Dio-Met supplied and installed around 25 metres of frameless glass balustrade, with no handrails, to a new balcony on a contemporary home in Ranmoor, Sheffield. Set on top of a new extension in an elevated position, the balustrade gives an uninterrupted "infinity" view out over the surrounding countryside.
Project overview
- Client type: Residential (direct contract)
- Location: Ranmoor, Sheffield
- System: Frameless structural glass balustrade, base-channel fixed, no handrail
- Quantity: Approximately 25 metres
- Glass: Toughened and laminated safety glass
- Setting: New balcony on top of a new extension, elevated with countryside views
- Certification: Building Regulations compliant, UKCA certified
- Scope: Supply and installation
The brief
The homeowner had built a new extension with a balcony on top, in an elevated spot looking out over open countryside. The whole point of the balcony was the view, so the brief was a balustrade that protected the edge without getting in the way of it. That meant frameless: no posts, and no top handrail, just glass, for as clean and uninterrupted an outlook as possible.
Design and fabrication
Dio-Met designed the run as a frameless base-channel balustrade, using our structural glass balustrade system to carry around 25 metres of glass with no posts and no handrail. The glass is toughened and laminated safety glass, the correct specification for a frameless balcony balustrade: toughened for strength, laminated so the interlayer holds the pane safely in place if it is ever damaged. Carried on a continuous base channel, the glass does the structural work itself, which is what gives the "infinity" effect, edge protection that all but disappears against the view. The system is fully Building Regulations compliant and UKCA certified.
Expert insight
"On a balcony built for the view, the balustrade should defer to it. A frameless, handrail-free glass run is the closest you get to nothing being there at all, but it still has to be properly engineered glass on a structural channel, not just a panel in a clamp."
Frequently asked questions
What is an infinity or frameless glass balustrade? It is a glass balustrade with no posts and, in this case, no handrail, where the glass itself provides the structure, set into a base channel along the floor. The result is an unbroken glass edge that protects the balcony while leaving the view almost completely uninterrupted.
Can you have a glass balustrade with no handrail, and is it Building Regulations compliant? Yes. A correctly specified frameless glass balustrade can be installed without a top handrail and still meet the regulations. Our glass balustrade building regulations guide explains the requirements, and this system is Building Regulations compliant and UKCA certified.
What glass is used for a frameless balcony balustrade? Toughened and laminated safety glass. Toughening gives the strength, and the laminated interlayer keeps the glass safely in place if a pane is ever broken, which is why laminated glass is specified for frameless and elevated balustrades.
Do you cover Sheffield and the rest of the UK? Yes. This balcony is in Ranmoor, Sheffield, close to our workshop, and we design, manufacture and install frameless glass balustrades across the UK, supply-only or fully fitted.
Explore more from Dio-Met
Related products
- Frameless Glass Balustrade System 4
- Frameless Glass Balustrades
- Metal & Glass Balustrades
- Walkout Balconies
Similar projects
Helpful guides
- Glass Balustrade Building Regulations UK
- How to Choose a Glass Balustrade System
- All Dio-Met building guides
Planning a frameless glass balustrade?
Thinking about a frameless or infinity glass balustrade for a balcony, terrace or staircase? We'd be happy to help, wherever you are in the UK. Call us on 0114 243 9009 or email sales@diometonline.co.uk, or request a quote online.
Tags: frameless glass balustrade, infinity glass balustrade, glass balcony balustrade, frameless glass balcony, laminated glass balustrade, no handrail glass balustrade, glass balustrade Sheffield, structural glass balustrade, Ranmoor
