Sure, there are plenty of benefits of adding glass infills to a cable railing system. You get that highly modern look and so much light. But is it safe to have a cable railing system with glass infills? One of the benefits of the cables is that they are especially and almost indestructibly strong. Glass seems a little less secure. Is it a wise idea? Here’s what you need to know about glass infills.

The Strength of Tempered Glass

Glass infills aren’t just made of any old glass. They are made of tempered glass, which is five times stronger than your average glass. Tempered glass has internal pressure built into it. That may sound bad, but it is actually protective. In the rare case that your balcony glass is shattered, it becomes tiny little grains of glass instead of large shards that someone could cut themselves on.

The tempered glass on your balcony should:

  • Support the pressure of someone leaning against it
  • Resist scratches
  • Withstand accidental impacts
  • Withstand damage from storms
  • Handle temperature changes without breaking

Tempered glass can easily be incorporated into a cable railing system with special connectors and fasteners. The glass panels will be held securely in place. These systems are safe. In fact, if you have young children, you may feel a little safer with a glass railing because children can’t climb it the way they could climb horizontal railings.

Advantages of Glass Railings

Glass railings have many other advantages that you may be interested in for your space. Here are some things to consider:

  • Define space: Glass is entirely transparent, and for that reason, it is often used to define space. If you have two spaces that are relatively close in elevation, and you want people to see from one to the other, but you still want to block them off, then glass is ideal. It’s great for long wheelchair railings and in open offices for this reason.
  • Natural light: Glass won’t cast a shadow or block much light at all. If you want to have some plants behind the railing, then glass is an excellent choice.
  • Modern look: Modern buildings use a lot of glass and glass railings fit in for that reason. Plus, glass looks great in minimal, open spaces. If you have a very modern space, glass will certainly elevate the look.

Downsides of Glass Railings

They are very safe and have many great, but are they aren’t perfect. There are some disadvantages you should understand before you choose these railings. The glass will create light refractions and therefore interfere with the view a bit more than a typical cable railing system would. Your eyes will see around the thin cables, but they won’t be able to ignore light refractions.

Plus, glass railings will need to be cleaned frequently to stay looking good. This is especially true for railings installed outside. While you might wipe down a cable railing occasionally, you may find yourself cleaning your glass railings every week.

Reach out to us with your questions or concerns about glass infills in cable railing systems.