Modern interiors, aimed at the people who appreciate comfort, beauty and innovative solutions borrowed a lot from the decorative styles of the past. An example of such borrowing are the glass staircases, which give lightness and elegance to any accommodation.
Glass constructions in the modern interior
Staircases with glass fencing are aimed at both large shopping centers and private apartments. They will easily fit into the interior of country house or penthouse.
Ordering the service of manufacturing and assembling the stairs can make any interior solution bright and non-standard. Porch and furnishings for the glass railings are also included in the original design-project. 3D-layout can be made from the photo of the building. Size, shape and performance style are chosen individually, while the design features allows you not to worry about the safety of the functional element.
Wear resistance and high durability is guaranteed by the main material — tempered glass. Glass railings don’t lose their attractiveness due to the temperature changes.
Combination of durable glass and stainless steel not only increase the durability, but also reinforces the expressiveness of appearance.
Chrome plating of separate metal parts and matting (glass railings, furniture and porch) make every product unique and one of a kind (photo on the right).
Glass railings often act as a separate decorative element. Standard glass staircases are usually straight, but you can also build a winding model. Glass railings are developed considering the general style of accommodation. Type of furniture for the glass railings must blend in with the other elements of interior.
Glass staircases are absolutely safe, as their steps are made of specific glass that prevents slipping. Additional processing of construction with sand-blast (matting) makes the operation more comfortable and clearly define the step surface.
What’s inside the glass staircase?
Transparent, matt and colorful models (in the photo) are based on the same material– laminated glass. There are also combined options that consist of several types of materials. Combined type is described as the glass staircase with steel/wooden frame and is considered more durable.
Predominantly, glass constructions from multi-layer laminated glass have their advantages– such staircases are shock-proof. In case of mechanical damages, their elements don’t break but only cover with cracks (which is confirmed by the crash test).
Unique glass staircases made of three or more materials (wood, glass, metal or stone) are not only extremely durable; they are appreciated much more than the other. Design-project can also be made from the photo. The price of glass staircase also depends on the amount of decorative elements and furniture, as well as the presence of porch.
Why is glass better than wood?
Visual perception of construction depends not only on several factors (main of which are color scheme, lighting and materials). Lightness and elegance are not the main advantages of the glass staircase.
Specialists recommend using the glass railings for several reasons, as this material:
- doesn’t require additional treatment (application of different coatings and varnishes);
- doesn’t change over time (we mean twisting or bending);
- is resistant to mechanical damages (it doesn’t scorch or spall);
- preserves its qualities even with temperature fluctuations and increased humidity.
Process of manufacturing the glass constructions
There are several stages of production and mounting, necessary for the right installation of glass staircases (the photo of each stage is attached to the sketches). Glass staircases are characterized by the uniqueness of every element of design, which include: handrails, fences, furniture and any decorative details. The porch can also be included in the 3D-layout.
After executing all the necessary calculations, taking the photos of interior and creating the design layout of the future staircase, you can start the manufacturing process of the construction considering the chosen style.
Characteristics of laminated glass
The technology of multi-layer bonding (called “multiplex”) is used in the manufacture of staircase constructions and furniture. Triplex is a particular case of such connection; it includes 3 layers of glass and 2 layers of polymer. If necessary, the amount of glass layers can increase up to 6-7. The photo of cross-section of the profile is usually attached to the layout of construction.
There are two different production technologies of laminated glass– autoclave and vacuum. By using this material, glass staircases become highly resistant to mechanical damages but preserve the main properties of glass– light transmission and transparency. Each layer can differ in the composition and shape, while all canvas are formed before gluing. Porch and glass railings are also made of multiplex.
Architectural triplex doesn’t belong to the purely decorative materials, as it is adapted to almost all types of load. Upper layer must not only withstand certain weight, but also have a high shock resistance (as well as the glass railings).
Important:
Safety is a main criterion for house improvement. Therefore, you must entirely eliminate the risk of slipping. To that end, the surface of glass staircase can be textured. However, in most cases, special coating should be applied to the steps, furniture and porch.
Benefits of installation of the glass staircases in the accommodation and on the porch
Attractiveness of glass constructions doesn’t take away the practicality of the novelty. Designers and technologists highlight the main benefits of glass staircases:
- Short term of construction works (1-2 days for the complete installation of construction and all its elements).
- Practicality, as neither glass railings nor canvas themselves require permanent care or expensive cleaning products. Changes of humidity, temperature and sun exposure will not damage the appearance of the staircase.
- High wear resistance and long service life (60-80 years for the accommodations).
- Safety, dictated by the impact strength (shock resistance) of materials and characteristics of construction.
- Quick repair, as any damaged element (steps, porch, handrails and glass railings) can be dismantled.
- Possibility to visually expand the room space. Refraction and reflection of light visually increase the metric area of the room.
- Opportunity of decorating the glass stairs allows you to change the style using the expressive elements of decoration and furniture.
Trend of interior design and just a comfortable thing— glass staircase — doesn’t limit your budget and imagination. Due to their elegance and originality, glass handrails and stairs fit perfectly into any living space and stylistic solution.
If our article helped you choose the type and style of construction, we are waiting for your feedbacks about the products and comments on the material!
