Canada’s geography and climate is highly diverse. Every building owner in Canada needs to take these two aspects into consideration. Buildings must be designed in such a way that they can survive the repeated cycle of freezing and thawing yet at the same time they should be safe for each member of the family especially children. The fact is that any building in Canada whether commercial or residential needs some form of railings.
Railings enhance the safety and beauty of buildings. There are many different styles and patterns of railing systems available on the market but one of the most common is glass railings . The look of any deck, balcony, stairs, swimming pool or patio can be greatly enhanced with glass railings. Glass railings are a stylish option in comparison to wooden and iron railings. The advantage of glass railings is that they do not need to be painted; however, they do need frequent maintenance to remove dust and water spots from the glass.
Glass railing systems consist of five main components. The largest component is the glass panel which is normally plain and transparent but is available in different shades and designs which make them more attractive. Glass panels can be as long as six feet and approximately three feet high. The thickness normally depends on the manufacturer but the typical thickness is one quarter of an inch.
The posts are used to attach the glass railings. The posts are normally placed on the ends of the glass panel and therefore act as a support for the glass panel. A glass railing system also consists of a top and a bottom support rail that is also used as a support for the glass panel. The top rail is also used as a hand rail.
The final two components of a glass railing system are the support legs and the caps. The support legs are used to keep the bottom rail from bending under the pressure of the weight of the glass panel while the caps are placed on top of each post to keep moisture from entering into the post. The caps also eliminate the sharp edges and enhance the overall appearance of the glass railing.