Ways To Renovate Your Staircase With Glass

One of the easiest yet most striking ways to renovate your dated staircase is to install glass balustrades or other glass features. This is a perfect solution to bring a tired and dated looking staircase right up to date. This works particularly well in dark hallways, because it increases the flow of natural light.

Replacing traditional rails and spindles with glass can open up a narrow entrance lobby, making it feel much more welcoming and modern. This can help to create a positive first impression to visitors, whether in a private home or a commercial building. Glass balustrades look contemporary and stylish, no matter what the purpose of the building.

Here are some different ways to refurbish a staircase with glass.

Framed glass balustrades

A staircase with stainless steel or wooden frames, and infills of toughened safety glass, is a popular choice. It will provide a strong and durable barrier, that is easy to maintain and keep clean. A great solution for homes with pets and small children, as you will eliminate the risk of slipping through the stair rails.

Frameless glass balustrades

For an ultra-contemporary look, frameless glass balustrades really open up a space by providing an uninterrupted transparent stair barrier. The toughened laminated panels are held in place with a deep u channel for glass, which should comply with BS safety standards. Installing a top rail is optional, depending on the look you want to achieve.

Frameless glass balustrades are also a great solution for outdoor balconies, to provide an uninterrupted view of the garden and surrounding landscape. They also work well for interior mezzanine floors, to help promote the amount of natural light in the building, and create a modern open-plan feel.

If you are planning to install them yourself, bear in mind that there are building regulations, which determine the height, type, and thickness of glass to be used.

Glass risers

The risers (the vertical part of the steps) can also be replaced with glass, to create a sleek, modern and light staircase. This can really open up a smaller space, to create the illusion that it is much bigger than it really is.

Spot lighting or backlighting can be installed to maximise the bright surface even further, to create a memorable staircase that can be the focal point of your home. You don’t need to stick to clear glass, as there are plenty of options when it comes to patterned, coloured, or frosted glass which can be used to stunning decorative effect.

Floor to ceiling glass walls

If you really want to make a feature of glass in your home, you could install a floor to ceiling glass wall instead of a traditional balustrade or stair rail. The toughened panels act as an extra safety barrier, and make an excellent decorative feature, which can really show off pendant lighting and wallcoverings to best effect.

Glass spindles

If you like the extra light created by glass, but want to maintain a more traditional look, you could combine glass spindles with a solid wooden frame. This gives you the best of both worlds!