A2-s1,d0 fire-rated glass at Quantock House
Since the changes to Approved document B in December 2018, architects have had to find alternatives to glass balustrades on residential buildings above 18 metres. And more recently, due to the Building Safety Act 2022 (11 metre), architects and designers must consider a plethora of new buildings that now fall under the new regulations.
According to Darryl Holloway, Architectural Sales Manager at Q-railing UK, “Not being able to work with glass barriers for residential high-rise caused much heartache. After the changes to Approved Document B, Q-railing needed to pioneer systems that would be compliant with this new regulation. Following very quickly after our A2-s1,d0 laminated glass solution, came our revolutionary aluminium vertical bar system. This can achieve both 0.74kN/m residential loads and the more onerous 1.5kN/m load for areas where people may congregate.”
Quantock House
Vertical bar systems for every design
Wanting to expand their fire-rated selection, Q-railing have now introduced an aluminium vertical bar system. These are currently being installed on main contractor projects all over the UK, including TCRW Soho by Galliard Homes. Tucked away in the heart of central London, TCRW Soho combines modern elegance with bold contemporary design. For this project, Q-railing UK worked alongside Avdon Bristol and produced 80 aluminium vertical bar Juliet balconies and 28 metres of balustrade in a beautiful bronze colourway for the development.
TCRW bronze vertical bar Juliet balcony
For the second block of the TCRW project, Q-railing supplied 93 metres of black vertical bar balustrade, covering six floors. Powder-coated, laser-cut pressed sills were also produced, along with nine black satin deco-style privacy screens with opaque glass infill panels. The beauty of the aluminium vertical bar system is that it’s fully customisable- colours and finishes can be chosen to complement any design.
TCRW, London
Fully-compliant balustrades
The specific regulations and guidelines fulfilled are BS 6180:2011 and BS 8579:2020. The second of these documents has only been in force since 31 August 2020, so the new products from Q-railing are truly at the forefront of development in this area. Q-railing chose a UKAS-accredited third-party facility to carry out line and point-load testing.
TCRW vertical bar balustrade in black and bronze
Brand new systems for 2023
Among the latest railing innovations for 2023 from Q-railing is Easy Glass Strong. Whether it’s heavy line loads or high wind loads that your balustrade has to deal with, Easy Glass Strong, incorporating the revolutionary Q-disc System, is the natural choice for challenging conditions. The system’s combination of strength and adjustability makes it ideal for public locations with high demand. Strong is available for both top and fascia mounting. Also included in the new additions is Easy Glass Smart+, adding even more versatility to the current range. It allows you to quickly mount glass between 16,76 and 21,52 mm thick and align each glass panel individually.
Dock East, London
Q-railing UK
Q-railing are global pioneers in the field of balustrade systems, providing complete solutions that are instantly recognisable for their quality, unique design and excellent performance. An international team is constantly striving to create the safest and most stylish balustrades and accessories in glass, steel and aluminium.
Dock East, London
