A steel and glass staircase uses a steel stringer or a central steel spine to carry the treads, with a glass balustrade fixed to or alongside the steel structure in place of a solid guard. The steel does the structural work out of sight; the glass keeps the sightlines open across the stair, the landing and any void. We design, fabricate and install steel and glass staircases from our own workshop in Banbury, so the same team that draws the stair fits the final pane.
What a steel and glass staircase is
Most staircases with a glass balustrade still need something to carry the treads and resist the loads on the flight, and that something is nearly always steel. A stringer under or beside the treads, or a single steel spine down the centre, gives a slim, strong structure timber alone cannot match at the same span. The glass balustrade is then fixed to that steel, or to its own steel posts and base channel, so the guard reads as light and open while the steel underneath carries the load.
Because the steel and the glass are specified together, the two can be detailed to sit cleanly against each other, whether the steel is a visible feature or made to disappear behind the treads. If your project is a wider staircase and balcony scheme, our custom staircases and balconies service covers the full range; a steel and glass stair is one option within it.
Styles of steel and glass staircase
We build steel and glass staircases in most common configurations rather than to a fixed catalogue design.
| Style | How it is built | Where it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Mono-stringer or spine | Single central steel spine, glass fixed alongside | Open-plan feature staircases |
| Twin stringer | Two parallel steel stringers, glass on posts or a channel between | Flights, landings, commercial fit-outs |
| Cantilevered, “floating” | Treads on a hidden wall-mounted structure or one stringer, open riser | Feature staircases, void edges |
| Helical or curved | Steel formed into a curved stringer or spine, glass follows the curve | Statement staircases |
| Straight with landing | Steel stringers to a half or quarter landing, glass continues across | Everyday flights |
Treads can be timber, glass, steel or stone depending on the look and the setting; we talk you through the options before fabrication.
The glass: specification and fixings
Balustrade glass is toughened or laminated, specified by us and the glass supplier together to the load and location, and fixed in a way that is designed, not picked by eye. Common fixings include standoff bolts through the glass into the steel, a base channel or shoe the glass sits in, and clamp fixings where a top rail is also required. Whether the design goes handrail-free depends on the glass specification and the load it has been engineered for, not on preference. We confirm the fixing method and glass specification with you and the supplier before anything is ordered.
Building Regulations in plain words
Every glass staircase meets the same Building Regulations as any other staircase, primarily Approved Document K:
- A minimum guarding height, generally 900 mm on stairs and landings in a dwelling and 1,100 mm at floor edges in other buildings, though the figure depends on your layout and use.
- No gap in the balustrade a 100 mm sphere can pass through, anywhere children may use the stair, so glass panels, fixings and any handrail are detailed with that rule in mind.
- Barrier loads that meet BS 6180, the standard for barrier loading, which is why glass thickness, fixing type and post spacing are an engineering calculation rather than a guess.
A structural engineer designs the staircase and balustrade to the requirements that apply, and Building Control signs it off. We never quote a height, gap or glass spec blind.
How we build a steel and glass staircase
- Survey and design. We work from your architect’s drawings or our own site survey, capturing the real opening and floor-to-floor height.
- Fabrication drawings and engineering. Detailed drawings, and, with a structural engineer, the steel sizing and balustrade design against Part K and BS 6180, agreed before steel is cut.
- Fabrication in Banbury. Cutting, forming, welding and finishing by qualified, coded welders, to BS EN 1090 execution standards, with material traceability on request.
- Powder coating or paint. The steel finished to your chosen colour before it goes to site.
- Installation. Our own erection team installs the steel structure, checks it is true and level, then fits the glass last.
Keeping design, fabrication and installation with one company closes the gaps that usually cause problems on a glass staircase: a mismatched frame, or a fitting delay while a separate glazier waits on someone else’s steel.
Recent steel and glass staircase projects
At Paddock House in Kingston Blount we fabricated a steel-framed staircase with solid oak treads and frameless glass balustrades, using concealed fixings and clean weld finishing so the steel disappeared into a joinery-grade finish. On a development project in Bicester we delivered the structural steelwork and a custom staircase as one design-and-fabricate package, so the stair landings, supports and connections were engineered once, not retrofitted. Both follow the same approach: designed, fabricated and installed by the same team.
Where we work
We design, fabricate and install steel and glass staircases across Banbury, Oxford, Bicester, Witney, Brackley, Buckingham and Milton Keynes, and across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Northamptonshire, with larger projects taken on further afield. For external steel access, our external staircases and fire escapes service covers stairs built for the weather; where a stair is one part of a bigger scheme, our architectural steelwork and steel balconies services cover the rest. Already have a steel stair and just need the balustrade? See steel balustrades and handrails and internal steel staircases.
For what drives the price, see our steel staircase cost guide; for how a project runs from enquiry to installation, our structural steel project timeline sets out the stages. Full detail on guarding and gap requirements is in the government’s own guidance, Approved Document K.
Frequently asked questions
What is a steel and glass staircase?
It is a staircase built around a steel stringer or a central steel spine, with a glass balustrade in place of a solid or spindled guard. The steel carries the treads and the loads on the stair; the glass keeps the balustrade open and the sightlines clear. We design, fabricate and install both, steel and glass, as one project.
Can a steel and glass staircase be built without a visible frame?
A largely frameless look is possible where the glass specification allows it, using standoff bolts or a discreet base channel rather than a full frame around each pane. How frameless a design can go depends on the glass type, the fixing span and the load the balustrade must resist, so we confirm the detail with you and the glass supplier at design stage.
What guarding heights and rules apply to glass staircases?
Glass staircases follow Approved Document K: a minimum guarding height, a maximum gap a 100 mm sphere can pass through where children may use the stair, and barrier loads under BS 6180. A structural engineer designs the balustrade to the figures that apply and Building Control signs it off; we never fabricate to a guessed height or gap.
Do you fit the glass as well as the steel?
Yes. We are a single fabricator from drawing to final bolt. Our own team designs the staircase, fabricates the steel in our Banbury workshop, installs the structure on site and fits the glass last, once the steel is fixed and true. There is no separate glazier chasing our steel.
How much does a steel and glass staircase cost and how long does it take?
Cost depends on the staircase style, its span, the glass specification and the steel finish, so a helical stair with a frameless balustrade differs a great deal from a straight flight with a simple glass guard. We price every project from your drawings or a site survey. See our steel staircase cost guide for the factors involved, or contact us for a quote.