ᐅ All-Glass Railing: Pre-Fabricated Kit or Custom Work by a Metal Fabricator?

Hello,

I have a 4m (13 feet) long concrete retaining wall, about 25cm (10 inches) wide.
We want to install a frameless glass railing as a fall protection.

The local metalworker offers this for 3500€ - 4000€ including tax.

Now I’ve noticed railing kits. Some suppliers let you configure the railing online, and then the ready-cut parts are delivered to you (mounting rails, fasteners, and the glass panels).
From the installation videos, it looks as “simple” as I imagine.
The mounting rails are basically U-shaped profiles where screws go into the center and are anchored with wall plugs into the concrete wall, from above.
Insert rubber gaskets, put in the glass panel, add a clamping piece, then more rubber gaskets.

I’m not worried about the installation itself; together with my father-in-law, that won’t be a problem.

More than anything, I wonder if these kits are really any good or just “junk.”
If it’s basically the same material the local metalworker would use, I’d prefer to do it myself.
The kits cost 1700€ at Huero and 2545€ at Geländerladen.de.

I found these suppliers through Google in the end.
Maybe someone else has experience with similar suppliers?

Kaspatoo schrieb:

Hello,

I have a 4m (13 ft) long concrete retaining wall, about 25cm (10 inches) wide.
We want to install an all-glass railing as a fall protection.

The local metalworker offers this for 3500€ - 4000€ gross.

Now I’ve come across DIY kits. With certain suppliers, you can configure the railing online and have it delivered pre-cut (mounting rails, fixing materials, and glass panels).
From the installation videos, it looks as straightforward as I imagine it.
The mounting rails are basically U-profiles, into which a screw is inserted in the middle, fixed with anchors into the concrete wall, so from above.
Rubber gaskets go in, then the glass panel, then a clamping piece, and more rubber gaskets.

I don’t worry much about the installation itself; together with my father-in-law, it should be no problem.

I’m more wondering if these kits are actually any good or just "junk."
If it’s basically the same material that the local metalworker would use, I’d just do it myself.
The kits cost 1700€ at supplier Huero and 2545€ at Geländerladen.de.

In the end, I just found these suppliers on Google.
Does anyone else know of such a supplier from personal experience?

Hello,

I installed a 3.90m (13 ft) long railing mounted on the side, consisting of two glass panels and a custom-made profile.
In principle, it’s doable. But you should allow yourself some time. I had problems because some plaster got under the mounting rail, and at the end of the installation, the cover profile didn’t fit... It took me a while to figure that out.
Also, due to an installation mistake, one of my laminated safety glass (LSG) panels broke when too much tension was applied while wedging it in. That suddenly cost me an additional 600 euros.
I find the price from your metalworker pretty fair. If they break the glass, it doesn’t cost you extra.
My experience was more like: 3000 euros to do it yourself versus 8000 euros to have it done professionally. Then you don’t get so upset about a broken panel...

What happens if there is a mistake when taking measurements? In that case, a supplier probably won’t accept any returns, right?

For me, this alone would justify a higher price. On-site measurement by the person doing the installation, and if something doesn’t fit, they should fix it.

And how does the warranty work to ensure it holds up?

Maybe you first install the profiles and wait to see if they are perfectly straight before ordering the glass. Often, there are details you don’t anticipate beforehand, which I see as the main challenge in your project.
For example, we have a glazier locally who also installs shower walls and similar structures. He keeps the glass in stock and orders the matching profiles as needed. Perhaps doing it that way could also be an option for you.
If you’re doing a DIY build, I would probably choose the profiles myself and handle them beforehand.

((andreas)) schrieb:

I installed a 3.90m (12.8 ft) long railing mounted on the side. It consists of two glass panels

Really, nearly 2 meters (around 6.5 ft) per panel? Wow. What type of glass did you use and what were the exact dimensions?

We will soon start working on our exterior staircase railing, approximately 5 meters (16.4 feet) long with steps. The cost per post for surface mounting is about 60 euros. I requested a rough quote for the glass panel; in our design, it costs around 180 euros. It is 10mm (0.4 inches) laminated safety glass with polished edges in matte white.

Don’t be confused, these are lintels, not the steps.

First, the posts will be installed, then the measurements will be taken and the rest ordered.

I estimate a maximum cost of 2000 euros for everything.

pagoni2020 schrieb:

Maybe you should install the profiles first and wait to see if they are perfectly straight before ordering the glass. Often, something unexpected comes up, which I think is the only issue with your plan.
For example, we have a local glazier who also does shower walls and so on. He orders the glass first and then gets the matching profiles as needed. Maybe that approach could also work for you.
If you are doing it yourself, I would probably choose the profiles personally and handle them beforehand.

Seriously, almost 2 meters (6.6 feet) per pane? Wow. What kind of glass did you use and what are the dimensions?

Laminated safety glass (VSG) made from tempered safety glass (TSG). 16.76 mm (0.66 inches).
121 cm (48 inches) high, 193 cm (76 inches) wide.

95 kg (210 pounds) per pane.
Don’t forget some solid glass lifters during planning and a snack break for your helpers.