Island Glass Company designs, fabricates, and installs glass railing systems for decks, balconies, stairs, pool decks, and rooftop terraces across Whittier and the surrounding Southern California cities. Glass railings deliver fall protection that meets code without blocking the view — the right solution for hillside properties, ocean-facing homes, and commercial patios where sight lines matter.
What we install
We build glass railings to the project, not from a kit. Every job is measured, engineered, and fabricated for the specific site.
- Post-mounted (stanchion) systems — stainless steel or powder-coated aluminum posts with tempered laminated glass infill. The most versatile system and the easiest to service.
- Base-shoe systems — a continuous aluminum channel mounted to the deck or slab, holding the glass without any visible posts. Gives you an uninterrupted glass line, ideal for oceanfront views and rooftop decks.
- Standoff / point-fixed systems — glass panels held by stainless standoff fittings drilled directly into the deck edge or fascia. A minimalist look for modern residential projects.
- Top-rail or handrail options — continuous top caps in wood, stainless, or powder-coated aluminum for a finished edge and a comfortable grip.
Glass specs
All exterior and stair railings use tempered laminated safety glass — typically 1/2-inch (two 1/4-inch plies with a PVB or SGP interlayer) or 9/16-inch depending on load requirements. The laminate keeps the panel in place even if one lite breaks, which is what the California Building Code requires for guard rails. Residential guards are engineered to the 200-pound concentrated load and 50 pound-per-foot uniform load required by code.
Glass options include clear, low-iron (for true-white appearance), lightly tinted (gray or bronze to cut glare near water), and frosted for privacy on balconies shared with neighbors.
Installation process
Most glass railing projects run in three visits: site measure, fabrication (two to three weeks), and install. Base-shoe systems require a structural edge detail to be ready before we arrive — we coordinate directly with the general contractor or homeowner so the substrate, waterproofing, and flashing are correct before glass lands on the deck.
Every install is checked for level, plumb, and gap spacing per code. Hardware is torqued to spec. We finish with a clean silicone seal in the shoe and a final polish on the glass.
Interior applications
Indoors, glass railings turn a staircase or a mezzanine into a design feature. Post-mounted and standoff systems both work well, and we can blend wood or steel handrails with the existing trim and stair parts. Interior rails typically run 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch tempered glass.
Service area
Island Glass Company installs glass railings in Whittier, Pico Rivera, La Habra, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk, Downey, La Mirada, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Brea, Fullerton, La Puente, Montebello, Monterey Park, and Cerritos. We provide free estimates and walk every railing project in person before we quote.