Choosing a pool fence once meant settling on a single material and using it around the entire pool area. Today, more Australian homeowners are taking a smarter, more considered approach by combining glass and aluminium fencing within one cohesive design.
It may still feel like an unconventional choice, but the combination makes sense for the way modern backyards are used. Glass can preserve the open view between the home, entertaining area and pool, while aluminium pool fencing can work beautifully along boundaries, side passages, sloping ground or areas where greater privacy is welcome.
Used thoughtfully, the two materials can create a clean, contemporary look while providing the strong, child-resistant barrier every pool area requires. The approach can also help balance cost, durability and ongoing maintenance, particularly when glass is reserved for the places where clear sightlines matter most.
The key is to plan the entire barrier as one design. When the heights, colours, hardware and transition points work together, glass and aluminium can feel less like two different fencing systems and more like one practical solution designed around your backyard.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to combine glass and aluminium pool fencing and where each material can work best within your backyard.
Where Does Glass Pool Fencing Make the Most Sense?
Glass tends to work best in the parts of the yard you see and use most:
Along the Main View From the House
If the pool sits directly outside your living room or kitchen, glass can help preserve that open connection between the house and backyard.
There are no vertical aluminium rails interrupting the view, which can make the pool area feel less enclosed.
Around Entertaining Areas
If your outdoor dining or seating area sits beside the pool, glass can keep the space feeling connected rather than visually divided.
This can be particularly useful in smaller backyards where adding a solid-looking barrier can make the whole outdoor area feel more enclosed.
Where Landscaping Is a Feature
Glass can also work well when you have spent time on planting, paving or other landscaping around the pool. Instead of competing with those features, the barrier can sit more quietly within the overall design.
Where Does Aluminium Pool Fencing Work Better in a Property?
Aluminium can be the more practical choice in areas where you do not need completely uninterrupted views:
Side Passages
If one side of the pool leads towards a garage, shed or side gate, there may be little benefit in paying for glass along that entire section.
Aluminium can provide the required barrier while giving you a more cost-conscious option.
Sloping or Uneven Areas
Changes in ground level can make a fencing project more complicated. Aluminium fencing can be designed to accommodate different site conditions, although the finished barrier still needs to meet the applicable requirements.
This is one area where the actual site needs to be measured properly before deciding which material will work best.
Less Visible Sections
You may simply not notice some parts of the pool fence from the house or entertaining area. Using aluminium there can allow you to concentrate the glass where you will actually appreciate it.
How Do You Make Glass and Aluminium Look Like One Design?
This is where good planning makes a difference. You do not want the change in material to look accidental.
- Keep the Heights Consistent: Where possible, keeping the glass and aluminium sections at the same finished height creates a much cleaner transition.
- Repeat the Same Finish: If the aluminium is black, matching the visible hardware or fittings around the glass can help tie the two materials together. You do not need every component to be identical. They simply need to look as though they were selected as part of the same design.
- Change Materials at a Natural Point: Corners, gates, steps and changes in landscaping are useful places to transition from glass to aluminium. A material change in the middle of a long, uninterrupted section of fencing can look much more noticeable.
- Think About the Gate Early: The gate is part of the overall design, rather than something to decide at the end. Consider where people will enter the pool area, how the gate will sit beside the other fencing and whether its finish works with both materials. Royal Life Saving Australia also reminds families to help prevent young children from accessing water unsupervised, including through correctly installed pool fencing and a self-closing, self-latching gate as part of its Keep Watch actions.
Is Combining Glass and Aluminium Fencing Cheaper Than Using All Glass?
It can be, because you are only paying for glass in the areas where you particularly want its appearance and visibility.
For example, if the pool is clearly visible from the living room but one side runs along a narrow boundary, you may decide to use glass across the main viewing area and aluminium along the less visible section.
The exact cost depends on the size and shape of the pool area, the ground conditions, the type of glass or aluminium system, gates, fittings and installation requirements.
It is therefore better to compare quotes based on the whole proposed layout, rather than assuming a simple price per metre will tell you what the finished project will cost.
What Do the NSW Rules Ask of a Combined Barrier?
A mixed material fence is assessed like any other, and no configuration is automatically compliant because it uses a particular product. Confirm your layout against the current NSW owner obligations before you order anything.
- Heights and Gaps: The complete barrier must meet the applicable height, gap and other dimensional requirements, including where the glass and aluminium sections meet.
- Non-Climbable Zones: The surrounding area must remain free from potential footholds and handholds. This needs to be considered across both the glass and aluminium sections, particularly around rails, landscaping, furniture and changes in ground level.
- Gates and Certificates: Pool gates must self-close from any open position, self-latch when they close and swing away from the pool area. Different certification requirements apply when selling or leasing a property, so owners should check the current NSW guidance for their circumstances.
Standards Australia published AS 1926.1:2024 in 2024. However, the NSW Government currently identifies the 1986, 2007 and 2012 versions as the standards applicable in NSW, depending on when the pool was constructed and whether its barrier has since been altered. Check the current NSW requirements and obtain advice from your certifier before finalising a new barrier.
Choosing the Right Combination Glass and Aluminium Pool Fence for Your Backyard
There is no rule saying every section of a pool fence has to look exactly the same. In some backyards, all-glass fencing will make sense. In others, aluminium may be more practical. For many homeowners, combining the two can give them the open appearance they want without using glass where it does not add much to the space.
The important part is to plan the whole barrier as one design, including the transitions, gate, ground levels and surrounding landscaping. For Sydney homeowners, Boresi Fencing can help you look at the options available for your particular backyard, including glass pool fencing and aluminium fencing.
Talk to us about frameless glass pool fencing in Sydney, or get in touch with our local fencing contractors for a measure and quote on a design that finally fits your backyard.
FAQs
Does glass have to be used around the entire pool?
No. You can combine different fencing materials as long as the complete barrier meets the requirements that apply to your pool and property.
Is tubular pool fencing better for sloping yards?
It can be a practical option for sections with changes in ground level, but the fence still needs to be designed and installed to meet the relevant pool barrier requirements.
Will mixed fencing look mismatched?
It does not have to. Keeping the heights, finishes and transition points considered from the beginning can make glass and aluminium look like one coordinated design.
Can I use glass only where the pool is visible from the house?
Yes. This is one of the reasons homeowners choose a mixed approach. You can concentrate glass around the main view while using aluminium in less visible parts of the yard.
