Today it has become not only fashionable to equip balconies, for example, as a winter garden, personal office, workshop, or use them as a summer terrace or as a full-fledged warm room in winter. Using a variety of technologies and materials, you can enlarge, strengthen, glaze or insulate the loggia. The installation of balconies begins with welding robots, namely, it is necessary to decide on the type of installation of the metal structure and roof.
After renovation, the balcony not only looks beautiful, but also becomes much warmer
How to glaze a balcony yourself
A glazed balcony will not only expand the space of the room, but also protect the additional area from exposure to bad weather outside and reduce heat loss in the room. To decide on the direction of work, you need to know what types of glazing in an additional room exist and what type your balcony is.
Choosing a glazing method
For cold type glazing, single glasses framed with lightweight window frames are used. An inexpensive do-it-yourself glazing option, suitable only for summer time, is made with an aluminum profile that does not load the support.
When choosing a warm glazing option, you will have to install double frames with special plastic inside the profile. This design reliably protects from the cold from the street, but has a high cost and greater weight.
The French type of glazing is made with windows with transparent mirror glass. Frames made of high-strength glass are installed along the perimeter of the balcony space along the entire height. The solid glass sheet creates a stunning viewing effect.
Important. For comfortable use of the balcony at any time of the year, the space should be protected from condensation. They implement the task by using high-quality insulation with double sealing, as well as the presence of an adjustable ventilation system.
Which double-glazed windows to choose?
- Plastic structures with single glass for low-budget reconstruction are considered to be the most convenient for installation on a balcony. The option of massive windows with the installation of double-glazed windows is more expensive.
- Lovers of antiquity prefer double-glazed windows framed with wooden frames. Massive structures made of natural wood look good, but have a significant drawback - the need for careful maintenance.
- An aluminum profile can be considered a current option for glazing loggias in old houses. Installing a light frame on the balcony base slab and parapet will not greatly load the weakened ceiling.
How to glaze a balcony with your own hands
Before starting installation work, you need to decide on the installation option for balcony frames. Among the methods of self-glazing an internal or hanging balcony, the following methods are the most popular.
- Frames with glass are installed directly on the parapet. This is done if there is confidence in the sufficient strength of the original structure and the possibility of securing the frames around the perimeter.
- Installation of the profile on an additional structure. The height of the parapet is increased using additional foam blocks to create a stronger base and increase the reliability of fastening.
- Installation of frames to the full height of the balcony. To glaze the balcony area, the parapet is dismantled, and the window opening is partially tinted or another opaque material is used.
- Installation of a balcony with removal. For glazing in this way, a particularly strong parapet is required, the reason is the distribution of pressure along the vertical and horizontal planes.
It is important to take care of the outer cladding of the balcony in advance. It will be difficult to do exterior finishing from an already glazed room, but to perform external work it is better to contact craftsmen who have special equipment for working at heights.
Characteristics
First, let's look at the question of what advantages glazing a loggia or balcony with plastic windows has.
- In a room with such glazing, heat retention is 25% greater.
- By increasing the glass area, a greater degree of natural light is achieved.
- Affordability.
- Plastic windows can withstand different temperatures: frost and heat.
- Reliably protect against moisture ingress into the room.
- Quick installation.
- They are made from environmentally friendly material and do not emit harmful substances.
- Easy to care for. For washing, you only need clean water and a rag and glass cleaner.
Construction Work Guide
When starting to glaze your own balcony with your own hands, you need to decide on the scope of the preparatory work. Step-by-step instruction:
- Having cleared the room of things and debris, assess the condition of the external and internal structures;
- if defects are found (irregularities, cracks, bevels), they must be leveled so that there are no problems during operation;
- if you choose to install frames on a metal parapet, insulate it before starting glazing work;
- when leaving the old fence, take care of the strict horizontality of its surface and strength;
- if old frames are installed, dismantle them; in the case of a balcony on the top floor, install a canopy.
Technology
When deciding to install a balcony yourself, you need to understand that this is quite labor-intensive work. And given the fact that this must be a very durable structure, the technology for installing a balcony or loggia should be strictly followed.
To realize all your ideas, listen to the advice of experts below.
Tools and materials
Any business begins with the preparation of all the materials that are necessary for its implementation, and the tools that will be difficult to do without. So, to install loggias and balconies you will need:
- pipes, channels, fittings, binding wire;
- formwork boards or plywood sheets;
- concrete mixture;
- Master OK.
Preparatory work
Work should begin with the layout of the future structure being built. The location of the balcony, size and type are determined. If the balcony structure is planned on the second floor, then the concrete slab must be installed at the level of the reinforcing belt. To learn how to obtain permission to add a balcony, watch this video:
It is best to pour the channel into the reinforcing belt in advance. This will significantly increase the strength of the structure.
Also, for the stability and strength of the base, it is advisable to arrange supports on which the slab will rest. These supports can then be finished as columns. An alternative method could be supports that rest against the wall of the building. In this case, the placement of the supports should be designed so that they rest not on the wall, but on the corners of the house.
Step-by-step instruction
To facilitate the work required by installing a balcony, we provide a detailed step-by-step algorithm. So, the sequence of installation of the balcony structure:
- We place the channel on the edge in increments of up to two meters. Their number depends on the length of the balcony. The length of the channel should not exceed one meter, since the width of the balcony, according to regulatory data, is about 80 cm.
- The channels are fixed and poured together with the reinforcing belt so that they subsequently form a single structure.
- Start laying the reinforcement. This process must be carried out along the length of the balcony at a distance of 10 cm and the rods must be connected to the channels using metal wire.
- Then the reinforcement is laid along the width of the balcony structure with a similar spacing. Connections are also made using wire.
- Next, formwork is installed along the perimeter of the reinforcing mesh. It is better to knock it down in advance, and once installed, secure it with supports made of boards or pipes.
- We begin pouring the balcony slab with concrete. To give greater strength and even distribution of the mixture, it is better to use a vibrator.
- The concrete is given time to harden, and after that the formwork is dismantled.
- The installation of the balcony slab is completed by installing the supports using any method described earlier. For more information about adding balconies, watch this video:
Installation of wooden window structures
First you need to install a box made of wood. After fixing the lower beam (railing) and the upper part of the structure (ceiling), the side elements are fastened with brackets to the walls.
Step-by-step instructions for glazing a balcony with your own hands:
- installation and fastening of support posts made of wooden beams - corner, end, intermediate;
- insert the frames after first removing the glass, install the front glazing first, then the side glazing;
- if distortions or other defects are found, they are removed by leveling with wedges;
- Having fixed the frames with self-tapping screws and anchors, seal the seams using polyurethane foam;
- return double-glazed windows and removed sashes to their place, making sure that the glazing beads fit snugly to the frames.
Advice. Before installing the wooden frame, treat the mounting surface of the main beams with sealant and antiseptic. This will help protect the structure, which can be pre-painted, from the accumulation of moisture penetrating from the outside, and will make the balcony room much warmer.
Glazing of a loggia using an aluminum profile
Lightweight aluminum construction is most popular today due to the low cost of a fairly durable product. The high-strength structure chosen for the cold method of glazing the balcony space will last at least 80 years if it is installed correctly:
- we install the prepared wooden frame, seal all the cracks;
- We dismantle all sliding elements, remove glazing that is not tightly secured;
- We fix the canopy on the top plate with special fastening fittings, and also install ebb linings on the parapet;
- along the perimeter of the wall panels we attach mounting plates to the frame at pre-marked places;
- we return the previously dismantled elements of the balcony system, filling all the voids with polyurethane foam.
Installation of frameless window structures
The frameless method of glazing balconies has a spectacular appearance, but creating a home panorama will require a lot of effort. It is also important to consider that when installing a full-length glass panel, neighbors and passers-by on the street will become witnesses of your private life in the apartment.
What else will lovers of viewing the surrounding area have to do:
- take care of the safety of the space when people are there;
- ensure reliable insulation of the room, which will increase the cost item;
- choose a glass shading option - curtains, blinds, tinted glass.
Advice. When choosing frameless glazing, which you will do yourself, you will have to dismantle the balcony parapet. For this type of work, it is necessary to obtain a permit, as well as a conclusion that dismantling the structure of the house will not result in negative consequences for its residents.
Balcony roofs
Basically, balcony roofs are divided according to the method of their installation: dependent and independent.
- a dependent roof is installed in balconies that have glazing. The use of this roof option makes it possible to provide high-quality insulation indoors and also ensure reliable sealing. It can withstand significant loads;
- The peculiarity of the independent roof structure is that it is attached to the wall. This significantly reduces the load on the balcony glazing. Such a roof can also be installed on non-glazed structures. The disadvantage of an independent roof is the fact that it is impossible to provide a warm balcony. To cover such a roof, lightweight roofing materials should be used.
As you can see, there are many ways to install and improve balconies and loggias. Installation work will require a lot of effort, but with perseverance and diligence, this task is quite doable. Don’t forget the main points: correct calculations, reliability and modern design, and you will get an original creation that can decorate any building.
Features of glazing with extension
If you are going to build a winter garden on a glazed balcony, it is wiser to choose the option of glazing with extension. But you will have to take into account some restrictions - a ban on installing the extension for old houses and the maximum extension, it should not exceed 35 cm.
When there is no ban on removing the balcony, you can implement the idea in one of the following ways.
- Increasing the balcony area by moving it along the window sill. An additional metal structure is installed on which double-glazed windows are installed, but the floor area remains unchanged.
- Expanding the balcony space along the floor line will require more time and effort. As a result, the owners receive not only a visual expansion of the balcony space, but also real additional meters.
Remote glazing work on this type of balcony can be done independently if you have the appropriate knowledge and experience. But it is impossible to cope with the extensive scope of construction work alone; two people are needed to install the supporting structure.
Glazing an apartment balcony with your own hands will significantly reduce costs and allow you to gain pride in your own work. But this is only if you have sufficient knowledge of the construction specialty and can quickly assemble a small team of professional builders. Otherwise, problems are guaranteed at the very beginning of glazing work. It is much safer to spend money, but order a high-quality product created by time-tested craftsmen of a well-known company.
Preparation of necessary documents
The most reliable way is to first consult with familiar architects and lawyers. They will tell you who is best to contact in order to quickly obtain a building permit from the appropriate authority. Most likely, you will need the following list of documents:
1. Papers confirming that you are the owner of the apartment or ownership.
- Information from the Technical Inventory Bureau containing the floor plan.
- Consent of housing and communal services.
- It is also necessary to collect signatures from neighbors, thereby confirming that the other residents are not against the addition of a loggia.
- Redesign drawing or diagram.
- Your actions must also be coordinated with the utility service.
- Obtain permission from your city's Department of Architecture.
- Submit a corresponding application to the district administration.
