Glass pool fencing looks great and stays out of the view to the water. It also has to meet a stack of compliance standards before council will sign it off. We have installed enough of them around Penrith to know what gets flagged.
The standards in play
- AS 1926.1: safety barriers for swimming pools
- AS 1288: glass selection and installation
- NSW Swimming Pools Act 1992 and Regulation 2018
- BCA Volume Two for residential construction
What council inspectors look for
Height first. The fence must be at least 1200 mm tall from the climbable zone, measured from the highest fixed point a child can stand on within 900 mm of the fence. Gates have to self-close from any position and self-latch with the latch at least 1500 mm above ground.
Then the gaps. No vertical gap larger than 100 mm anywhere in the fence, including between panels and at the base. We use spigot or channel mounts with calculated panel spacing to stay inside that tolerance.
Glass spec and structural load
Toughened safety glass, usually 12 mm for spigot-mounted panels and 10 mm for channel-fixed. The glass has to carry the imposed load specified in AS 1170, wind, accidental impact, leaning. We spec the panel height and width so the deflection stays inside allowable limits.
Hardware and corrosion
Stainless 316 spigots and hinges for anything within 1 km of saltwater. Stainless 304 for further inland. Sealed gates with self-closing hinges and child-resistant latches. We do not use grade-2 imported hardware because we end up replacing it inside two years.
The compliance certificate
When we hand over, you get an installer compliance certificate against AS 1926 and AS 1288, photographs of the install, and the hardware spec sheet. That goes to your private certifier or council for the pool barrier inspection.
Planning a pool fence or balustrade? Book a site measure on 02 4722 2787.
