You choose the right glass clamp for a glass balustrade by first making sure the clamp suits the glass thickness and the structure, and then choosing shape and material to suit the look you want.
Rounded and square glass clamps offer different design styles, while stainless steel, painted zinc, and raw zinc differ in both appearance and properties. At the same time, the glass thickness and the correct rubber insert must match the glass clamp you choose.
Find out how to choose clamp shape and material, use glass with your own posts, understand how loads pass through the structure and check the details before ordering.
Which glass clamps suit your balustrade – rounded or square?
Rounded glass clamps give the glass balustrade a softer look, while square clamps emphasise straight lines and a more graphic design. Choose the shape that best suits the balustrade posts, the house and other details around the space.
Clamp shape mainly affects the appearance. The clamp fit, glass thickness and supporting structure must still be suitable, whether you choose rounded or square clamps.
Rounded glass clamp
The rounded profile softens the transition between the clamp and the glass. It can work well where you want understated detailing or where the building has more traditional, curved features.
A good fit for softer, more classic designs.
Square glass clamp
The square shape emphasises the straight lines of the balustrade and gives the fittings a more geometric look. It works especially well alongside angular posts, façades and other modern details.
A good fit for modern and minimalist designs.
Which material should you choose for glass balustrade clamps?
Choose AISI 316 stainless steel if you want a distinct stainless metal detail, painted zinc if you want the clamps to match the colour of the balustrade, and raw zinc if you prefer a more untreated metal surface. All three can be used with the glass balustrade, but they create different looks.
When choosing glass and glass clamps you therefore need to consider how the material complements the colour of the posts, the style of the house, and how prominent you want the hardware to be.
| Materials | Appearance | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| AISI 316 stainless steel | A stainless steel finish that creates a visible metal detail against the glass and posts. | You want the clamps to form a visible part of the balustrade’s metal detailing. |
| Painted zinc | A painted surface that can match the balustrade's colour and blend in more discreetly with the post. | You want to create a consistent look and feel between posts and glass clamps. |
| Raw zinc | An untreated zinc surface with a rawer, more natural metal appearance. | You want to preserve the character of the untreated zinc finish. White corrosion marks can occur outdoors without affecting the clamp’s function. |
Match the balustrade or create contrast
Painted glass clamps are available in black, white or aluminium colour. Matching the colour of the balustrade makes the fittings more discreet, while a contrasting colour makes them stand out more clearly against the glass.
Can you use glass balustrade clamps with your own posts?
Yes. Glass clamps and glass can be used together with your own posts, provided that the posts, fixings, and the supporting structure are suitable for glass balustrade and the load that the structure must be able to bear. The solution varies depending on whether posts is already in place or if you are building the balustrade from scratch.
Keep the posts and replace the infill
If an existing balustrade has timber slats or cross-bracing, glass may be used as replacement infill provided that the posts and supporting structure are suitable. This retains the posts while creating a clearer view through the balustrade.
At the same time, the glass can provide more shelter. When an open infill is replaced with glass, less wind passes through the balustrade itself. It may therefore be relevant to also compare the solution with glass that windbreak.
Adapt the posts to the setting and let the glass form the infill
If you build the frame yourself, the material, dimensions, and colour of the posts can be customised to match the house and the location. The glass is installed between posts using glass clamps, creating a transparent infill without a full metal frame dictating the balustrade’s appearance.
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Choose the posts’ materials and dimensions to suit the structure.
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Match the colour to the façade, the balustrade, or other details on the house.
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Use glass infill where you want to retain natural light and views between the posts.
What loads must posts and fixings support when holding glass clamps?
Posts and fixings must transfer loads from the glass into a suitable supporting structure. The glass clamp connects glass to post, but even a strong clamp cannot compensate for a post or fixing that is inadequately sized or anchored.
The glass receives the load imposed on the balustrade.
The glass clamp transfers the load from the glass to the post.
The post transfers the load to the supporting structure.
The post must be anchored to a structure capable of carrying the load.
Glass, glass clamp, post, fixing, and the underlying structure must work together.
What do you need to check if you use your own posts?
Check that the posts have suitable materials and dimensions, that their fixings reach a load-bearing structure and that an existing frame is capable of supporting glass in place of timber slats. Clamp-to-glass compatibility is only one part of the assessment.
If the posts are to be anchored to a timber decking, the structure beneath the decking must also be able to support the load. Posts must be anchored to load-bearing parts of the structure, not just to the decking boards.
What glass thickness is suitable for balustrade clamps?
The clamp must suit the glass thickness and be combined with the correct rubber insert. Glass and clamps are used with 8.76 mm laminated glass, in which two 4 mm panes are bonded by a plastic film. The same thickness is also available as toughened laminated glass.
The glass is available in ultra-clear, clear, opal, and grey, and all four glass types can also be selected as toughened. This means you can choose the finish and glass type without changing the specified thickness of 8.76 mm.
The glass, rubber inserts and clamps must fit together
The rubber insert sits between the glass and the metal clamp, helping it hold the glass securely without direct metal-to-glass contact. Choose inserts and clamps that match the thickness of the selected glass.
8.76 mm with two glass panes
Two 4 mm glass panes with an interlayer of plastic film. The interlayer holds fragments together if the glass breaks; the glass edges are supplied ground and polished.
8.76 mm with toughened glass panes
Two toughened 4 mm glass panes with a plastic interlayer. Used where the selected glass specification needs to withstand repeated external loads.
8.76 mm in four glass finishes
Choose ultra-clear, clear, opal, or grey laminated glass. All four glass types are also available as toughened laminated glass.
What should you check before choosing glass balustrade clamps?
Check the shape and material, along with the thickness of the glass, the dimensions between posts and the structure that will support the balustrade. This will ensure both the right look and a solution where the glass, glass clamps, and posts work together.
Check these seven points
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Choose rounded or square clamps
Rounded clamps give a softer look; square clamps emphasise straighter, more geometric lines.
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Bestäm material och kulör
Choose stainless steel AISI 316, painted zinc, or raw zinc. For painted brackets, the colour can match the balustrade or be used to create a more distinct contrast.
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Check the glass type and thickness
Glass and glass clamps are used with 8.76 mm laminated glass. Choose ultra-clear, clear, opal, or grey, and decide whether standard or toughened laminated glass best suits the environment.
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Measure between the posts
Enter the exact clear opening between the posts in millimetres. The ordering system then allows for the space needed by the clamps and calculates the glass dimensions for the opening.
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Allow for wider glass panels
For glass widths over 1,400 mm, the system subtracts 44 mm from the height and accounts for six glass clamps per pane of glass, including one extra above and one extra below the glass.
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Check the posts and their fixings
If you use your own posts, the posts, fixings and load-bearing structure must be suitable for the glass balustrade and the loads it will carry.
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Use the correct rubber inserts
The rubber inserts must suit both the clamp type and the glass thickness, so the glass fits correctly within each clamp.
Choose your glass clamps only once the shape, material, glass and rubber inserts are compatible, you have correct measurements between the posts and a structure that can carry the glass balustrade.
Which glass clamps will suit your balustrade?
Consider the glass thickness, clamp design and finish you prefer. Our customer service team can help you check measurements before ordering.
What should you know before choosing glass balustrade clamps?
Here are answers to common questions about clamp shapes, materials, glass thickness, your own posts, measuring and the number of clamps required.
Which glass clamps should I choose for my balustrade?
First, check that the clamps suit the thickness of the glass and use the correct rubber inserts. Then choose rounded or square shapes and a material that complements the balustrade.
What is the difference between stainless steel, painted zinc, and raw zinc?
Stainless steel glass clamps are made of marine-grade AISI 316 stainless steel and become a distinct metal detail. Painted zinc can match the colour of the balustrade, while raw zinc has a more untreated metal surface.
What colours are available for painted glass clamps?
Painted glass clamps are available in black, white or aluminium colour. You can therefore match the clamps to the colour of the balustrade or use them for a clearer contrast with the post.
Can I use glass balustrade clamps with my own posts?
Yes. Glass and glass clamps can be used in combination with your own appropriate posts. Posts, fixings, and the load-bearing structure must then be adapted for glass balustrade and the load it is intended to support.
How should I measure the glass between the posts?
Enter the exact clear opening between the posts in millimetres. The system then allows for the space needed by the clamps, and the glass is made to the dimensions of that specific opening.
Does the glass thickness affect which clamps I can use?
Yes. The clamp and rubber insert must suit the glass thickness. Glass and clamps are used with 8.76 mm laminated glass, also when you choose toughened laminated glass.
How many clamps are needed for each glass panel?
The number of clamps depends on the glass width and is calculated by the ordering system. For glass widths above 1400 mm, six clamps are specified per panel, including an additional clamp above and below the glass.
