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BS 6180 · BS EN 12150 · BS EN ISO 12543Balustrades are a safety barrier before they're a design feature. Here's exactly how we spec glass and steel so your system passes building control and stands up to a real-world load.
Thickness depends on use, fall height and whether there's a handrail. As a general guide:
10mm toughened, internal or external.
12mm toughened.
12mm toughened.
15mm toughened.
17.5mm toughened-laminated.
21.5mm toughened-laminated.
Both grades look alike, but 316 resists corrosion far better. Use 304 for internal balustrades and 316 for anything external. Near the sea or a pool, use mirror-polished 316 to protect against salt and chlorine. On Anglesey we fit 316 as standard — it's the whole point of using a coastal specialist.
900mm for internal (stairs, landings) in a private home; 1100mm for external balconies and roof edges, measured from finished floor level.
In areas used by children, gaps between panels must not let a 100mm sphere pass. We recommend a 10mm gap in structural channels.
Systems undergo line-load tests; the balustrade should not deflect more than 25mm at the fixing. Test certificates available on request.
Small movement at the base means big movement at the top. We advise on fixing into timber, concrete or brickwork so the base is genuinely structural.
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