Are there load tests on stand-offs? This is an excellent question, and one that’s both very easy and very difficult to answer. The short answer is no, there aren’t load tests done on this fixing, and the reasons as to why are set out below.
Stand-offs are a fixing, and not a system, which is why it is so difficult to provide a load test for them. Any load tests on fixing bolts are always based on standard lengths in standard fixing situations, and often may not reflect any real-world use. Every single installation is different, and any test done would have little to no relevance to actual installations.
This fixing is used in such a variety of ways, that the whole set they are being used in either A) is tested separately, or B) used in calculations by structural engineers. There are so many variables involved, and a few examples would be:
- Substrate (timber/ steel/ brick/ concrete etc)
- Fixings length
- Spacer thickness
- Vertical centres
- Horizontal centres
- Hole positions in relation to edges of glass
Another huge difference maker to the safety of the installation is the glass: what thickness has been used, whether it has been toughened & laminated, and what size is each panel.
Having said all that, there are comparable systems and load tests that can be used as a guide for proving whether stand-offs are suitable for the application.
Juliet Balconies
For any self-contained system, such as our Easy-Fit system, tests have been carried out as there is (theoretically) only one correct way of installing it. As with all test data, if the installation is different in any way to what was tested, the resulting data may be different. The data sheets for both the side fix option and face fix option of this system are available here, and below is a brief summary of suitability for Juliet balconies.
To meet 0.74kN (summary guide):
Max. advised width/span @ 1100mm high
| Glass | Face Fix | Side Fix |
| 13.52mm | 1100mm | 1200mm |
| 17.52mm | 1700mm | 1500mm |
| 21.52mm | 3000mm | 2600mm |
Comparable side mounting systems
One system that the stand-offs are very closely related to is the side-mount tensioner system. This is a ‘partner product’ that follows all the same principles (an M12 bolt fixing through the balustrade into the substrate behind, etc). Click here for a load test of our side-mount post tensioner/spacer system which uses M12 fixings. The full drawing of the fixing detail is here.
Comparable side mounting systems
One system that the stand-offs are very closely related to is the side-mount tensioner system. This is a ‘partner product’ that follows all the same principles (an M12 bolt fixing through the balustrade into the substrate behind, etc). Click here for a load test of our side-mount post tensioner/spacer system which uses M12 fixings. The full drawing of the fixing detail is here.
Is there a load test into timber?
Load tests are almost always done into concrete, unless it is specifically testing another substrate. This is because concrete is the most suitable material for comparisons. With timber, there are just too many variables for it to be used in loading tests – whether it is hard or soft wood, end grain, size of timbers etc.
Other useful data
Depending on how the stand-off fixings have been installed, there are other helpful pieces of data and tests to take into account. Our Quickcode 033 Metric Threaded Timber Inserts have pull-out test data into various types of timber, at both 30mm and 20mm depth. This is a pull-out to destruction test, and these are available to download here.
If the stand-offs have been bolted into concrete or masonry with chemical resin, most manufacturers have technical information available on the strength of their resin.
