Any advice on glass balustrade to replace old metal railings on patio?

[Magpie1976]

We currently have metal rails on a patio which is a a few feet above the ground level rooms. They have been in for over 30 years and from the windows look a bit like prison bars and are pretty rusty. We're thinking of replacing with new rails or even glass panels. Has anyone done this? Would it be a problem with kids playing on the patio? Any advice appreciated

Are you thinking of just glass panels, ie frameless? Or would you have a handrail on top?
Not a safety issue, but you’d be forever cleaning the glass with kids!

I'm thinking of stainless steel on top and as posts. Yes the cleaning is a good point esp as the rails overlook our kitchen and living room so will see any dirt constantly. It's a garden on a hill and the house is at the bottom on the level under the patio iyswim

Itll be far cheaper if you DO go for the handrail. For completely frameless you have to use 17.5mm thick glass whereas with handrail you can use 12mm (possibly 10mm but don’t quote me), and it’s the glass that’s the costliest bit.
You do HAVE to clean it, stainless steel doesn’t rust as such, but it does stain. It’s only something like once a month but most people don’t bother to do it!

Thanks. It really puts me off the glass. What do you think of wire rope type rails instead?

I personally like it, but I seem to remember (I used to sell all this stuff) an issue with building regs sometimes for residential use. It was something to do with the wires being horizontal, and taut, that it could be classed as climbable for young kids, so if it’s at a height, it’s a problem.
It might be that there’s a way around it, but if your kids are young, it’d put me off regardless of building regs.

What is it Thats putting you off about the glass, the cleaning or the cost? You could look at having posts in between smaller glass panels, also cheaper.

I’m sorry, I just re-read, it’s a few feet above ground level? Wire rope may be the way to go then! You can also get a bar version if you prefer it to look a bit chunkier

Thanks. I'd been thinking of getting it without handrails on top to save money but now looks like should reconsider. Def not the wire ropes then as there's a big drop behind it

We have glass (not opaque) and little birds fly into it and stun themselves. We keep having to pick up dead finches, it's gutting. So don't build one like that!!

We have one indoors. Never had an issue with it and kids - when they're young they've pushed their face up against it but it has never got grubby.

I wouldn’t even think of glass with kids - you’ll be forever wiping finger marks off it.

Smallinthesmoke, you can buy bird shaped stickers to stick on plain glass - purpose-made to deter birds from flying into them. We got hawk-shaped stickers last year for upstairs windows, after a young thrush flew into one and was killed. 😢