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Stairs require a graspable handrail, so you'll need either a graspable cap rail on the glass or a separate wall-mounted handrail kept continuous across flights and landings. Any of our glass systems can take a metal or wood top cap, and on a FLIGHT stair the wood is matched to your tread finish.

Panels run from 12 to 48 inches wide and 12 to 42 inches tall. We can manufacture wider, but 48 inches is what we've tested to. Your shop drawings will give exact dimensions for every opening, since width shifts with glass type and code.

Up to 48 inches wide and 42 inches tall. Pin centers sit at least four inches apart and six inches in from the glass edge, and the fascia needs to be at least 7.25 inches deep with four inches of solid blocking behind it. Final spans get set during engineering.

Panels start at four inches wide and run up to 48 inches, the same tested maximum as our other glass systems, with height to 42 inches. Your drawings will show exact sizes once glass type, exposure and load category are settled.

Two per panel on residential projects under the IRC, which carries a panel up to four feet. Commercial projects under the IBC need three or more, plus a continuous top cap. Talons sit four inches in from the glass edge, and your drawings will show the exact count and spacing for each opening.

Half-inch tempered or 9/16 inch laminated. Panels run up to 48 inches wide and 42 inches tall, with talons set four inches in from the glass edge. Ascend Talons come in powder-coated aluminum or brushed 2205 stainless and work on angled runs as well as level ones.

Extra-thick glass in half-inch tempered or 9/16 inch laminated, up to 48 inches wide and 42 inches tall. Posts come in aluminum, 304 stainless or 2205 stainless, and all the glass hardware is built to withstand 2.5 times what code requires.

Three options: half-inch monolithic tempered, 9/16 inch laminated, and 3/4 inch laminated. Starphire low iron is available in all three. Solar Gray comes in the first two, with Solar Bronze and Frosted available in the 9/16 laminated.

Tempered glass is heat treated for strength, and if it breaks it granulates into small, blunt pieces. Laminated glass bonds two tempered panes with an interlayer so the panel holds together if it breaks, and it adds sound and UV protection. Both are safety glass. Which one suits your project comes down to code, span and design, and each system lists the thicknesses it allows.

It varies by system and span. Half-inch tempered and 9/16 inch laminated cover most residential work. Three-quarter inch laminated is available on Base Rail and Hidden Side Mount for commercial and high wind conditions. We'll recommend a spec for your layout, but confirm it against your local code before you order.

When specified and installed to your drawings, our systems are engineered for the applicable design loads, and all glass hardware is built to withstand 2.5 times what code requires. For unusual wind exposure, heavy snow drift or assembly occupancies, tell us early so we can size the hardware and glass accordingly.

Often recommended, sometimes required. A cap rail adds stiffness and protects the glass edge, and many commercial or high load conditions require a continuous top cap. Stairs always need a graspable handrail, either a cap rail on the glass or a separate wall-mounted rail kept continuous across flights and landings. Check your local code for what your project requires.

Every Viewrail glass system is designed as a complete assembly, meaning glass, hardware, posts or base, and anchors together, to meet or exceed IRC and IBC guard and handrail loads. A select number of systems carry ICC Evaluation Service Reports (ESRs), including Base Rail, Talon and Standoff Pins. Because we cut, temper, laminate and fabricate glass in-house, we test panels well beyond minimum standards.

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Concrete, engineered flooring, hardwood and composite decking all work. Beyond the glass itself, the strength of the structure you mount to is the single biggest factor in glass safety, so your drawings call out substrate requirements and whether to through-bolt or lag. Every system needs at least four inches of solid blocking behind the mounting surface.

Yes, with the right system. Some of our glass systems are evaluated for commercial work and some are residential only, so it depends on what you're building. Tell us the project and the code your jurisdiction has adopted, and we'll point you to the systems that fit.

It depends on your deck. Side-mounted systems need somewhere between six and 7.5 inches of fascia depending on which one you choose, plus at least four inches of solid blocking behind it, either triple 2X or double LVL. Overhang tolerances are tight, so send us your deck section early and we'll tell you what will work.

No. Vedera is engineered specifically for Viewrail FLIGHT stairs and integrates through concealed hardware inside the treads, so it can't be fitted to another stair. Hidden Side Mount is the closest comparable option on a landing or balcony. Base Rail, Standoff Pins and Talons get you a similar frameless feel.

Each pin is just under two inches across and holds the glass 1.5 inches off the mounting surface, which is what gives the panels their floating look. That offset stays consistent across flights, landings and balconies.

Hidden Side Mount is built for level runs and landings. For a stair flight, Vedera gives a similar look on FLIGHT systems, and Ascend Talons are the strong alternative on other stairs.

Standard Talons are built for level runs. Ascend Talons are the stair version, and we usually pair the two on a project that has both flights and landings.

The same system, set below your floor rather than on top of it. The base sits flush with your finished surface and gets wrapped as needed, so the glass appears to rise straight out of the floor with no visible shoe. It takes planning around recess depth, drainage and floor build-up, so bring it up early.

By design. Barrier Posts are a minimalist guard for level areas like decks, balconies and overlooks, where the point is an unobstructed edge. Because there's no handrail, it isn't the right choice for a stair flight.

Vedera hides its hardware inside the treads for a look with no posts and no shoe. Standoff Pins mount to the side of the stair itself, without the hidden tread end cap Vedera uses. On a FLIGHT stair, Vedera is the more integrated of the two because the glass becomes a structural part of the staircase.

You can, or we can. The decorative cover that conceals the channel can be sourced on site with your finish carpenter, or ordered from us in wood or metal. The channel itself ships in four, eight and sixteen foot sections and needs at least four inches of blocking behind it, either triple 2X or double LVL.

Yes, and many projects do. Blending systems lets you match structure and budget run by run while keeping one look, as long as the glass and handrail finish stay consistent. Vedera on the stair with Base Rail, Hidden Side Mount, Pins or Talons on the level sections is a common pairing.

Hidden Side Mount and Base Rail show the most glass and the least hardware. Standoff Pins and side-mounted Talons keep walking surfaces clear by moving the hardware to the side of the structure. Talon Spigots and Ascend Talons show more hardware but make the glass appear to float above the surface.

Standard Clear glass carries a slight green cast from the iron in it. Ultra Clear, our Starphire low iron option, takes that cast out, and it's the clearest and most popular choice. Solar Gray and Solar Bronze add tint, and Frosted lets light through while keeping privacy. Availability varies slightly by glass thickness, and custom offerings can be ordered on request.

Post-mounted glass usually offers the best value. Spigots and Base Rail trend higher because of the hardware and engineering involved. Worth knowing on a side-mounted run: the glass extends below the deck line, so you're buying more glass per panel. For a fair comparison, pick a system and send us linear footage and stair runs.

Pricing varies with the system, glass spec, finishes and geometry. Post systems typically start lower, while channel and spigot systems trend higher. Send your layout and we'll put together a detailed quote.

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You send us your measurements, and our design team turns them into shop drawings for your project covering glass dimensions, hardware spacing, anchor locations, substrate requirements and cap rail details. Your rep walks you through the drawings, and production starts only once you sign off.

Read How Do I Install a Glass Railing System

Start with a dry wipe or a light rinse to lift dust and pollen before any cleaner touches the glass. Then use a pH neutral glass cleaner and a soft microfiber cloth, avoiding abrasive pads and harsh chemicals. Exterior systems benefit from a periodic rinse to clear salt and grit. A hydrophobic coating cuts down how often any of this is needed.

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Yes, on any Viewrail glass system. Invisible Shield PRO15 is a poly-siloxane coating that seals the surface so water beads and runs off, carrying dirt and minerals with it. It resists soiling, staining, pitting and scratching, and it's warrantied for both interior and exterior applications.

Read How Do I Maintain Glass Railing