Balcony in a private house

Usually, private houses do not imply the obligatory presence of a balcony. Someone will consider this architectural element unnecessary even for a two-story house, someone will be stopped by certain difficulties in its construction and decoration, to someone this idea will seem too expensive. As a rule, a balcony in a private house is replaced by spacious terraces or verandas.

However, many owners of country houses and cottages still prefer open and closed balcony rooms as a cozy place to relax, sleep or work.

A balcony, like any other architectural structure, of course, has a number of certain advantages and disadvantages, which must be weighed even at the stage of developing the design of the future house.

The advantages of a balcony include the following points:

• The possibility of using the balcony area as additional residential meters;
• Attractive appearance, beautiful decoration of the facade;
• Free access to the street. It is always good to spend time outdoors with pleasant conversation or a cup of coffee. In addition, fresh air in the immediate vicinity of the living space can be a real lifesaver for people with disabilities;
• Depending on the design features, the balcony can serve as part of the porch, roof or veranda;
• In the event of a critical situation, the balcony can always be used as an emergency exit to the street.

In addition to the advantages, a balcony in a private house also has its disadvantages. Among them:

• The addition of a balcony to an existing house is always very financially costly;
• The attached balcony is a high-risk structure. Incorrect calculation or error in installation can lead to the collapse of the structure;
• A balcony door leads to significant heat loss in the room. Unless we are talking about a completely isolated extension.

Balconies can be closed or open. The open structure is a fenced base plate. A closed balcony implies mandatory glazing of the territory.

Most often, private houses are decorated with open balconies. Such a structure is used as a decorative element, therefore, particular importance is removed from the choice of finishing materials and the design of fences. One of the most beautiful and stylish options that is gaining more and more popularity in recent years is the use of a wrought iron fence.

In addition to its unconditional visual appeal, forged fencing has its own characteristics:

• its size should not exceed the size of the supporting plate and the balcony opening;
• before installation, it is necessary to carefully assess the condition of the plate, because the metal structure will add a lot of unnecessary load to it;
• it is necessary to proceed with the installation of a metal lattice or other metal structure only after the complete restoration of the reinforced concrete slab (elimination of cracks and chips, leveling).

Glazing significantly increases the functionality of the room, allowing you to use the balcony not only as a place to relax, but also as one of the living rooms.

Various glazing options (panoramic, partial, using stained-glass windows) provide new possibilities for an original and aesthetically pleasing facade design.

For the manufacture of balconies, durable and durable materials are used. Most often it is concrete and wood.

Such an architectural structure has its own characteristics:

• load-bearing structures are recessed into the wall. The reliability of the structure depends on the thickness of the wall, if it is not very strong, then additional supports are used;
• balcony overhang is at least 1 meter in length;
• if the house is brick, then the base plate is inserted into the wall in full length;
• the upper level of the slab is started 5-8 cm below the estimated level of the floor covering;
• the concrete base must be carefully waterproofed;
• the height of the balcony railings should not be less than 1 m.

Usually inferior to concrete in size and reliability, but superior in decorative terms. Outwardly, the balcony resembles a cozy wooden house or hut. Wood is a material that has many benefits. First of all, it is the atmosphere of coziness created by natural wood, its smell and appearance. The wood goes well with various finishing materials.

Features of the device of a wooden balcony:

• for the manufacture of supporting structures, beams with a section of 10 * 20 cm are used;
• the minimum depth of the beams in the stone facade should not be less than 25 cm;
• fastening beams to walls is carried out with bolts or metal corners;
• vertical racks (boards 4 * 10 cm) and longitudinal (5 * 10 cm) are attached to the console;
• flooring and handrails are installed;
• all elements made of wood and metal are treated with oil paint, grilles and handrails are covered with frost-resistant and water-resistant varnish.

Most often, balconies are arranged directly in the roof. These can be gable, roof structures or window balconies. Gable and roof structures can protrude beyond the facade of the house or be deepened.

If the project plans to create exactly a gable balcony, then in the process of construction work one of the gables is made deeper to the width of the future structure. A hanging rafter system will serve as the basis for the roof.

The base plate of the future structure is covered with insulation and a layer of waterproofing, and a screed is placed on top. The next step is the installation of a metal, brick or wooden fence.

How to independently install a balcony in a private house in the video below.

Regardless of the appearance and size, all balconies have mandatory structural elements. Among them:

• base plate, which carries the main load;
• fence (parapet);
• additional elements (visor, windscreen).

The main structural element is a slab, which is made of reinforced concrete or wood. The first option is applicable only for buildings built of durable materials (stone, brick, reinforced concrete blocks). The wooden board is lightweight, so it can be installed on the facade of any building.

According to the method of fixing the slab to the wall, balconies can be:

• with a cantilever beam clamped in the wall (a reinforced concrete slab is recessed into the wall during the construction phase, and the overhang of the structure cannot exceed 1 m);
• with a cantilever slab and support on beams (beams are recessed into the wall, on which a reinforced concrete or wooden slab is placed on top, while the width of the balcony can reach 1.2 m);
• with a slab resting on triangular brackets (this option is used when the balcony is attached to an already standing building);
• with a slab on supports (the side balcony rests on columns, walls, beams standing near the facade).

The French balcony also belongs to the category of balconies, although, in fact, it is only a beautiful fence of the window opening.

Design projects can provide for different locations of balconies, for example, above a veranda or an open terrace, above a bay window or a porch.

Most often, the balcony adorns the central part of the facade of the building and is located under the roof common with the house. NSThis option is ideal for small buildings. This balcony serves as an excellent place to relax in sunny and rainy weather. A fairly spacious room allows you to take out a small table, a couple of chairs or even a sofa to the balcony.

The log triangular balcony under the roof looks very interesting and unusual.... Glazing allows you to use such a room as a winter garden.

A balcony above any structure (porch, veranda or bay window) usually performs not only a decorative, but also a purely practical function. Such structures require a roof, and the balcony slab just plays its role. A practical option that significantly reduces the cost of construction.

The roof does not belong to the obligatory structural elements, however, it greatly expands the functionality of the balcony. The visor is a simple structure, most often curved, which protects the balcony space from precipitation.

The roof should be slightly larger than the slab and balcony railing and should have a slight slope to prevent snow accumulation.

The roof can be single-pitched (the simplest and most economical option) and gable (this option looks especially good on corner balconies).

To hide the open space of the balcony from direct sunlight will allow the original canopy - "marquise". This metal structure, covered with a special fabric, not only effectively protects the balcony area, but also gives it a very beautiful and modern look.

The dome-type visor is not very popular due to certain technical difficulties in manufacturing. However, many owners of private houses choose this particular design method for their balcony.

The arched visor looks very interesting and elegant. In addition, it is also quite functional and practical to use.

An open arched balcony serves as a canopy over the entrance to the building. The semicircular roof eliminates the possibility of water accumulation during rain and snow. The spacious territory makes it possible to arrange several armchairs, chairs and tables at once to create a cozy outdoor recreation area.

The attached wooden balcony allows you to create two corners for tea drinking at once. The base plate serves as an excellent canopy to protect the spacious veranda from precipitation.

The open semicircular balcony attracts attention, first of all, with its magnificent design. Openwork artistic forging is used to create fences and a canopy. Such a balcony simultaneously performs two functions at once - it is a spacious, light area for recreation and a decorative decoration of the facade.