Glass railings for balconies and stairs, Delhi NCR
A glass railing gives a balcony back its view, which is the whole reason people fit one. What it also has to do is hold a person leaning on it at full weight, on the fourth floor, in a May storm. Those two things are decided by the glass specification and the anchoring, and neither of them is visible once the job is done.
The three ways a glass railing is held up
The glass is much the same in all three. What changes is what grips it at the bottom, and that decides the look, the cost and how much of your balcony slab edge gets drilled.
SS spigot system
Stainless spigots bolted to the slab at intervals, with the glass clamped in them and nothing above. It is the frameless look people picture when they ask for a glass railing, and it is the dearest of the three because the spigots and the anchors are doing all the work.
- Glass
- 12mm toughened, or 13.5mm laminated
- Fixing
- SS 316 spigots on chemical anchors
- Look
- Frameless, no top rail
Base channel
A continuous aluminium U-channel along the slab edge, with the glass set into it and wedged tight. The cleanest line of the three because there is no hardware showing at all, just glass rising out of a slim shadow line. It needs a sound slab edge to fix into along its whole length.
- Glass
- 12mm toughened or laminated
- Fixing
- Continuous channel, side or top mounted
- Look
- Frameless, minimal hardware
Posts with glass infill
Stainless posts at intervals with glass panels between them and a top handrail running through. The cheapest way to get glass into a railing, structurally the most forgiving, and the right answer on a long run or where the slab edge will not take heavy point loads.
- Glass
- 10mm or 12mm toughened
- Posts
- SS 304 or 316, matt or mirror finish
- Look
- Visible posts and handrail
For railings in stainless steel without glass, and for full staircase work, see ss railings. Balcony glazing and the doors on to it are on aluminium doors.
The specification questions worth asking
Toughened or laminated
Toughened glass is strong, but when it does fail it goes all at once into a heap of small pieces, and on a balcony that leaves an open edge. Laminated toughened, two panes bonded over an interlayer, stays standing in its fixing even when broken. On any balcony above ground floor, that is the specification we recommend and the one we would fit at our own house.
Height, and where it is measured from
A balcony railing wants to be 1050mm from finished floor level. On a staircase it is measured from the nosing of the tread, not the floor, and 900mm is the usual figure. Get this wrong and a beautiful railing is still a railing you cannot sign off.
What the anchors go into
Spigots put a large point load into the slab edge. That needs sound concrete and enough edge distance, which is why we look at the balcony before quoting. Where the slab edge is already finished in stone or tile, fixing means lifting some of it, and it is better to hear that now than on the day.
Hard water, and how it looks in year two
Delhi water leaves mineral spots on glass, and on a balcony railing that gets washed with a hose those marks build up. A protective coating applied at fitting makes them wipe off instead of etch in. It is a small line on the quote and it is the difference between a railing that still looks new and one that looks neglected.
What it costs
Quoted on measurement
Railings are priced per running foot rather than per sq ft, because the hardware and the anchoring are most of the cost and they change completely between the three systems. Posts with glass infill is the least expensive. Spigots on laminated glass is the most. We give you a per-foot figure for whichever systems you want to compare, in writing, after we have seen the slab edge.
Send sizes for a firm rate →What moves the number
GST extra. We quote the glass build-up and the steel grade by name so quotes can be compared properly.
Railings we have fitted
Ask for photos of balcony and stair work near you and we will send a set on WhatsApp.
Site measurement
We measure the run, check the finished floor level and look hard at the slab edge, because that is what everything bolts into. If the edge is already tiled or clad we tell you then what has to come up.
Glass and steel to size
Glass cut, edges polished on all four sides and toughened, or toughened and then laminated. Spigots and channel cut to the run. Nothing can be trimmed on site once the glass is toughened, so the measurement is the job.
Fitting
Anchors set and left to cure, hardware fixed and levelled, glass set in and wedged, joints capped or siliconed. Then we lean on it hard, in front of you, before anyone talks about the balance.
Questions we get on every glass railings job
What does a glass railing cost in Delhi NCR?
It is quoted per running foot rather than per sq ft, because the hardware and the anchoring make up most of the cost. Stainless posts with glass infill is the least expensive of the three systems, a continuous base channel sits in the middle, and frameless spigots with laminated glass is the dearest. We give a written per-foot rate for each option after seeing the balcony.
Is toughened glass safe for a balcony railing?
Toughened glass is strong, but when it fails it fails completely and leaves an open edge. For any balcony above the ground floor we recommend laminated toughened glass instead: two panes bonded over an interlayer, so that even if it breaks the panel stays standing in its fixing. It costs more and it is the right call.
How high should a glass railing be?
1050mm from finished floor level on a balcony or terrace. On a staircase, 900mm measured from the nosing of the tread rather than from the floor. We set out to those heights unless your architect specifies otherwise.
Can a glass railing be fitted to an existing balcony?
Usually yes, but it depends on the slab edge. Spigots put a heavy point load into the concrete and need sound material and enough edge distance. Where the balcony is already finished in stone or tile, some of that has to come up to fix into the slab. We look at all of this at the site visit and tell you before quoting.
Do glass railings need a top handrail?
Not structurally, if the glass and the fixings are specified for it. A slim top cap does stiffen the run, protect the glass edge and make the railing easier to hold, and many people prefer the look. Frameless with no top rail is the cleaner appearance and the more expensive one.
How do you stop water marks on the glass?
Delhi water is hard, and on a railing that gets hosed down the mineral spots build up and eventually etch. A protective coating applied at the time of fitting makes them wipe off with a cloth instead. It is a small item on the quote and it makes a visible difference by the second year.
Railing quote
Send the run length. We will come and look at the edge.
A photograph of the balcony or the staircase with an approximate running length is enough to start. Measurement is free anywhere in NCR and there is nothing to sign after it.