Patio balustrade - what are my options

platforminc · 13 Sep 2021

Hi All.

I have just been told by building regulations that I will need to have a balustrade as the change in levels from my patio to the natural ground/grass is more than 600mm.

In light of this, I have been looking at the various options and one option that comes to mind after spending hours on google is the glass/stainless steel option. I would like to know if anyone else is aware of other options or how I could go about this.

Kind regards

Tigercubrider · 13 Sep 2021

well, Timber is the obvious cheap option?

either a handrail system similar to an interior staircase, or posts with rope between them.
Metal spindles?
Wires strung between posts?

platforminc · 14 Sep 2021

Thanks very much for the info, I will look into it.

Old Salt · 14 Sep 2021

I have a stainless steel at the front door

platforminc · 14 Sep 2021

Nice, what is this system called and where can i get it from please ? I quite like this compared to the glass option. The posts, can they be bolted onto patio slabs ?

Old Salt · 14 Sep 2021

I just googled stainless steel balustrade and browsed until I found one I liked at an acceptable price. They can be bolted to slabs as long as the slabs are able to be drilled and not likely to move.

Just one example

https://vevor.co.uk/products/vevor-...xmd_YM93jCLu2tyx7c04oKpFl7nrr-jUaAnlqEALw_wcB

platforminc · 16 Sep 2021

Thanks for this, I was just about to order it but decided to call building control to ask first, then it turns out that building control are no longer taking questions. I then turned onto google, and it turns out that for it to be building control compliant, the spacing between the crossbars needs to be 100mm or less. I found one with 4 crossbars, and the height is over 1m, this will not have a spacing of 100mm, more like 200mm so therefore I dont think will pass building control.

freddiemercurystwin · 16 Sep 2021

With those (presumably) planters in front of the brick walls I'd be trying to persuade BC to see sense, with the planters full of plants the drop won't really be 600mm.

Anyway failing that a barrier should also be 'non-climbable' so horizontal rails are out anyway.

Aside from whether the slabs would be man enough to cope with anything other than a gentle push before they that connection failed better hope Mr BC doesn't give it a good shove to test it out.

platforminc · 16 Sep 2021

freddiemercurystwin said:
With those (presumably) planters in front of the brick walls I'd be trying to persuade BC to see sense, with the planters full of plants the drop won't really be 600mm.

Anyway failing that a barrier should also be 'non-climbable' so horizontal rails are out anyway.

Aside from whether the slabs would be man enough to cope with anything other than a gentle push before they that connection failed better hope Mr BC doesn't give it a good shove to test it out.

The reason why I had the planter there was precisely for the reason you mentioned (by having a planter there and filling it up, it reduces the change in levels to below 600mm.), but nope BC are sticking to the its over 600mm to the grass line. So hence all this hassle. The bolted stainless steel worries me too, what even makes it worse is that the brick that it could have bolted to isn't normal block, its actually class 2 engineering bricks with holes. Whilst I could fill that up with some concrete, I am not sure the strength is there and i am sure the BC officer will not be testing for strength, it will probably be a box ticking exercise.

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Patio balustrade - what are my options

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