Step 1: Measuring and Marking
When it comes to fitting your glass balustrade the key is to get this first step correct in order that the subsequent steps are then simple. It’s all about ensuring the correct post centre measurements. You need to mark out on the floor exactly where each post needs to be fixed so that the glass panels are the correct fit between them. You can use a ruler or level to ensure that all the markings line up perfectly. If you do not wish to mark your floor in any way, simply put down some masking tape and write on that.
Step 2: Installing The Balustrade Posts
Taking each post one at a time, drill the required depth of pilot hole and the correct fixings to fit the post in place.
For a wooden sub surface, you will first need to drill a 6mm pilot hole to a depth of around 80mm in the timber for each screw. We would always encourage the use of stainless steel screws as they do not corrode when exposed to water & the elements. This is the most important point to remember if you are installing the balustrade outdoors, perhaps on a balcony or deck. Looking to the long term, using stainless screws will result in less maintenance.
Metal surfaces will also require you to drill a pilot hole, but at a depth of 50mm this time. Again, try and use stainless steel bolts and then stainless steel locking washers to secure it in place. Brick and concrete surfaces will require pilot holes of 80-100mm depth and a diameter to suit the fixings being utilised. We would suggest using stainless steel floor anchor fixings for this floor type.
Don’t at this stage tighten all the fixings fully. We recommend first checking that each post is level with the others by using a spirit level & string line. Simply place the string line along the top of the posts in the same position on each post to ensure all the posts are in line. Plumb the posts (front to back) & (left to right) placing shims as required under the baseplate. Once you are satisfied with your adjustments, you can finish tightening all the fixings fully with the relevant tool.
Step 3: Attaching The Glass Clamps
The glass clamps are genrally pre fitted to our posts, however for custom made posts may have the clamps supplied loose for ease of packaging.Fixing of the clamps is with 8mm stainless steel socket cap screws and are tightened using an 6mm Allen Key (hexagon key).The clamps are used to secure the glass to the balustrade posts and ensure that the weight is evenly distributed. For safety reasons, glass balustrades are made from toughened glass. The glass is reatained in position using 4 clamps per panel, located towards the top and bottom of the posts. Always ensure that you have the right size glass clamps & rubber inserts for the thickness of your glass.
Step 4: Fitting The Glass Panels
With the posts in place, you can now carefully lift in your glass between the clamps, ensuring there is no metal to glass contact. The glass panels are designed to have a gap between the glass & floor, this is due to several reasons including cleaning the deck/patio and also so as toes etc don’t get caught beteeen the glass & floor. Generally rest the glass on 2 timber blocks of 75mm thickness. Only make incremental adjustments so as to avoid over-pressurising the glass, top left & bottom right, then top right & bottom left.
Step 5: Fitting The Handrail (Where fitted)
Where the balustrade has been supplied by ourselves the handrail will be pre drilled & tapped and the fixing screws will be either supplied loose or inserted into the handrail tube holes. Follow the dimensioned CAD drawings supplied that will indicate which handrail fits to which section of the installation. Place the handrail on top of the posts saddles (dished plates) and fasten using the M5 stainless steel button screws supplied. Any corner elbows or inline couplers should be pushed together using a satinless steel bonding medium, (ensure an excess bonding medium ids cleaned off the joints immediateley). Finally clean off any dust/debris from the posts/glass using a solution of mild detergent diluted with water or glass cleaner and finally apply a stainless steel protector to the posts following straight on from cleaning.
Please note it is most important to clean off any contaminents immediately after installation as brick/concrete dust can cause what appears to be rust spots on the stainless products.
These contaminant markings are easily removed but are avoidable if the above precautions are taken when carrying out the installation.