Pinnacle Works loves to combine craftsmanship with exceptional finishes, and here we want to talk about the seamless beauty of balconies with glass balustrades.
Traditional balconies, porches, decks and roof gardens often feature blocky wooden fencing and brick walls, obstructing the view and taking up valuable floor space. Toughened glass makes for an excellent focal point and, blended with stainless steel, can transform how your home looks and feels.
Our focus, as always, is on first-class service, from designing a unique balustrade to match your aesthetic through to finishing off your installation with impeccable attention to detail.
The Benefits of Glass Balustrade Balconies and Decks
Precision-engineered glass, handrails, frames and bases enable us to construct a vast array of glass balustrade designs, with laminated glass that is strong and durable yet with lightweight framing suitable for most roof spaces. As a sophisticated feature, a glass balustrade is also practical, rust-resistant and low maintenance offering multiple benefits that don’t stop with increasing light filtration.
Turning a Flat Roof Into a Focal Point
For many homeowners, a flat roof is wasted space and often a nuisance where felting requires regular repairs or maintenance – but it could be an exciting opportunity to customise your home.
Dreaming of sipping your coffee on a summer morning and watching the world go by or entertaining in the evenings on a beautifully constructed balcony space? The lightweight aluminium or stainless steel frame profile is perfectly suited to even small roof spaces, turning a patch of property that doesn’t serve a purpose into a versatile area.
Adding Value and Appeal to Your Property
Adding a balcony to your home can boost its value by around 12% – and potentially much more if you have a streamlined, modern glass balustrade to amplify the view and surrounding scenery!
The appeal of a balcony space is in its varied uses:
- Sunbathing and relaxing
- Entertaining and dining
- Safe kid’s play space
- Extra outdoor area
- Yoga or workout deck
- Balcony or kitchen gardens
- Private reading nooks
- Outdoor office in pleasant weather
Tailoring your balcony to your intended use is part of the fun; perhaps rattan furniture for a classic dining space, suspended hooks for hanging baskets, or waterproof storage units to keep your outdoor cushions dry.
Maximising Panoramic Views
We often work with clients with a balcony that tends to be overlooked, with brick walls, thick fencing or unsightly barriers incorporated as a safety feature. Glass overcomes those limitations by replacing solid walls with an equally robust and secure material that will not block the light. Natural light flows freely into your home, making your rooms feel more open and airy.
Expanding Your Usable Spaces
The simplicity of crystal clear glass conceals a considerable amount of technology that goes into manufacturing incredibly safe, strong glazing. Glass balustrades are as tough and durable as any other balcony material. It would require significant structural pressure to cause the glass to crack or break (it’s a similar strength to steel!).
For families, the extension into a balcony is a chance to create new outdoor spaces with plenty of fresh air and sunlight without any safety risks – even if the glass were exposed to huge amounts of weight, tempered glass does not break into sharp shards.
Featuring Ultra-Modern Frameless Glass
Frameless glass is the most modern design possible and means that your balustrade appears to be floating, creating an ethereal and striking statement. The natural illusion is one of greater space, like an infinity pool where there are no harsh lines to break up your lines of sight.
Stainless Steel Handrails for Safety and Style
The sharp contrast between sheer glass and stainless steel is a great way to maximise the impact of your glass balustrade. Stainless steel won’t crumble, chip, bend, fade or warp and has a few added environmental benefits.
Using bright stainless steel ensures your balustrade is better visible to birds and wildlife, making it safe for local ecosystems. It is also 100% recyclable, ideal for eco-friendly homes and conscious living spaces.
Incorporating Statement Architectural Steel
High-quality architectural steels are an excellent choice for outdoor balconies, walkways and platforms, providing stability and a polished appearance with a wealth of fabrication options to suit your desired appearance. Custom architectural steel can create a clean, modern design or a more ornate styling, with railheads and embellishments to reflect the period of your home.
Choosing a Balustrade Design for Your Balcony
There are countless options when designing a glass balustrade – if you need any support, the Pinnacle Works team is here to help.
As a summary of some of the most popular finishes and construction methods, we have run through a few of the alternative designs you might select below.
- Handrails, risers or bannisters made from wood, metal or stone.
- Clear, opaque or patterned glass, with numerous texture, framing, and colour choices.
- Juliet balcony spaces, opening windows and doors, post and rail (vertical bars with a fixed handrail), or frameless glass balustrades.
- Subtle spigot glass systems with steel clamps to secure the glass panels.
The right glass balustrade balcony will normally depend on the age of your property, the size of the balcony space, and the overall effect you’d like to achieve – whether a flawless finish to avoid detracting from heritage stonework or a highly modernised glass and steel extension.
It’s also possible to use glass balustrades in inventive ways, to segregate seating areas in your garden, add a safety element beside swimming pools, or create optimal lighting within a stairwell. One of the key advantages to glass balcony balustrades is that the bulk of the work is completed off-site, with panels engineered to fit your specific sizing and then installed in minimal time to avoid unnecessary disruption.
For more inspiration about the diverse ways to incorporate a glass balustrade within your balcony design or property, please contact the Pinnacle Works team for guidance and advice from the home improvement professionals.