How best to glaze a balcony
There are quite a few methods, we will list all the main ones and give a small idea of them, which will help you decide on the direction of work in the future.
Glaze the balcony photo
- “Cold” glazing, regardless of the methods of opening the frames, implies that the balcony can be used as an additional “livable” room exclusively in the warm season. This is the most inexpensive option, because structures made of duralumin profiles, which are most often used for these purposes, are completely accessible. Among the positive properties of this type of glazing is its low weight, so if there are doubts about the reliability of the support, then aluminum will be the right choice. The material is very resistant to external influences, it is not afraid of humidity and low temperatures, although it can still be deformed due to large jumps. From time to time, for the “cold” method, wooden frames with one glass are used.
- There is also an option with a “warm” aluminum profile . It’s not difficult to make a wardrobe for a balcony or loggia with your own hands. You need to know some of the nuances and features, and have at least an approximate drawing or diagram. It uses double frames and double glazed windows. And in addition, special plastic placed inside the profile keeps heat inside and does not let cold air in from the street. But this design is almost not in demand due to its high cost.
- Using wooden frames is considered a budget option, but labor-intensive in terms of caring for them: you will have to update the paint once a year if appearance matters. To reduce the cost, some use used wood. With proper care it will last quite a long time. If your income allows, then you can, as they say, install wooden “Euro-windows” once and for life. Their production technology makes them durable, and they look very impressive.
- The panoramic view of the glazing suggests that special glass, additionally processed to increase its strength characteristics, serves as the basis for assembling the balcony fencing from floor to ceiling. From the point of view of creating a spectacular space, this method takes a leading position. Due to the thickness of the material, the apartment becomes protected from heat loss and the noise insulation performance increases. The partition can be made of tinted glass and looks especially stunning when assembled without frames.
- The frameless method of glazing a balcony requires certain skills and literacy during installation. But the complexity is justified by the result when the “output” is a light, as if weightless, structure made from one glass. The lack of frames is compensated by special metal guide profiles. Do-it-yourself window installation video instructions. It is in them that the glass sections are fastened and moved along them. Special tempered glass is used for such tasks.
- PVC profile frames are a popular and practical way of glazing. The ability to install a double-glazed window with three air chambers significantly insulates the room, especially in combination with a wider profile. Installation is simple and quick, and the service life is quite long, and all this splendor will not require complex maintenance. For those who do not want to install plastic windows because the sashes “eat up” a lot of space when opened, you can opt for the option with sliding sashes.
- If you want to glaze the balcony “with the extension” of the structure , then you should be very confident in the strength of the parapet, because the load on it in this case will increase in two directions at once.
Important: it is better to carry out work on the exterior finishing of the balcony with siding or other materials before glazing. Glaze the balcony video. How to glaze a balcony with your own hands without a frame. This sequence will make the cladding work easier.
To demolish or not to demolish
First, you need to decide whether to leave the existing balcony fence or demolish it completely. To play it safe, it is better to leave the existing metal fence. The reason for this is vague standards and the lack of clear rules for the operation of metal fences on balconies.
The lack of documentation for the house does not allow us to determine the degree of participation of this fence in the design of the house and the balcony itself. It may turn out that due to cutting off this structure, the design rigidity of some components will be violated.
It is not possible to find out all the technical details in a short time. It's just a waste of time and nerves. Measurers and managers at window companies offer to quickly cut off all excess and not suffer.
However, where to look for these managers later if something happens. The prosecutor will sort it out and the perpetrators will have to answer for the damage. And if there is no liability described in the contract, then who will be responsible in this case? That's right, the owner of the apartment. Therefore, it is better to leave the fence and move on to the next stage.
How to glaze a balcony with plastic windows
- This process is not very difficult, especially since the manufacturer itself carries out measurements, so there should be no mistakes in this area. How to decorate the inside of a balcony with your own hands (photo). So, the finished PVC structures have been delivered, the decision has been made to abandon installation, what next?
- The existing old sashes are being dismantled and at the same time the balcony must be freed of all objects and things that may interfere. The space on the balcony can’t be called large anyway, so ideally it’s worth taking everything out of it. How else is the “deep cleaning” stage useful? All the nuances that require improvement and elimination during insulation, waterproofing, and so on become immediately visible.
- A wooden beam is secured along the perimeter of the balcony using mounting dowels. When measuring, the presence of beams is taken into account. That is, the height of the finished structure will be equal to the height from the side of the barrier to the top slab minus the parameters of the crossbar. It is worth checking with a representative of the supplier company what thickness of beam he includes in the calculations.
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- First, the PVC frame itself is installed without sashes. First of all, the main and largest front part is mounted. And then the side one. How to glaze a balcony with your own hands: step by step. In order to save money, many refuse glass on the side in favor of sandwich panels. This, of course, is a matter of taste.
- On the street side, a flashing is attached under the frame. How to glaze a balcony with your own hands. If a balcony with a roof is glazed, then the canopy must also be secured. It is placed under the structure and secured with self-tapping screws, and the cracks are filled with sealant. The visor will protect against moisture ingress and leakage into the profile and into the room. Therefore, issues of tight fit should be given more attention.
- When the frame is level and secured, you can begin installing the sashes in place. After installation, you should check them for tightness. An important indicator is the smooth operation when opening and closing. If everything is done correctly, the frames will open easily and close without effort, fitting tightly into the opening.
It is important to think carefully about the options for opening the doors. This structure will have to be washed, and it is better to plan it so that from the tear-off section you can easily reach the adjacent “blind” one. It’s unlikely that anyone would want to risk their life cleaning things up.
- From the outside, it is convenient to hide the joints with the help of additional decorative elements. They can be purchased independently, or “included in the kit” when ordering from a company that supplies PVC frames. How to cover a balcony with clapboard with your own hands, video on covering and walls on the balcony. All gaps from the inside are sealed using polyurethane foam. When it dries, it is trimmed and the protective film is removed from the frame and sashes. Next, work continues on the final decoration of the room.
Glaze the balcony video
Base frame
A base of 3000*1045 mm requires 6 racks of 1000 mm each and two beams of 3000 mm each. This is ideal. In reality, the base of the balcony may have a curved geometry. Some vertical racks may also have 1010 mm, or 1020 mm, or even 1040 mm.
The situation when all walls and planes are parallel to each other is very rare. The upper beam goes in its entirety, we will cut the lower beam.
Before installing the base, it is necessary to treat the surface with seniga, paint and screw the lining on the outside of the balcony, and cover everything with siding on top. Vinyl siding is one of the best materials for protection from wind, snow and rain. Relatively inexpensive method of protection.
Before installing the base and upper frame, the lining must be secured only from the outside. Between the lining and the frame, you can attach roll insulation with aluminum foil on one side using a construction stapler.
Hard or mineral wool insulation is inserted inside the frame. To not only glaze, but also insulate the balcony, it is better to use cotton wool based on basalt fibers. In our case, we use extruded polystyrene foam.
After installing the base, you can make a second circuit - also insulated, it, of course, will require smaller bars. With the second circuit it will be even warmer. However, here everything depends on the budget allocated for insulating and glazing the balcony.
Ideally, each circuit should be sealed. The racks of the second circuit should be staggered, with an offset of 10-20 cm, i.e. the insulation should overlap the posts of the previous frame on top. This way we get rid of cold bridges.
To strengthen it, you can screw a perforated corner on top. It is slightly lighter than its solid counterpart and is therefore ideal for balconies. The ideal option would be a corner 30*30 and 2 mm thick. This thickness is quite enough for strengthening.
We install a perforated corner during the glazing process in order to prevent deformation of the base if the force is applied from the side (from inside the room towards the street). It is clear that any material can be bent if its length is 3 m. The question is how much force will have to be applied for this.
With a perforated corner, the force value will be many times greater, and the base will be even stronger. In the corner we drill holes every 400 mm, 1 mm larger than the diameter of the screw.
We fasten the lower frame using anchors 50 mm long and 10 mm in diameter. Longer anchors can be used. In our case, the thickness of the base plate is 90 mm. It is unlikely that the neighbors below will be happy if a small piece of a concrete slab falls off their ceiling.
After installing the base, it’s time to call a measurer. The upper frame will be installed in 5 to 10 working days. All that remains is to sheathe the bottom from the inside of the balcony with clapboard and make the floor.
Glaze the balcony with an aluminum profile
Another advantage of a lightweight aluminum structure is the sliding opening system. It saves space, however, it also causes problems with the folds freezing in winter. If the choice is still made in its favor, then we learn how to properly glaze the balcony.
- We dismantle the previous glazing.
- If the parapet is made in the form of metal handrails, then an “apron” made of galvanized steel must be installed on top of them. If the barrier is concrete, this is not required. The profile will fit right on it.
- The visor is mounted.
- A window sill is being installed.
- To secure the frame, anchor plates are installed in the opening. Using anchor bolts, the frame structure is installed on them.
- The ebb is attached to the frame.
- Sashes are installed in the openings.
- All seams are sealed using polyurethane foam and covered with flashings (optional)
- The final step is to adjust the fittings. The doors should move apart smoothly without making any noise. 6 DIY balcony glazing video; glaze the balcony with your own hands. This indicates correct installation.
Glaze the balcony with wood
It’s good if the home handyman has carpentry skills. Then the option with glazing with wooden frames becomes cheaper. After all, using wooden beams, glazing beads and ordinary glass 4 mm thick, he can assemble the sashes, providing them with the simplest fittings from the nearest store. How to glaze a balcony yourself: video and photos. However, even in the absence of such talent, you can order an inexpensive finished product from a workshop. After which you can begin installation.
It is important to consider that a large structure can “sail”. Therefore, despite the visual appeal of large and wide openings, this unpleasant effect is worth remembering.
- Preparation has already been written above, so we skip this stage.
- There are no special tricks in installing such a structure; moreover, the process itself differs little from, say, installing a PVC profile. Using metal fastening plates and screws, we install a wooden frame without frames.
- The ebb, canopy and window sill are installed similarly to the glazing methods described earlier.
- The seams are foamed and subsequently hidden under the finishing.
- The sashes are fixed in place, the fittings are adjusted.
For a long time, this was the only way to glaze a balcony in a Khrushchev building. Of course, such glazing will never become the object of envy of neighbors. But if done carefully and securely fastened, it can protect against dust, falling leaves and change the microclimate on the balcony by a couple of degrees.
How to glaze a balcony with your own hands using a frameless method
- A very impressive type of glazing, but it also requires some effort and courage. The first thing many homeowners fear when they are offered this option is safety. If we are talking about installing “full-height” glass, then it may be worthwhile to provide some kind of removable structure, reaching a meter in height, and attached to the walls or floor at a time when, for example, children are playing on the balcony. It is quite simple to weld from metal pipes of small diameter.
- The second not entirely desirable effect of a magnificent view of the surrounding area is an equally wonderful view of the privacy in the apartment. Especially in the evening with the lights on. Those who do not want to provide neighbors and random passers-by with the opportunity to watch the reality show “live” can choose the following “rescue” options.
- Consider a system of curtains or blinds. The second option will be expensive, given the non-standard dimensions of the opening, and you will have to suffer with a fabric solution.
- At the planning stage, you can choose the type of glass with one-sided transparency. They look good, they are very good on sunny days, but in the fall and in cloudy winter weather such glazing brings melancholy due to the low light transmission. Alternatively, the presence of such glasses can be combined with regular ones.
- If we are talking about frameless glazing of a balcony only in the part where most people are accustomed to seeing the window opening, then the difficulties described above do not arise.
Important: glazing into the floor requires dismantling the parapet. Before carrying out work, you must make sure that the demolition is legal and will not cause negative consequences for the entire house.
- For all its attractiveness, the panoramic method requires additional costs for insulation, and you shouldn’t choose it if the balcony offers a “wonderful view” of the factory complex or the dull neighboring multi-story buildings.
- An aluminum panoramic profile will be cheaper, but its ability to retain heat, let’s say, tends to zero and you should think carefully before installing it.
There are many options, but each of them can be implemented on your own. How to insulate a balcony with your own hands - step by step. Therefore, balcony glazing can be considered a type of work on which you can save money.
Cold and warm glazing: differences
Cold glazing has its positive sides. The main thing is the ability to protect from wind, rain and snow. In addition, a glazed balcony (there are examples in our article) is an obstacle to dust and leaves from the tree. And in winter there will be no snow here. But it will not be possible to create full-fledged warmth in the cold season. When installing the profile, no insulation is used, although double glass may well be used (but this option is more expensive). An aluminum or wooden profile is quite suitable for this. Glazing a balcony with windows means getting many advantages. Below we highlight the main ones:
- Such work does not require much time or large investments. Therefore, some owners do this work themselves, and no special tools are required.
- Low cost. All materials are freely available and the price is low, so everyone can afford it.
- Low load on the structure. Often the problem arises precisely with the weight indicator of all the constituent elements. This problem does not arise in cold glazing.
- Glazing a balcony with an aluminum profile means creating an aesthetic appearance.
- No specific care required. This question creates a problem for many, because not everyone is able to constantly touch up or change. And glazing a balcony with an aluminum profile means having a stainless steel structure.