A customer has requested an estimate from me to remove a 10 ft section of wood railing (post & baluster) & replace it with different posts & glass panels. I have seen metal & glass combo’s with a wood top railing but haven’t seen any wood & glass with no metal. I can design this but my question is, do I need any transition between the glass & the wood such as rubber inserts, or do I just groove the rails & set the glass in? Any other suggestions would also be helpful, as a cabinet maker/woodworker, I don’t do much with staircases & railings. As always, thanx…I forgot to mention that this is an inside project…
Edited 3/8/2005 9:33 am ET by JIMSWOODWRKS
Replies
Jim, I've seen many stair rails done this way
Also observed that they hold up for years done the following way:
A suitable 2" deep channel is routed in the top and bottom rails.
The glass,(Tempered) being a slip fit to the grooves.
The sections, (Panels of glass) 'Bedded' in clear G E 100% silicone caulking, plumbed and separated by 1/8" gaps,
The hand rails, (Also grooved)then are capped and caulked over the series of panels, When top and bottom has cured,(2days) the 1/8" joints are sealed with silicone. Any excess caulking when dry, is sliced flush with razor blades. The panels can be rectangular or trapezoidal' depending on choice and price.
Steinmetz
Edited 3/7/2005 3:48 pm ET by steinmetz
Steinmetz' suggestion regarding GE silicone caulk* sounds as if it would work well, I've used it for photolab equipment.
Bear in mind that it releases acetic acid fumes as it cures, you may wish to inform your clients if you're doing it on site.
*GE's RTV, specifically.
Sounds like an interesting job you've got coming up. Photos of the finished piece, please?
You might consider how much the wood will deflect.
I have installed glass balustrades all around my house, all of which are 10mm toughened glass set in aluminium channels rebated into the underside of the moulded handrail and the top of the fascia capping. The channels are screwed down into the timber and the glass is silicone sealed at the bottom and neoprene wedged at the top.
The routed channels are primed and painted as for any external timber (using alkyd paints) and the aluminium channels are push fitted. The handrail and fascia timbers are preservative treated to external use standards.
I am always reluctant to rely on silicone sealants in contact with timber. Make sure the silicone chosen is a neutral cure to avoid acetic reaction with the timber - some timbers experience fibre breakdown in the presence of acids.
My glass balustrades draw much favourable comment, especially for the crisp detailling of the glass into the base - the underside of the handrail isn't obvious but the friendly critics always bend over to take a peek at how it's been done.
Common commercial practice is to suspend the glass panels with metal glass clips. One supplier is C.R. Laurence: http://www.crlaurence.com/ProductPages/showLine.asp?GroupID=9401&Path=3::8121::9401
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