Glass is being used more often these days in staircase designs by homeowners as a way to revitalise their homes. A glass balustrade is likely to blend in. It will help any room feel much larger and brighter regardless of your home’s specific décor style.
However, if there are kids present, safety is always a worry. Glass is added to the mix, bringing shattered dishes and mugs to mind. So why would a modern parent consider installing glass rails in their household? To choose the best staircase design for you, we will discuss whether glass staircases are safe for kids in this blog.
Glass Handrails Are Rather Strong.
When installing glass balustrades, the first thing a worried parent needs to know is how tight the building rules are regarding railings and guardrails. As a result, the special glass will be used for the railings. Tempered laminated glass is used as an alternative. The strength of this glass is four times more than that of conventional glass, and it resists cracking even when struck by a blunt instrument.
Fewer Things Moving Through Less Space
The distance between balusters or posts is the second factor to consider. Consider a standard deck, stair, or balcony railing made of metal or wood. Again, consider the distance between the posts. A curious toddler will frequently try out those openings by poking their hand or head. Unfortunately, these openings are filled in by glass fences, leaving little room for curious kids to explore.
Extra Railings
You can add a railing on top of glass balustrades to further increase stairways’ safety. You can add railings to interior and exterior balustrades to increase the safety of staircases with glass balustrade features.
Glass Clamps
Balustrade glass clamps are usually used to mount glass balustrades. Glass clamps have a strong and durable construction. Guarantee that the balustrade’s glass panels are securely and safely in place.
Glass clamps are aesthetically pleasing and maintain the strength and durability of glass balustrades. These modern-looking fixtures complement the unique and cutting-edge design of glass balustrades and contribute to the overall fashionable appearance of a staircase element.
There Is No Deterioration
Children find it challenging to climb on them, and there are no openings for their heads or feet, which also helps to protect kids from falling down stairs. Another crucial point is that these fences never rot or decay. Hence, there are no loose parts that kids could accidentally consume. Unfortunately, over time, the degradation of wooden railings causes the release of dangerous components to children.
You Can Include Non-Slip Element Onto Glass Stairs
You can add glass stair treads with various anti-slip elements if you’re worried they’ll be too slippery. To reduce children from slipping, grip strips or rubber might be applied to the treads. Metal or wood might be used to increase grip while preserving the stair’s aesthetics.
Clear glass has a rougher surface that offers better grip while maintaining the glass’s simple shape. This could be included as a straightforward strip or as a decorative element, like a pattern on the treads.
Although this would be more difficult and expensive, a similar appearance may be created with etched glass.
Simple To Clean After Your Messy Kids
When kids play around with sticky hands, glass railings, like glass windows and mirrors, can easily become dirty and smudged. But all you require is a clean towel and glass cleaner to maintain the gorgeous appearance of your glass railing. Then, spray, blot, and done! Your glass railing is in like-new condition.
Just be mindful not to get any cleaning solution on the supports and brackets. Metal, for example, can rust from contact with some non-glass materials. Another advantage of glass balustrades for children’s safety is that it doesn’t rust or degrade like metal or wood. This indicates that you can continue to enjoy your glass handrails for a long time!
How To Determine If Glass Balustrades and Bannisters Adhere To Building Codes
- The guidelines glass balusters and balustrades must follow include* the following to reduce the risk of collapse and injury:
- The glass must be laminated or toughened.
- Infills of the tempered or laminated glass must be at least 10mm thick.
- For every metre of glass, residential glass stair railings must be able to sustain loads of 0.74 kN/m.
- All glass balustrades must be at least 0.9 metres high from the moment they are installed until the railing height.
- The handrail must be at least 1.1 metres high for outdoor glass balustrades.
- All balustrades typically need handrails. However, this might not be necessary in some cases if the glass is sufficiently toughened and laminated to keep the glass panel firmly in place.
