Lux Glass designs, fabricates, and installs frameless glass railings across Burlington — for lakefront decks, interior staircases, balconies, and pool surrounds. Every railing is engineered to the Ontario Building Code, fabricated from tempered safety glass, and backed by our 5-year workmanship warranty.
Call 416-897-0767 for a free site visit · or request a quote online.
Why Burlington homeowners are choosing frameless glass
The reason frameless railings keep replacing wood, wrought iron, and cable systems on Burlington decks is simple: glass doesn’t block the view. On a lakefront property in Roseland or along the Lakeshore, every linear foot of opaque railing is a linear foot of lake you stop seeing. Glass keeps the sightline intact while still meeting the Ontario Building Code’s 42-inch guard-height and load requirements.
Beyond the view, frameless glass is the lowest-maintenance option in this market. No re-staining every two years, no rust on hardware, no tightening loose pickets. The only routine maintenance is glass cleaning — which most clients do twice a year.
Railing systems we install
- Standoff (point-fixing) systems — round stainless standoffs through the glass into the deck or stair stringer. Cleanest look; works well on staircases and balconies.
- Base-channel (baseshoe) systems — continuous aluminum channel along the deck edge holding the glass. Strongest spans; most popular for full-perimeter decks.
- Spigot / taper-loc systems — discrete point-fixings spaced along the edge, no continuous channel. Often used on pool surrounds.
- Top-rail vs. no-top-rail — we offer both. A slim aluminum or stainless top-rail adds rigidity to long spans; no-top-rail gives the most invisible look but requires thicker glass.
- Privacy / frosted glass infill — for side-yard balconies where you want the airflow of glass but not the line of sight to a neighbour.
- Starphire low-iron glass upgrade — available on any system; most worth the cost on feature interior staircases against light walls, where you’re looking at the glass face-on. On exterior decks where the eye reads through to the view, the visual difference is much harder to see. Read our Starphire low-iron glass guide for the full breakdown.
Engineered for the Ontario Building Code
Glass guards in Ontario must meet OBC Division B 9.8.8 — 1,070 mm (42″) guard height for decks more than 1,800 mm above grade, plus the prescribed lateral and concentrated point loads. We design to these load cases as standard, and we provide CSA-tempered glass certification with every installation.
Engineering reports. When your building inspector, condo board, or permit application requires a stamped engineering report — typical for commercial work or any installation outside the OBC’s prescriptive provisions — we coordinate the report through a licensed P.Eng. Engineering reports are an additional cost to the client and can either be invoiced separately or integrated into the project price. We’ll talk through which approach fits your project at the quote stage.
We use 1/2″ (12mm) tempered glass as standard for both exterior deck/balcony railings and interior staircases, sized up where the span or load case requires it. All glass is tempered to CAN/CGSB-12.1 and may be specified as heat-soaked tempered for additional protection against spontaneous breakage on exterior installs.
Where we install in Burlington
We work across all Burlington neighbourhoods — Roseland, Aldershot, Tyandaga, The Orchard, Millcroft, Alton Village, and the downtown lakeshore — plus the rest of the GTA west: Oakville, Mississauga, Milton, and Hamilton. Lakefront homes and Escarpment properties make up a large share of our Burlington railing work.
Our process
- Free site visit. We come to your property to measure, discuss the system options, and look at substrate and load conditions.
- Quotation with system options. Itemized written quote — usually 2 or 3 system options at different price points.
- Engineering & permit support. CSA-tempered certification is included with every installation. Stamped engineering reports (when required) carry an additional fee — invoiced separately or rolled into the project price.
- Templating. Final templates after deck/stair structure is in place.
- Fabrication. 10–15 business days from final template.
- Installation. Typically 1 day for a standard deck, 1–2 days for a full staircase.
- 5-year workmanship warranty.
What frameless glass railing costs in Burlington
- Base-shoe (base-channel) deck railing: starts at ~$240 per linear foot installed, up to ~$320 with handrails / cap rail.
- Standoff / point-fix railing: ~$240–$300 per linear foot installed.
- Interior staircase railing: ~$240–$320 per linear foot installed.
- Pool-surround spigot railing: ~$240–$300 per linear foot installed (must meet pool-fence code, typically 1,200 mm).
Final pricing depends on linear footage, system choice, glass thickness, hardware finish, and site access. We give a fixed written price — never a surprise extra.
Frequently asked questions
Are frameless glass railings code-compliant in Ontario?
Yes — when designed and installed correctly. Lux Glass engineers all railing systems to Ontario Building Code Division B 9.8.8 (residential guards). When stamped engineering reports are required — typical for commercial work or installations outside the OBC’s prescriptive provisions — we coordinate them through a licensed P.Eng. Engineering reports are an additional cost to the client and can be invoiced separately or integrated into the project price.
How thick is the glass?
Standard is 1/2″ (12mm) tempered glass for both exterior deck/balcony railings and interior staircases, sized up where the span or load case requires it. Heat-soaked tempered is available for exterior applications where spontaneous breakage risk is a concern.
Standoff or base-channel — which is better?
Base-channel is the strongest, cleanest-looking option for long perimeter runs and is what we recommend for most Burlington decks. Standoffs work better on staircases, short runs, and where you want to see the structure of the fixings as a design element. We’ll bring samples of both to your site visit.
What about wind on a lakefront deck?
Wind load is part of the engineering calculation. For exposed lakefront sites we’ll often go to thicker glass (3/4″ / 19mm) or shorter free-spans with more frequent fixings. We’ll size for your specific exposure during the quote.
How do I clean glass railings?
Mild glass cleaner and a microfibre cloth, twice a year. For lakefront installations with hard-water spotting, we recommend a hydrophobic glass coating (similar to ShowerGuard) — adds about $4–$6 per linear foot but extends time between cleanings significantly.
Do you offer a warranty on railings?
Yes — every Lux Glass installation in Burlington is backed by a 5-year workmanship warranty in writing. Hardware and glass carry their own manufacturer warranties.
Ready to start your Burlington railing project?
Call 416-897-0767 or book a free site visit. We’ll bring samples of all system types, hardware finishes, and recent Burlington project photos.