June 06, 2013

Glass balustrade

Clean...Contemporary...IncomparableUninterrupted views, timeless, safe and weather resistant. Glass balustrade options byGlass Vice^®are the the ideal design solution to enhance architecture and lifestyle. Balustrade options available for decks, balconies, patios, staircases, steps, , garden or retaining walls and even just as a wind break.

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In recent years the UK has seen an increase in the use of glass balustrades without the installation of handrails. The new BS 6180:2011 clarifies this issue, we have detailed this below, if you need any clarification please get in touch or talk to your local building control.

If using toughened glass a handrail must also be used, in addition it must be adequately

secured to act as a secondary barrier should the glass fail i.e. the handrail should remain in-situ if a panel breaks.

If toughened laminate glass is used then it is permissible to have no handrail as long as the following aspects are put into place;

The glass to be used must meet the design load, this will be a; line load, uniformly

distributed load & a point load test (detailed within BS 6180:2011). Manufacturers of glass, have to provide the technical requirements on required glass thickness on meeting the required loadings.

Should a panel break and not meet the required criteria then guarding must be fitted immediately.

The glass selected must resist the appropriate design load and provide containment.

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What is laminated glass?

Toughened laminate glass consists of two sheets of toughened safety glass bonded together with a strong plastic interlayer.

This gives enhanced safety and security along with the retention of glass fragments in the event of glass breakage. Due to this interlayer the glass does have a slightly lower light transmission than ordinary glass of the same thickness.

The benefit of laminate glass is its strength and performance under impact. It is able to cope with large loads and in the unlikely event of any breakage the fragments will remain in situ by the interlayer and other panel of glass. This is beneficial as it means the panel can remain in place until a suitable replacement time is available.

what glass thickness is needed within different scenarios?

1. Firstly work out what height your barrier needs to be. For this example lets take a landing in a single family dwelling property, in which case the barrier will need to be 900mm high. This can be found on the table titled 'Minimum barrier heights'.

2. Secondly different fitting scenarios require minimum loading For our example the table labelled 'Minimum horizontal' tells us we need a glass that meets a 0.36 kN loading.

3. The final table labeled 'Glass thicknesses' shows us the strength of different glass types. Therefore for our example if we are going to have toughened glass then we require 12mm glass.

for more information find the following link for ........

Guidelines to Building Regulations (England & Wales), including British Standards

for CAD details regarding all stainless-steel accessories find the following link ........

Euroglass

How to measure?

Juliette Balconies and Balconettes

For wrought iron juliette balconies or balconettes you should allow at least 100mm either side. For glass juliette balconies you should allow at least 150mm either side.

Balustrades

We normally come in at least 50mm from the edge of the platform.

Gates and Railings

Taking into consideration the correct allowance whether you have purchased posts or the standard gate or railings with hinges or lugs .The size refers to the measurement taken from the inside of your wall or post you may already have to the inside of the other wall or post you already have. You do not need to make any allowances for fittings as we make all the necessary calculations for you, even if steel posts are required. All adjustable hinges and latches are supplied. If you already have wooden or steel posts, brick pillars or walls, simply take the measurements between them. Take the narrowest measurement as the widest part can be packed out appropriately.