Glass railing for stairs - attractive, reliable and unique

Fencing stairs is not only a necessary measure, based on security requirements, but also a decoration for the interior. In a private house, by means of steps, not only two or several floors are combined, but also notes of sophistication are brought into the atmosphere of the home. In the stylish office premises, the stairs also become a prominent element of the interior.

And the original appearance of this design is not attached to the steps themselves, but to the fence, which can be made of various materials. In this article we will look at how ladder fences are made of glass.

Glass fencing stairs have a very stylish appearance.

Fencing for the steps, made of glass

Glass is a versatile material. Various glass objects surround us in everyday life. However, we all know that one of the most serious drawbacks of this material is increased fragility.

Despite this, in recent years glass structures began to appear, striking in their strength and reliability. And fencing for glass staircases is no exception.

Stair railings are not decorative elements. They, above all, are designed to ensure the safety of movement between floors, and sometimes are even part of the structural frame. In such cases, the steps are fixed on them.

Of course, ordinary glass is not suitable for use for such purposes. Even if you select for the steps sheets of material with an impressive thickness - the inherent fragility of the glass will remain.

At the same time, such a construction will differ in significant weight. What glass is used for the production of stair railings and the stairs themselves?

Material Features

Tempered glass: a test of strength.

Glass stairs can be made of the following materials:

1. Strained glass. This material is a conventional glass that undergoes special treatment, during which it is heated to the quenching temperature (up to 680 ° C). Then there is a quick and uniform cooling, for which cold air is applied, which is supplied to both sides of the product.

The result of such uncomplicated processing are the residual compressive stresses that are formed in the surface layers of glass and provide its enhanced technical characteristics, namely:

• Heat resistance.
• Strength.
• Safety at destruction. If you break such a glass (which in practice is very difficult to do), then it will collapse into a huge number of small fragments that have blunt edges and therefore cannot cause serious injuries.
• The only weak point of such a product is the butt. Upon impact, residual stresses are easily released and the glass is destroyed. But this effect is very often used in the manufacture of designer furniture. For example, three-layer countertops with a "broken" top layer or doors of "broken glass".

In the photo, shards of tempered glass that do not hurt the hand.

Tip! Even if the glass elements in the stairs are not part of the supporting frame, they must be made of tempered glass. Ordinary glass in these structures is extremely undesirable.

1. Triplex - This is nothing like a laminated glass, which consists of two or more sheets that are bonded to each other by means of a polymer film or composite material.

Triplex является ярким представителем группы безопасных материалов. Благодаря полимерной прослойке, он не разлетается на осколки, а лишь растрескивается.

Such manufacturing technology makes it possible to obtain a sufficiently strong glass, which opens up a wide scope for the realization of designer fantasies.

So, besides special glue, various types of decorative fabrics, films with images, nets, etc. can be laid between the glasses as an internal layer. Naturally, the price of triplex will be slightly higher than usual. Often made of laminated glass original steps for glass stairs.

Stylish steps from triplex.

Types of fencing for stairs

To date, the staircase fence made of glass can be made in several versions:

1. The most popular and easy-to-make type of such fences is a classic rack construction, the stands of which are made of metal or wood.

Tip! For a modern high-tech style, the design with metal racks is great. For interiors that are classic, the best option would be wood. Such a move will be able to combine the modern and traditional motifs in the design of the premises.

Construction with metal racks.

In this case, the glass panels are not part of the supporting frame, but still have to be made of durable glass. Steps here can be made of any material.

1. Solid staircase fence made of glass with a hidden metal frame. In this case, the glass is attached to the end of the ladder. The place of fastening is decorated with polished stainless sheet or with decorative wooden overlays.

Ladder with hidden metal frame.

The main purpose of this design is to create the impression of weightlessness. Looking at such a product, you should get the impression that the glass is attached directly to the stairs.

1. The third option provides a point mount to the end of the steps. Its significant advantage is that in this case, the area of ​​the stairs is not reduced by mounting, which is located outside the structure.

Dot mount.

The above options for creating glass stair railings have a rigid metal or wooden frame and the glass elements are not part of the supporting structure here. However, there is a fourth, most difficult option to perform:

1. All-glass designs. To make such a ladder with your own hands no instruction will help you. Here glass is not just an element of decor. In such constructions, not only handrails, but also the entire supporting frame, including the steps, are made of this material. Fastening can be either point or use special glue.

All-glass frame.

Such products are most often made to order, being exclusive.

Spiral staircases

Such designs are quite popular and today no one cause delight or surprise. They are made of various materials, but if we are talking about glass, then the usual sheet here is clearly not suitable.

In the production of such stairs, special curved or beaded glass is used. Sheets can be fixed on the frame using various methods, but the most common is point.

Spiral staircase with glass fencing.

Railing

In various models of stairs there may be glass fences, steps or frame as a whole, but railings are most often made of some other material. Naturally, some elite designs admit the presence of glass railing, but this is rather the exception to the rule.

In this case, everything is easily explained, because you will agree, transparent glass railing is already too much. Yes, and to the touch they will not be as pleasant as, for example, wood.

Therefore, most often railings in glass stairs are made from:

• Wood - this traditional staircase element will not be superfluous even in modern constructions. In addition, the tree is one of the most flexible in work, opening an incredible scope for imagination and design solutions.

Through simple wooden railing, you can emphasize the rigor of glass, which will be an excellent solution for a modern minimalist interior. If the railing will be figured, ornate curved and decorated with carved elements - this is also a winning move, which will give the structure some classicism.

Combined design: wooden railing, metal frame and glass inserts.

The result of combining the coldness of glass and the warmth of the wood is an excellent appearance and aesthetics.

• Plastic - this modern material, which is used in almost all sectors of construction and decoration. Plastic nets are made of it for fencing of sports fields (there is even a rent of fencing for construction sites), panels for interior and exterior cladding of buildings, etc. Products from it are strong, reliable and pleasant to the touch. What to say about the fact that plastic opens up truly incredible horizons for the realization of design ideas.

It is available in various colors and a variety of shades, is able to reliably mimic natural materials, while remaining significantly cheaper than the original. The texture of plastic products can also be different. For example, a handrail with a light, barely noticeable roughness, will not slide.

Plastic railing.

• Metal. The severity and coldness of the metal perfectly harmonizes with the glass. There is nothing better for a high-tech interior.

From the point of view of practicality, metal railings lose wooden and plastic, but taking into account their stylishness, you can put up with this drawback (see also the article Metal fences of balconies, stairs and terraces in apartments and country houses). Glass-metal structures look just impressive.

Metal racks and railings.

Conclusion

When choosing such an original interior element, pay attention not only to the design, but also to the design features. The ladder should look secure, the glass should be strong, as should the fastening of all elements.

In the stair structures, each element must be reliable, and if we consider the modern manufacturers to save, it is better to be safe and approach the selection procedure seriously (Read also the article Forged fences for stairs, their types and advantages).

In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.