GLASS POOL FENCING GOLD COAST

Frameless or semi-frameless, what is the difference

Both use 12mm toughened safety glass. The difference is what holds the panels up.

Frameless glass pool fencing is held by 316 marine grade stainless steel spigots set into the ground or the deck. There are no posts between panels and no top rail, so the fence reads as an almost invisible line around the water. It is the more expensive of the two, and on a landscaped pool surround or a waterfront outlook it is usually worth the difference.

Semi-frameless glass pool fencing uses the same 12mm glass with powder coated aluminium posts at the panel joins. The posts can be square or round and are colour matched to suit your outdoor area. You give up a little of the uninterrupted view, you keep exactly the same glass, and you pay noticeably less.

On a Gold Coast job the hardware matters as much as the glass. We use 316 marine grade stainless steel, the grade specified for coastal and chlorinated environments. Lower grade stainless will tea stain and pit within a few seasons this close to salt water.

What the Queensland pool safety standard requires

Every pool in Queensland that can hold more than 300mm of water needs a compliant barrier. In practice that means:

• At least 1200mm high, measured from the finished ground level to the top of the fence.
• No more than 100mm between the bottom of the barrier and the ground.
• No more than 100mm between vertical members.
• Nothing that could be used as a foothold inside the 900mm non-climbable zone outside the fence. That includes pot plants, pool pumps, outdoor furniture, retaining walls and overhanging branches.
• Gates that close by themselves from any position and latch without being pushed, and are never propped open.

We measure and build to that standard as a matter of course. If your pool area has a level change, a retaining wall, or a boundary fence doing double duty as part of the barrier, we work it out on site rather than guessing from a plan. To check your existing fence first, run through our pool compliance checklist.

Certification and Form 15

We do not issue pool safety certificates ourselves. We take the view that the company building the fence should not be the one signing it off, so we supply the Form 15 for the work we have done and you engage an independent pool safety inspector to certify it.

If you are selling or leasing the property the barrier has to comply with the current standard, so it is worth booking that inspection early rather than at settlement.

What affects the price

We quote every job on site, because glass pool fencing is priced on more than lineal metres. The things that move the number most:

• Frameless or semi-frameless. Frameless costs more because the glass does the structural work and the panels are larger and heavier to handle.
• Gates. Every gate needs hinges, a compliant latch and room to swing, so a short run with three gates can cost more than a long run with one.
• What you are fixing into. Concrete, pavers, timber decking and soil all need different footings.
• Access. A courtyard pool reached through the house takes longer than an open backyard.
• Level changes. Steps and slopes mean stepped panels rather than a straight run.

Made on the Gold Coast since 1989

We manufacture at our own Gold Coast plant at Molendinar, which means we control the quality of what goes in the ground and we are not waiting on a container to arrive before we can start your job. Since 1989 we have completed more than 45,000 installations, from single backyard pools through to waterfront properties and commercial complexes.

• Lifetime structural warranty on our installations.
• Free onsite measure and quote within 24 hours, anywhere from Kingscliff in northern New South Wales to Beenleigh.
• Written quote valid for at least 30 days.
• New installations only. We do not do fence repairs.
• We work in glass, aluminium and steel. We do not install timber or Colorbond.

Looking after your glass

Glass around a pool is exposed to chlorine, salt and, close to the water, sea spray. Untreated glass is porous, so contaminants sit in the surface and over time they etch and discolour it.

Washing with hot soapy water and a car wash detergent containing a wax additive, applied with a soft bristled broom and hosed off, keeps the panels clear and reduces how often they need doing. For exposed and waterfront positions we can treat the glass with ClearShield, which seals the surface against corrosion and etching from salt, chlorinated water, bird droppings and pollution.

Get a free measure and quote

Call 07 5563 2100 or send us your details and we will arrange a free onsite measure and quote within 24 hours. If you already have plans with measurements, or a quote from someone else, we can give you an estimate over the phone.