Spigots are the small posts that make frameless glass railings possible: they clamp the bottom edge of a tempered glass panel and anchor it to your deck, concrete slab or stair, with no vertical posts and no top rail blocking the view. Choosing the right spigot comes down to five things: the material, the mounting type, the glass it accepts, the layout, and the finish. Here's what matters in each.
1. Material: don't stop at "stainless steel"
Almost every spigot on the market is described as stainless steel, but the grade makes all the difference outdoors:
- 304 stainless — fine for dry, indoor applications. Around pools or near the coast, it will typically show tea staining and surface rust within a few seasons.
- 316 stainless — the usual "marine grade" step up, with added molybdenum for better corrosion resistance.
- 2205 duplex — a higher-performance alloy used on offshore platforms and desalination plants. Its pitting resistance (PREN > 35, vs ~25 for 316) and yield strength (about 623 MPa, roughly three times 304) make it the strongest option for pool fences, salted winter decks and coastal installs.
Chlorine and salt are the two enemies of glass railing hardware in Canada and the northern US — pool water on one side, de-icing salt on the other. If your railing lives near either, buy the best alloy you can. Our adjustable 2205 duplex spigot was salt-spray tested for 200 hours (ISO 9227) with no significant corrosion.
2. Mounting type: surface mount vs core drill
Surface (deck) mount is the standard choice: a base plate sits on top of the finished surface and anchors with four bolts. Drilling is straightforward, the fasteners stay accessible, and it works on concrete, wood framing and steel. Core-drilled spigots are set into a hole in the slab for a cleaner look at the base, but installation is less forgiving — verticality has to be perfect and corrections are hard.
For most residential decks, balconies and pool fences, surface mount with an adjustable base is the practical winner: the adjustment mechanism lets you plumb each panel perfectly even when the slab isn't level, with no shims.
3. Glass thickness and compatibility
Frameless spigot railings use tempered (or tempered-laminated) safety glass, most commonly 12 mm (1/2"). Check the spigot's accepted range before ordering glass — ours accepts 10–14 mm panels, secured by two M10 set screws against pre-installed rubber gaskets that protect the glass. Never use annealed (non-tempered) glass in a railing.
4. Layout: how many spigots per panel?
The repeatable pattern for residential panels is two spigots per panel, positioned symmetrically, with wider panels needing closer inspection of loads. Actual spacing depends on panel width and height, wind exposure, and your local building code — glass railings are guarded by load requirements (our spigots are load-tested to 750 N/m). For pool fences, height and gap rules also apply and vary by municipality, so confirm local requirements before finalizing your layout. When in doubt, have the layout reviewed by your installer or an engineer — it's cheap insurance.
5. Finish: brushed satin or matte black
Brushed satin is the classic architectural look that disappears against glass and concrete. Matte black has become the go-to for modern builds and pairs well with black window frames. Whatever you choose, check that the coating is tested — a powder coat that passes an ASTM cross-cut adhesion test won't flake after two winters.
6. Don't forget the fasteners
A 2205 spigot anchored with bargain-bin screws is only as strong as those screws. Match the fastener to your substrate — wedge or screw anchors for concrete, structural lags for wood — and use four per base plate. We stock matched screws for spigots for both concrete and wood decks.
Quick checklist before you buy
- Alloy suited to your environment (2205 duplex for pool, coastal or salted areas)
- Adjustable surface mount unless you specifically want core-drilled
- Spigot range matches your glass thickness (12 mm is the common choice)
- Two spigots per panel as a starting point — confirmed against local code
- Independently tested load and corrosion ratings, not just marketing claims
- Matched fasteners for your substrate
Ready to build? Browse our glass railing spigots, complete the run with glass clamps and connectors, or see everything for a glass pool fence or deck and balcony railing. Questions about a specific project? Contact us at info@gvhardware.com or 514-295-3883.
