the material is decorated from the inside, the treated surface is completely protected from deformation during operation. Under severe mechanical stress, the structure does not disintegrate into fragments, but is held by a polymer film.

Plexiglass (polymethylmethacrylate)

Acrylic glass is often used in glass railings. It is made of whole sheets that do not have voids. Externally, such products resemble plexiglass. However, monolithic polycarbonate is inferior to it in terms of technical indicators. Plexiglass (plexiglass) has the following properties:

• high strength;
• fire resistance;
• durability.

In terms of strength, polymethylmethacrylate exceeds acrylic glass by 11 times. Plexiglass is made by extrusion or injection molding. Also, separate balusters and handrails are made in this way.

By frame type

Each railing has a frame and an inter-frame filling. Usually metal racks act as a supporting structure. Balusters are made of glass or wood. Install glass railings with or without a frame. In the latter version, the structure is self-supporting.

Frameless (self-supporting) systems

Such structures are installed without a frame base. Usually the glass for them has a thickness of 13 to 19 mm. The glass is attached to the stairs at the base of the steps. To do this, use brackets, coin holders or a clamping profile.

Frameless glass railing with coin fastening
Frameless railings on the clamping profile

Such structures do not have support pillars. Handrails at the same time can:

• completely absent;
• be carried out beyond the plane of the railings;
• to be fixed on the upper edge of the canvas.

Special fasteners are used to install frameless structures. All-glass railings are fixed in metal or wooden profiles. In this case, the design acquires airiness.

Frame systems

The glasses in such structures are located between the support posts. The latter are attached to the steps. Usually, when installing the system, combinations of glass and other materials are chosen: wood, aluminum, stainless steel.

Frame structure with connections

Coin mount on the frame

Common variants of wireframes:

• full metal frame;
• the frame consists of small racks to which solid canvases are attached;
• metal racks with wooden handrails on top.

Advice! It is better to install ready-made elements yourself, from which modular structures are assembled.
Frame systems are easy to install, strong and durable, so they are often chosen for stair railings.

Decorative lighting

Glass railings for stairs are attractive in themselves. However, they are often equipped with decorative lighting. In this case, they become masterpieces of design art, capable of harmoniously complementing the interior.

Thanks to the illumination, stair railings acquire a spectacular appearance. Soft light sources ensure the safety of movement on the stairs with a glass railing at night. The illumination is installed on both indoor and outdoor structures.

Glass railings are decorated more often with LED, or LED, illumination. In this case, tapes are usually used, which are fixed to the handrail or at the edge of the railing. A popular option is with point light sources that can effectively illuminate the steps.

The color of the backlight is of particular importance. The classic white version is usually used. Often a blue or yellow shade is added to it. But it is better to choose the lighting of the stairs in accordance with the interior of the room in which the stairs are installed.