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I was googlin last night, and it seems wire prices have come down, especially the hardware prices. I did a wire railing long ago, but owner paid for wire (they being Americans, just took a trip down south to source it).I vote for the stainless wire. We have a friend that replaced the pickets in their deck railing with stainless wire. It is nearly invisible and makes the deck feel more a part of the outdoors. We really like it and have decided that is what we will do with our deck. I'd be willing to bet that with the size of your posts and the hardware you used to fasten them you won't need a top rail for strength and stability. Combine that with stainless wire and you will have a great view!
He bought 3/16" stainless wire rope in 100' rolls on MSC's website. I think he said it was a little over a dollar a foot, and he has over 1000 feet of it in his deck. So yeah, it is pricey, but he figures that he'll never have to replace it, unlike the pickets in his rail that were shrinking away from the nails and getting loose.
I saw another deck where they used woven wire fencing, and yet another where they used cattle panels. Don't know if you inspector would like that though. Cattle panels wouldn't be bad looking, don't know if I'd care for the woven wire.
Glass would be a really expensive, although beautiful, option. It would have to be 8mm or 10mm thick glass, tempered, with beveled and polished edges. I used to work in the glass manufacturing and fabricating industry, and I'm here to tell you, that type of glass is very pricey! Most fabrication shops only deal with installers and contractors and don't sell to the general public.
I see I never took an after wire install pic...just the railing...lol.
I've done a lot of glass railings. We have to use 4mm (min) tempered if we frame it in (no exposed edges). If we have exposed edges, 8mm tempered (min - usually thicker). Never dealt with the really thick glass, the stuff you talk about, as I never ran into someone with deep pockets or should I say, those willing to part with it...lol.
An example;
My local glass retailer has been pretty good about prices. Around $50 for standard size 4mm tempered (32" x 72"). Custom sizes almost double. The hassle is framing it in. I'd use 1/2"-3/4" roundover trim, on both sides, on all edges. Buying all that trim adds up. Just ball-parking it, but I'd need about 212 ft of trim. At around a $1/ft = $250.
I like a top rail, because I like to lean on something as I peer over the edge and to set my drink on. I'll stick on a sub-rail (2x4 right under top rail, but between posts) to keep posts from migrating towards each other, when using wire.
BTW - I use 5/8" bolts (not lags) and true 4"x4" posts for every railing, I've ever done (except for the odd cedar post railing). I get little railing flex with that setup. For glass trim, 16g SS brads for trim and Lexel clear window caulk (use lots). You get no glass rattle in windstorms. I've seen folks router notches in posts and railing to accommodate glass, but over time, the railing dries out, and you're left with a rattle.