Glass Fencing in Sydney: A Stylish Choice for Modern Dwellings

As of 2025, pools are no longer a luxury enjoyed by the rich and envied by the masses. Pools have become synonymous with the Australian way of living and are now relatively common, at least in cities like Sydney, Perth and Melbourne, where approximately one third of all households feature one. But there is a catch. In NSW, pools built after the 1st of May 2013 must comply with the AS 1926.1:2024 standard. Moreover, the legal standard for the construction of swimming pools and the installation of child-protection barriers, in Sydney, was laid down all the way back in 1992, with the emergence of the Swimming Pools Act. 

The installation of a glass pool fence, in Australia, is pretty much mandatory, as not following the council rules, and being in breach of the AS standards, and the Swimming Pools Acts of 1992 could result in you being either fined, or even getting into legal issues that will make it pretty much impossible to sell your property. Sure, you do not necessarily have to go for glass fencing in Sydney. Stainless steel, aluminium, or even wire barriers will legally do the job. But, from a stylish and practical point of view, glass fences are by far the best choice available to the majority of Aussie home owners. 

Glass fences present unobstructed views to the surrounding landscape and are a great choice if you don’t want to compromise the overall look of your backyard and make it look smaller than it actually is. That’s the biggest problem with fences: they kill that sense of openness appreciated in modern designs and go head-to-head with the minimalist look sought by the majority of Aussie house buyers. However, with a glass fence, this issue is pretty much eliminated. 

Is a Glass Pool Fence Safe? Wouldn’t It Shatter? 

When referring to glass fencing in Sydney, we are not talking about the same type of glass you will find in ordinary window panes. Since they are designed with durability in mind, glass panels designed for pool usage are tempered and quite thick, usually 12mm or so, which allows them to handle everything from the extreme temperatures typical to Australian summers (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-04/bom-forecasts-summer-heat-amid-high-fire-danger-warnings/105839426), to strong winds and even heavy impacts. The safety glass utilised in glass fencing is up to five times stronger than standard window glass, and it’s also built in order to comply with both the AS 1926.1 and AS 1288:2021 standards. (the latter of which mostly applies to buildings). 

Since it’s tempered, the panes in a modern glass pool fence (https://boresi.com.au/glass-pool-fencing/) do not form dangerous shards when broken. Sure, it can break; it’s not metal after all. But, it will take a serious impact in order to do so, and if it does, the glass will crumble in a way similar to a car windshield. In reality, the glass is probably the most impact-resistant section of the fence, and also the most durable, as unlike other materials, glass doesn’t rust, is pretty much impervious to bad weather and it only requires a minimum amount of maintenance in order to be kept pristine.

What Is the EnduroShield Protective Coating? 

Glass is a neutral material (https://asutoshcollege.in/new-web/Study_Material/glass_converted_04072020.pdf) that is not really affected by the sun’s rays, bad weather, or external influences. That said, in order to keep your glass pool fence nice and transparent, you will need to clean it from time to time, and here EnduroShield can bear its mark. What is it? It’s a special type of coating that uses nanoparticles in order to bond to the chemical structure of the glass and create a hydrophobic and oleophobic layer, which can reduce the adherence of dirt on the glass surface by almost 90%. 

Coatings like EnduroShield can drastically reduce the frequency of glass fencing cleaning and will provide extra protection to chemicals like chlorine, which, in the long run, could leave visible residue deposits on the glass surface. When applied by professionals, EnduroShield could provide glass protection for up to ten years, and it represents, therefore, a no-brainer for any glass installation package in 2025. 

Sure, it’s not foolproof. Build-up, especially in environments with extreme temperature changes, is still possible, and EnduroShield, like all chemical coatings, can have its efficiency reduced by the utilisation of abrasive cleaning pads. That said, these types of coatings are really helpful for increasing the durability of glass panes, and they aid in cleaning, which is a time saver appreciated by most of us. 

How to Properly Clean Your Glass Pool Fencing? 

It’s not really that complicated, as the proper cleaning procedure for a glass pool fence will not differ that much from what’s applicable for a regular window pane. You will need a bucket of warm water, a pH-neutral soap, a squeegee, and a microfiber cloth for the final step of the process. Before starting, you will need to rinse the panes with a hose, which will remove the largest of debris and also the dust, which lately has become a problem in cities like Sydney or Melbourne. 

Then, you will want to add the soap to the warm water, wipe each pane with a gentle sponge, rinse everything again, and then use your squeegee and microfiber cloth in order to remove stubborn water marks and any residue that’s still left. The process is straightforward, and for pesky stains caused by mineral deposits, you could apply either baking soda mixed with vinegar or commercial cleaners designed for heavy-duty usage. 

How often should you clean your glass pool fence? It depends on the weather and the particularities of your property. Typically, every two weeks is a good place to start. That said, if your glass panes were treated with a special coating like EnduroShield, you could reduce the cleaning process to once every thirty days. Glass has a non-porous surface, which makes it easier to clean than metals, it doesn’t corrode, and it’s compatible with coatings that are not available for materials like stainless steel or aluminium. So, if cleaning is a concern, then a glass fence is probably the best solution for your situation.