Glass and metal stairs: features of the manufacture of fences and feet (photo and video)

Glass is a rather exotic material for staircase structures, and glass stair railings are the choice of extraordinary personalities who can afford such bold interior solutions.

Glass beauty in modern construction

It can be noted that simple flights of stairs are constantly evolving, this also applies to construction and design. A really wide selection of glass and various fittings allows you to implement almost any design.

Balustrades

In most cases, all the design features of the future staircase are initially included in the master plan. This is important for the design of the location of entrances and exits, and the arrangement of staircase halls.

Here, glass railings for stairs can also be incorporated into the project.

It is clear that such a part of the span as a railing must meet several basic requirements:

Security... The glass must be correctly installed in accordance with all safety standards.
Comfort... The fence should be at a certain level, which will not make it possible to hang over it.
Aesthetic appearance, however, this part is already related to design.

There are two main types of glass that can be used in the production of fencing, namely:

Tempered.
Multilayer, or triplex.

However, the list of proposals does not end there, and modern production offers the following options for stairs and railings:

The glass is of the usual type, dense, thick, but without special indications. This option is completely decorative, as it can only withstand light blows.
Frost resistant. Such glass stair railings can be carried out as a balcony, and are able to withstand severe temperature changes.
Bulletproof and explosion-proof. This is a rather narrow direction, such glass is used in certain areas only.

The standard dimensions of glass used in the production of fences are 900-1500 mm. Moreover, it is a triplex or a hardened version, as noted above.

In terms of appearance, it can be noted:

Completely transparent glass.
Matt surface.
Tinted type of glazing.
Application of decorative film.

The nominal thickness of the product is strictly dependent on the operating conditions of the railings and on the span dimensions.

Nuances with documentation

This point in working with glass structures is always separate from the process. The fact is that glass is a fairly traumatic building material, and to start working with it, you must obtain permission from certain authorities, as well as strictly comply with all norms and requirements.

First of all, this concerns strict compliance with SNiP standards.

In addition, the moment of interaction with:

By the Ministry of Health.
Ministry of Emergency Situations.
Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Firefighters.

Of course, such a strict instruction is inherent in work in public construction, multi-storey buildings. However, in the private sector, no one relieves the owner of the house of responsibility if he does not follow all the rules for working with glass structures.

Basic material requirements

Speaking of glass, the first requirement for a material is its strength. And this applies not only to the fence, but also to the steps.

With regard to the glass element, there are three main requirements:

The thickness of the glass sheet should be uniform over the entire area, if it is a railing or steps.
The surface of the product must be absolutely flat, without the slightest difference.
The difference between the points of the glass should not exceed 0.7 mm, this is the maximum permissible error of the product.

But there are absolutely no requirements for design, glass staircase fences can be presented in any design idea.

If for the steps, for the most part, transparent glass is chosen, classical, so to speak, then in the fencing device you can find many more options:

Tinted.
Patterned.
Embossed.
Colored.
Painted.
Clarified.

Steel ladders with glass are made of materials that meet not only basic technical requirements, but are also ideal in terms of combination. Stainless metal and glass - the most extravagant hi-tech option in the modern world!

Advice!
When choosing stainless steel and glass, special attention should be paid to the surface of the materials, here any defect will instantly catch the eye and cannot be hidden in any way.

Installation nuances

Glass structures are quite complex structures in terms of loading and transportation, but almost everyone can handle a ladder during assembly.

There are two ways to collect it:

Mechanical assembly. This uses bolts.
Argon welding.

In the second option, of course, a specialist will be needed, work in this direction is impossible to carry out independently.

In addition, the manufacture of glass stairs requires very careful work with glass structural elements. If we can say about the steps that they are made of a triplex of increased strength, then in the railing, strength and the absence of chipping are also important.

The main problems can arise if:

There are even minimal chips on the ends. Gradually, they destroy the integrity of the fence, and in the case of steps, they can even cut the leg.
The corners are damaged. The steps are immediately declared unusable, but glass sheets for the railings cannot be used either.
There are jags. Over time, they will create stress in the body of the glass structure, which will lead to the leveling of all indicators of the strength of the glass.

Steps

In the manufacture of different parts of the glass structure, not always the same glass is used. So, in the production of steps for stairs, an impact-resistant material is used, as a rule, triplex, on which a protective film or polymer is additionally applied.

The dimensions of the steps do not have a standard size, but the most convenient size is considered to be a width of up to 1050 mm. The thickness always depends on the place of use, if constant movement along the stairs is assumed, then the glass is chosen quite massive. (see also the article Stair tread width norm, as well as other standards for its characteristics)

It should also be noted that there may be a number of different mixtures in the triplex, which give it strength. In addition, a clarified version of the glass material, which is characterized by a low iron content, is often used in the steps. The material remains transparent even with a solid step thickness, which in turn makes the steps virtually invisible.

Needless to say, what design ideas are born when taking into account the properties of the material?

From the point of view of safe movement along the glass step, the product is processed using sandblasting - this is a special equipment that, by abrasive application, gives the glass a matte shade and deprives it of its high sliding effect.

By the type of location of the steps, a glass staircase is no different from other options for staircase structures, there are also only two options here:

A straight-line arrangement in which the step is attached with special fasteners and bolts to the support beams or to the wall. (see also article Required width of a flight of stairs)
Spiral arrangement, this can also include the device of helical glass marches. Fastening in this version is somewhat more complicated, and can occur to a support pillar or to a wall or ceiling.

Fittings

It is impossible to completely create a staircase only from glass; in any case, metal parts, fasteners, fittings... Nevertheless, modern production offers fastening options that almost completely create the feeling of 100% "glazed" construction.

Basically, we are talking about special glass holders, which practically merge with the glass and are difficult to see. Such accessories for stairs may require technological holes or special cutouts, and it is quite problematic to do all this with your own hands, as you know.

In any case, the main material of the fittings is either wood or (and this is the overwhelming number of structures) stainless steel.

Cost issue

Of course, a glass staircase is quite an expensive pleasure, and the price is not only the cost of materials, it is also design, preparation of all documentation, transportation and installation.

Average prices start at 5 thousand rubles per running meter of construction and can reach five-digit figures - as they say, there is no limit to perfection!

Output

Safety, functionality and beauty - these are the three pillars of any glass construction, and it is really original, unusual and extravagant.

We can say that staircases made of glass and metal can become not just a part of an eccentric interior, but be its main component. And in the video presented in this article, you will find additional information on this topic.