Are Glass Stairs Safe?

Whether or not architectural glass is slippery is one of the most common questions and concerns about this building material.

When properly treated with antislip glass, you don’t have to worry about slipping, tripping, or falling. The techniques vary, but the idea behind slip-resistant glass is to increase the friction when it’s walked on.

This is done through:

• Fusing glass aggregate to the treads
• Baking on an anti-slip surface
• Etching the treads with acid

Properly treated stair treads are safe to walk on in both dry and wet conditions.

2.     Failure Redundancy in Glass Treads

Every individual stair tread should be composed of three separate pieces of glass “sandwiched” together. These three-ply panels are essential to glass stair safety.

In the extremely unlikely event one piece of glass fails, the system still has two intact pieces of glass to support the weight. It’s designed, engineered, and manufactured to remain structurally intact, even with this failure.

Using this manufacturing technique makes your glass staircase safer, but it also makes it compliant with today’s American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) codes.

Avoid any glass manufacturer who does not use this failsafe method in their work or does not provide adequate, knowledgeable answers when questioned about it.

Remember, if you install an architectural glass structure that isn’t sound in your home or business, everyone involved in that project (yourself included) is liable for the consequences.

3.     Glass-Specific Engineer

The equipment to manufacture glass stair treads is readily available. Lots of glass manufacturers have access and offer this service. What’s less common is a company with the experience, expertise, and professional processes to create those projects in the safest, most durable, most aesthetically pleasing way.

Prioritize working with glass manufacturers who partner with glass-specific engineers on every project. These people are the ones performing the calculations and creating the designs that ensure the safety of any architectural glass project.

They’re an integral part of the glass manufacturing team. For maximum safety, you want one associated with your glass staircase project.

4.     Appropriate Glass Thickness

The thickness of your stair treads will vary with the needs, aesthetics, and design of your specific project.

This is why a reputable glass-specific engineer is key. That person can use all international building codes, glass safety standards, and project-specific details to create the safest stair treads possible.

Here are just some of the details a glass engineer will think through to determine the necessary thickness of your stair treads:

• Stair location (interior or exterior)
• Anticipated weight load
• Private or commercial sector
• Size, shape, and span of each tread
• Details around the accompanying support system

So…Are Glass Stairs Safe?

Yes! Glass stairs are perfectly safe. As long as reputable, experienced professionals designed, manufactured, and installed them, a glass staircase is every bit as sturdy, durable, and safe as any other staircase building material.

Interested in Adding a Glass Staircase to Your Home or Business?

Architectural glass holds a lot of appeal for many homeowners and business owners. It makes a bold, memorable, unique design statement. It’s customizable. It promotes a bright, open, airy feel in any space. It’s incredibly durable, easy to maintain, and resistant to corrosion.

There’s a lot to love about incorporating glass into your architectural designs.

If you’re interested in learning more about glass staircases specifically, feel free to contact us.

We’re TCG, and we’ve been in the business of custom architectural glass products for decades. We’re happy to answer any questions you have!