Glass banisters

[Tigger5]

Hi, please help! I am trying to convince my other half that having glass banisters instead of wooden spindles on our banisters is a good idea. Has anyone done this, can anyone offer any advice and more importantly pictures?!?

Good idea/bad idea????

[OwainDIYer]

It'll show fingermarks, especially if you have children.

[freddymercurystwin]

http://www.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=glass+stair+balustrading&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=
Decide for yourself.

[big-all]

Tigger5 wrote:

Hi, please help! I am trying to convince my other half that having glass banisters instead of wooden spindles on our banisters is a good idea. Has anyone done this, can anyone offer any advice and more importantly pictures?!? Good idea/bad idea????

you do realise they are about 5 times the price or around £900 dependant on size an if you are fitting

[freddymercurystwin]

So much negativity and reluctance to change on this site, tis a reflection of the whole industry though.

[mointainwalker]

@FMT

I think it relects on professionals' experience that most people are unaware of the problems/flaws/ cost of their fanciful musings and that when these are pointed out, the "Oh" moment happens and 90% die there and then.

Airing the negative points early on can prevent a lot of wasted time for all concerned.

[big-all]

when someone puts "good idea bad idea!!!"
thats the most obvious sign they havent even done the basic checks so need full guidance to relivent points cost being the biggest factor to most people is worth a mention

[Tigger5]

Thank you for your help - didn't mean to cause an argument. Can I just point out that I have had it all costed, I am fully aware of the costs and I have had professionals in to give me all the information. I do have kids so yes, fingerprints would be an issue but no more hard work cleaning the glass than trying to clean the dust from between the spindles of a traditional staircase. Was really just after some piccies so could get a proper idea of what it would look like and to see if anyone had done it in their own homes.

[mointainwalker]

If you think THAT's an argument, you should look at the Plumbing and Electrical forums

[joinerjohn]

mointainwalker wrote:

@FMT I think it relects on professionals' experience that most people are unaware of the problems/flaws/ cost of their fanciful musings and that when these are pointed out, the "Oh" moment happens and 90% die there and then. Airing the negative points early on can prevent a lot of wasted time for all concerned.

For all we know the OP may have won the lottery on a triple rollover. The phrase " The customer is always right." springs to mind.
Or put another way, If a customer approaches you and wants a job doing in glass, mahogany, sterling silver, solid gold etc. and has the money to pay, would you turn down the work, If you were capable of doing it??

The OP could well be creating something that will appear on the pages of some upmarket glossy magazine . And feel very proud that he at least had some input on the finished product

May well be after a home that features on Grand Designs (just to make the rest of us insanely jealous)

[Northbeach]

freddymercurystwin wrote:

http://www.google.co.uk/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=glass+stair+balustrading&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= Decide for yourself.

Wow, now those are some stairs. Saying that, there's a couple on there which look completely...wrong:

I think this fits snugly into the 'bad idea' camp:



Whereas this looks quite stunning (not entirely sure it's ideal for kids mind!):



I suppose it has to be fairly truthful to the setting. Sounds very expensive mind - is there not a way to craft such things yourself (finding a local safety glass merchant etc) or am I in cloud cuckoo land once again?