How are glass staircases safe to use? It's all in the materials. Join us as we explore some of the best.
There's nothing new about stairs. They're believed to have been around in one form or another for around 8,000 years. But if you had told an Ancient Egyptian that one day humans would climb staircases made of glass, they'd have looked at you in disbelief.
Yet here we are, living at a time when structural glazing is everywhere. Entire buildings are made out of the stuff in financial districts across the world – and glass features can be seen in galleries, museums and other cultural institutions.
Wherever you see glass staircases today, they have a sleek, unbroken, minimalist look – whether going straight up or spiralling. Some take the minimalist aesthetic a step further with staircases made out of just stair treads appearing to float in the air.
So, how is it done? How is it that every day, millions of people across the world climb glass staircases, walk on glass roofs and get to their offices via glass elevators?
It's all in the materials.
You see, the history of glass architecture is inseparable from the history of glass itself. Today, architects can use glass products designed especially to withstand weight and force.
In the case of glass staircases, architects use a combination of two types of glass – toughened (or tempered) glass and laminated glass. Nothing less will do to ensure people's safety as they climb the stairs.
What are toughened and laminated glass?
Glass staircases, railings and balustrades are made out of
toughened laminated glass. It's sometimes sold as "walk-on glass" (as in our
TG WO range).
This isn't optional. Building regulations prescribe the use of toughened laminated glass of a certain thickness in domestic and commercial installations.
Toughened glass and laminated glass are two types of safety glass built for critical locations where safety is paramount. They serve much the same purpose but differ in both the way they're made and the way they break.
Toughened glass is fired at a very high temperature and then rapidly cooled or quenched. This creates compression in the glass surface, making it more resistant to stresses and shocks.
Standard, non-toughened glass breaks into large shards that can cause injury and are difficult to clean up safely. Toughened glass, by contrast, breaks into lots of tiny, relatively harmless pieces.
This makes it an invaluable material for shower doors, car and truck windows, splashbacks, tables and more.
Laminated glass is another kind of safety glass. When it breaks, it holds together. If you've ever walked past a car with a smashed windscreen, you've seen laminated glass break.
It's tough stuff, used not only for car windscreens but also for windows, doors and storefronts in areas prone to hurricanes. That's pretty hard-wearing!
Laminated glass is made of two sheets of glass with a polymer interlayer. This is the "glue" that keeps the panes together in the event of breakage.
In the case of glass staircases and other kinds of
structural glazing, toughened glass sheets are laminated with a polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer. If the staircase is frameless, toughened glass can be triple-laminated for maximum safety.
The same goes for balustrades – the barriers that are installed on either side of a staircase or on a balcony. These can be held in place with near-invisible fixings, such as the
Fischer "secret fix" system.
Before you buy any materials for a glass staircase, you need to be sure you're getting top-drawer materials. Look for the Kitemark seal of approval and your supplier's industry accreditations. Without these, you're putting lives at risk with substandard materials.
Famous glass staircases
Perhaps the most famous glass staircases are the glass-covered, glass-treaded spiral staircases found in the middle of several flagship Apple stores.
These impressive structures can be found spanning two or more floors in stores from Japan to the USA. They've been climbed by millions of customers over the past decade or two, demonstrating that glass staircases can be highly safe and durable, as well as impressive.
And structurally impressive they are, using curved glass panels and spiral shapes to great effect.
Another famous glass staircase is at the Kistefos Museum in Norway, located around an hour north-west of Oslo. On one side of the river, you can take the glass staircase down to the museum's lower level.
If the Apple Store staircases are all grand, futuristic minimalism, Kistefos's staircase is about bringing the visitor closer to nature. These two examples are a testament to just how versatile glass can be as a structural material.
Why get a glass staircase?
The number one reason to get a glass staircase is that they look, in a word, fantastic. There's no such thing as a budget glass staircase, meaning your installation will always be a premier addition to your home or business premises, as well as being a conversation piece.
But there are a couple of other reasons why a glass staircase can be a good choice. First up, glass has a secret superpower: it can make rooms look bigger, creating the illusion of space with subtlety and elegance.
Secondly, glass is easy to clean. And we mean
easy. Cut down on elbow grease and simply wipe down your glass stairs with glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth.
And finally, the fact they're easy to clean also makes them a more hygienic option than wood or carpet, which build up dust and grow faded over time.
All in all, glass staircases can be a great addition to any domestic or commercial setting. But as with all structural glazing projects, safety is paramount. For this reason, you need to be sure your building materials are up to scratch.
At ToughGlaze, we stock a wide range of glass products, including
walk-on glass for staircases.
Get in touch today to discuss your project or request a quick, competitive quote.
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