Glass balconies

Recently, glass balcony railings have become popular. What they are, what are the advantages of panoramic glazing, models made of plexiglass, with stainless steel and glass, we will consider in more detail.

Many residents of city apartments prefer to make glass balconies. It looks stylish and original. Such a fence is safe. The strength is almost the same as that of the facing profiled sheet. Tempered glass is processed using the same technology as metal.

First, the material is heated to high temperatures of the order of 500-600 ° C. Then the glass cools sharply, resulting in surface tension. Glass becomes stronger and more resistant. A fence made of this material is fairly easy to clean.

The metal usually heats up quickly in the sun and cools down in the evening. Glass is not subject to such temperature changes.

Much more often you can see an opaque balcony made of concrete or metal. However, sometimes you still want something unusual and attractive. More and more people prefer to make glass fences. Main advantages:

1. high resistance to aggressive environmental influences;

2. long service life;

3. it is possible to dismantle and install in another place;

4. maintenance is simple, in which there is no need to apply any additional compositions for protection or decoration;

5. a room with such a balcony becomes brighter, since the glass lets in all the natural light;

6. installation is quite simple, it takes very little time;

7. glass railing looks good in any interior;

8. glass can be fixed, regardless of the season and weather;

9. the material goes well with metal and wood, combined fences can be made.

The main disadvantage of this design is its high cost. Such a fence is more expensive than an analogue made of wood or metal. This is due to the peculiarities of the preparation of the glass itself. If you make a glass railings, then they will need regular maintenance. Otherwise, water deposits form very quickly.

The rest of the glass fencing compares favorably with analogues... Particularly pleasing are their originality and high decorativeness. This is a good solution even if the balcony is in a small room.

The fencing is usually made of monoglass or triplex. The first version has a thickness of about 1-1.2 cm. The triplex, in turn, is made of 2-3 layers with a thickness of about 0.4 mm. There is a transparent layer of polymer film of 0.1 mm. The total thickness is 0.9-1.4 cm, depending on the number of layers.

When choosing a material for a glass fence, it is worth considering the features of each option. Balconies with panoramic glazing look mesmerizing, especially in a private house. In apartments, fences with double-glazed windows are often made. The frame itself can be made of stainless steel, wood or plastic.

Such a material in 1 thread can have various decorative coatings. Monoglass can be used as a material for all-glass curtain or used in combination with a metal profile.The thickness of the processed and ready-to-use material can vary between 4-19 mm. Most often, transparent options are used for fencing balconies, ultra-transparent, matte, tinted models or float glass. Let's consider the features of these types of glass.

• Float glass... Transmits up to 90% of light and is of high quality. Manufacturing technology allows to obtain glass that does not distort space.

• Ultra clear. Made according to the same principle as the previous version. However, it is more transparent and neutral in appearance. Used to create maximum visibility, color rendering and light transmission. It is rarely used when arranging fences.

• Matt. The surface is treated with a chemical solution, resulting in a matte finish. The glass looks like this already from the factory. This is not a decorative film, but the result of a special treatment. And also matting is carried out using a sandblasting machine. However, this effect only applies to small elements.

• Colored... During the manufacturing process, a dye is added to the mass, as a result, the glass is uniformly colored throughout its thickness. This effect looks attractive and impressive on a glazed balcony. Color saturation directly depends on the thickness of the sheet.

Usually it is this high strength plexiglass that is used for the manufacture of fences. It is also tinted and decorated as needed. In fact, triplex is made of two tempered glasses, which are combined with a polymer film. Sheets with one thickness are used, more often from 6 to 10 mm. This characteristic directly affects strength.

Before sale, products are tested in accordance with GOST... The quality of the polymer film and glass is determined. They must not have any defects. And it is also important to comply with the technology for the manufacture of triplex.

Before purchasing material for a balcony, it is very important to make sure of the high quality of the material. First you need to familiarize yourself with the certificates, and then visually assess the condition of the glass. If there are chips, pits or bubbles on the surface, then the material is bad and it is unsafe to use it. Microcracks lead to rapid glass breakage.

High-quality triplex is well suited for the manufacture of balcony railing. It is durable and requires little maintenance. Even with severe damage, the polymer layer prevents glass from shattering, it just leaves a dent on it.

The balcony railing has a protective and decorative function. There are many options for additional design solutions that make the overall appearance more attractive. So often used railings made of wood or metal as an addition. Both materials work well with glass.

However, there are cases when the entire fence is made only of transparent material. Auxiliary elements are not provided. In this case, it is not very comfortable to lean on. It should be borne in mind that additional loads should not be exerted on the glass fence, even if a particularly durable material was used.

Glass balcony parapet can be with right angles and straight lines, or with bends. The type of construction is selected based on the general exterior and the shape of the concrete protruding slab. Parapets of complex configuration look more interesting, but also difficult to execute. But to a greater extent it is worth starting from the design of the balcony slab.

The easiest option is clear glass. This is standard, almost a classic. But sometimes you want something more interesting, and this is where design ideas come to the rescue. Any pattern can be applied to the glass, both from the outside and from the inside.It is possible to tint the material.

Some manufacturers can easily apply even photographs to fences. And also the glass can be decorated with lighting.

Different technologies are used to decorate glass. Matte patterns are made using a sandblaster. The most affordable and easiest way to apply an image or change color is decorative film. Silk-screen printing and lamination are equally popular.

Each decorating method is unique and suits specific ideas. The choice depends on the type of glass used, the size of the balcony railing and the budget... And also further care depends on the decoration. In some cases, special cleaning agents are required for washing. Do not use abrasives to avoid scratching the surface.

Glass railings for balconies are more often used in the arrangement of country houses, however, such a solution is also quite appropriate for an apartment. It's just that in the first case, there are more constructive possibilities. On any balcony, it is possible to use durable, reliable and aesthetic materials. Consider some beautiful examples of fences.

• Quite unusual stained glass glazing looks attractive. From a distance, it looks like the top is made of solid material.

• High quality glass railing. Small slabs are securely fixed at the bottom and top, and it is convenient to lean on the railing.

• This version of the balcony looks interesting and unusual. Sunlight penetrates well through the transparent glass.

• The fence is made of tinted glass. A dark, low opacity material looks great with metal supports.

• An interesting design of the bay window balcony, which itself is attractive due to its shape. The glass is transparent, lets in a lot of light and complements the overall design.