Balustrades & Barriers

Balustrades and barriers are an important architectural feature, used in the interior and exterior of many buildings, to create a safe, aesthetically pleasing environment. A balustrade is a railing supported by balusters, typically situated on a balcony, bridge or terrace.  Made using a range of materials, balustrades and barriers must be robustly designed to meet strict regulations.

Glass can be used to create balustrades and barriers, to ensure safety whilst maintaining an open spacious feel to an interior or an unobstructed view from a commercial or residential building. When specified correctly, glass provides a safe enclosure, that is aesthetically pleasing, durable, easy to clean and simple to maintain.

It’s important to consider the regulatory requirements when specifying glass for balustrades and barriers.  To access relevant supporting information, take a look at the following documents, projects and related Saint-Gobain Glass products.  

Please be aware that a number of the building projects shown on the Tech Hub were developed before the citation of Building (Amendment) Regulations 2018 Statutory Instrument 1230, which affects the use of laminated glass in balustrades and barriers. 

If you require help with specification, please contact a member of the Saint-Gobain Glass Technical Specification team to discuss your project.