Stainless Steel Channels for Glass Railings Give You Views Without Obstruction
Ultramodern design. Maximum transparency. Real-world affordability.
We’ve made that possible with our stainless steel channel tubing systems for glass balustrades. These are perfectly suited for terraces, balconies, decks, and pools in homes, units, ramps, and walkways. And they look stunning.
Our designs let you quickly and intuitively carry out installation work. Choose from simple base mounting options and a variety of stainless steel channel sizes and fittings with matching accessories — all come together to make a safe, secure, yet breathtaking balustrade system with unlimited views that you will cherish and enjoy for a long time.
Our Channel Tubing Features
- Channel tubing components create stunning frameless glass balustrades railings.
- Easy snap-on housings and fixtures form a complete system. All you need is the glass.
- High-quality stainless steel and brass channel tubing and fittings in a polished or satin finish.
- Durable rubber channel inserts, gaskets, and seal and wedge kits with high clamping strength.
- Simply push tubing onto rubber profiles to secure the glass edge — no adhesive needed.
Steel and Glass Impress with Good Looks
Many modern properties, whether commercial or residential, can benefit from glass balustrades with stainless steel channels. Not only do they offer safety for people walking on decks, mezzanines, or raised paths, but they also look grand.
A glass balustrade lets people enjoy whatever is on the other side, whether that’s a garden or an expansive view.
Wood infill doesn’t allow that. A concrete ledge doesn’t, either. A glass balustrade can meet building codes, and also give off a feeling of sophistication and refinement.
It elevates a simple guard rail into an architectural statement. You can also enhance the look with outdoor accent lights for a sublime nighttime atmosphere.
Stainless Steel Channel Options
Maybe you’re looking for a way to impress clients as they come in for appointments. Or perhaps you want guests to enjoy the best view from your restaurant’s second-floor balcony.
At BuyRailings, you have a range of channel options to create the perfect glass balustrade. From different finishes to different steel channel dimensions, there’s a combo that will make your space look and feel amazing.
304 vs. 316 Stainless Steel Channels
You can choose either 304 or 316 stainless steel channel rails. Stainless steel is a great material for glass balustrade design because it’s strong and durable. It also requires minimal maintenance over time and can be refinished to bring out the quality it had when it was new.
Both types of stainless steel channels are durable and resist corrosion. But it’s important to note that a 316 stainless C-channel or U-channel glass railing has 2% of molybdenum which increases corrosion resistance.
That means 316 stainless steel channel trim is better for coastal conditions or areas where de-icing salt is applied.
Brushed vs. Polished Stainless Channel
In terms of finishes, we offer satin and high-polish stainless steel channel rails. To some, satin stainless steel looks a bit more modern and can work well in settings whet the visual design is important. Even so, mirror-polished steel can look great in a range of applications as well.
Whether you choose a high-polished or satin stainless channel rail, you can be sure that the grade of the metal is unaffected. However, polished stainless steel is a better choice if the channel rail will be around water or high humidity. In that situation, 316 is the recommended steel alloy.
Another thing to think about is the amount of traffic and use you expect the glass channel railing to get. Over time, satin steel hides scratches and dents better than polished.
This is why home appliances are often made from satin steel, not polished. That being said, it’s a bit easier to repolish stainless steel than reapply a satin finish.
Polished metal is also easier to clean, since there are no tiny grooves for dirt particles to hide.
Round vs. Rectangular Channels
Besides finish type of metal and finish, the other main thing to decide is whether you want a round or rectangular shape. Another name for a round tube is a C-channel rail, and a rectangular tube is also called a U-channel rail.
If you look at the cross-section of a stainless steel C-channel rail, it will look like a round C.
Similarly, the cross-section of a stainless steel U-channel for glass railing will look like a U (with sharper corners). Other channel rail shapes include stainless steel Z-channels, stainless steel J-channels, and stainless steel L-channels.
Like U- and C-rail channels, cross-sections of these rails look like their letter names.
Round tubing gives people a bit more to hold onto, so this is a great option if you expect people to stand close to the glass guard rail or use it as a handrail.
Rectangular steel channels have a slim profile and let the glass (and the view behind the glass) take center stage. These work well when the glass is a barrier between different areas of a building.
How it works
Stainless steel structural channels sit on the top edge of your glass balustrade, and you can use stainless steel angles of different degrees to connect sections along an irregular line.
Simply lay the rubber insert on the top edge of your glass and install the channel steel beam over that.
On the bottom, the glass will sit in a sturdy aluminum base, with drainage systems to prevent flooding.
Our glass balustrade system is easy to install and meets safety standards. You can pair it with a stainless steel trench drain for better drainage outdoors or in industrial settings.
Envision the View
Decks, patios, and mezzanines need railings, but you don’t have to settle for something boring just to satisfy building codes. The main question is: what is your vision for space?
A beachfront home or café deserves a panoramic view to the ocean. A restaurant at the edge of a forest can invite nature inside with a glass balustrade that extends the length of the building.
You can enhance an office walkway with U-channel glass railings to greet employees. One thing is for sure: you won’t regret upgrading to a glass balustrade design.
Paired with a reinforced aluminum base channel, you can extend a frameless glass balustrade along with an entire patio or walkway.
The frameless look is the ultimate solution for an elegant barrier, whether it’s for a balcony, mezzanine, deck, or viewing path. We’ll work with you to find the right combination of materials so you can bring your vision to life.
