Modern Glass and Wrought Iron Railing in Wilmette

If you want a railing to all but disappear, glass is the way to do it. This is an exterior glass railing on a Wilmette home: a wrought iron frame powder coated black with glass panels set inside it, built so the view does the talking and the metal just holds it in place.

Glass buys you an unbroken sightline, which is the whole point on a deck or balcony with something worth looking at. The tradeoffs are honest ones. Glass shows water spots and fingerprints, so it wants the occasional wipe-down, and tempered safety glass costs more than balusters. For the right spot it is worth every penny; for a high-traffic back stair with kids and dogs, we will usually steer you toward metal.

The frame is powder coated, which is what we use on anything living outside in Wilmette weather. It is a baked-on finish that shrugs off sun and lake-effect damp for 15 to 20 years, and we explain why in our piece on the benefits of powder coating. An exterior guard like this still has to clear the same bar as any other: at least 36 inches tall on a home under the 2024 IRC, and built so nobody can slip through or under the glass.

Thinking about glass for a deck or balcony with a view? Come by the Signature Metal Works shop and look at the panel-and-frame options in person.