Building Regs for bedroom gallery balustrade

[Andehh]

Hi all,

 

We have 4 x bedroom gallery/mezzanines going in, making use of very high ceilings throughout the bungalow. For the balustrade, we would like 'floor' to ceiling glass panels, but I'm struggling to understand what building control will/wont allow. I will reach out to them to confirm if I have to, but I would rather keep my powder dry for now.

 

Ebay have 1000s of stockists for 10mm toughen glass in dimensions that would work, so ideally I would like to buy a couple of the panels, a dozen of the clamps and get the builder to just put in a wooden frame. Secured to the ceiling and floors, for the glass panels to secure into.

 

Similar to the attached stock images.

 

I have found several lots like the below link, which states:

 

Are glass infill panels secured into place correctly using the appropriate number of fixings? Clipped panels with no bolts through the glass, should be supported on more than just the vertical edges. This will ensure appropriate support to the panel that matches the life of the balustrade.

i.e. For clipped infill panels – clips should be positioned around the periphery of the infill panel, at a maximum spacing of 600 mm. Each clip should be not less than 50 mm in length and should give a minimum depth of cover to the glass of 25 mm.

 

Guidance for structural glass and balustrade design | LABC

 

Minimum heights etc etc: 

 

bca_guidance_note_16_guarding_to_windows_with_low_cills.pdf (labc.co.uk)

 

Does anyone/has anyone come across a similar designs, any thoughts on building regs for what this would fall under? ie toughened/laminated glass, any other quirky needs?

 

Reason I ask is the bedroom galleries were fine with Building Control...but we nearly got caught out by the need for smoke alarms above AND below in each room...want to prevent a near miss on this one as well 

 

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by Andehh

[ProDave]

The only issue I am aware you may find depending on your BC inspector is the height of the banister.

 

For domestic stairs and a "landing" it is 900mm, but at a previous house we had a disagreement with the BC inspector that the banister around a gallery  was not a "landing" and so came under "other" and required an 1100mm banister.

 

Discuss this with BC before ordering your glass.

[Andehh]

Thanks Dave, this was one that I was looking at before I realised we could just make them full floor to ceiling! They'd be minimum of 1.2m on low side and 1.4 high side but we'd then adjust the frame to compensate for glass that fits. 

[Hilldes]

@Andehh This thread might help on the spec of the glass...

 

[Radian]

Ah, it's only a crawl space! Storage with a view I guess? I wanted an unfussy glass balustrade so got channels routed into some Oak for the base and handrails. The glass was slid up into the handrail then dropped down into the base rail. Gravity and a rubber gap filer does the rest.

 

[Temp]

3 hours ago, Radian said:

Ah, it's only a crawl space! Storage with a view I guess? I wanted an unfussy glass balustrade so got channels routed into some Oak for the base and handrails. The glass was slid up into the handrail then dropped down into the base rail. Gravity and a rubber gap filer does the rest.

 

 

Ours are similar to these. The glass slots into grooves.

 

Building Control may want to see standards marks (sometimes still called kite marks) on every pane.

[Radian]

3 minutes ago, Temp said:

Ours are similar to these. The glass slots into grooves.

 

Building Control may want to see standards marks (sometimes still called kite marks) on every pane.

 

Yes, BCO wanted to see those but didn't comment on the securing method. Probably not acceptable in an earthquake zone but if the building accelerates fast enough to jump these out it's going to be the least of your worries.