The presence of a gazebo at the dacha allows owners to spend more time outdoors in hot weather without fear of overheating or sunstroke. But the climate in our country is not the warmest, which is why it is not possible to operate this structure for more than three months.
Glazing the gazebo will protect you and your guests from wind and rain.
The problem is easily solved by insulating the gazebo using glazing - this will extend your outdoor recreation by at least a month. Also, in the glazed gazebo, summer residents are reliably protected from rain, snow, hail and wind, which makes spending time as comfortable as possible.
Building structures for glazing
Gazebos have different designs, which plays an important role in glazing. Let's look at the material for the frame:
Metal
Metal is a fireproof material, which, of course, is a huge advantage. It is also quite strong and has a long service life, and moving the building to another place with a metal frame does not cause any difficulties. Also, for more convenient glazing, you can sheathe it with wood or plastic.
Wood
Wood is a poor heat conductor, so it does not cool in cold weather and does not heat up in hot weather. But this material can be damaged by rodents and insects, and is also susceptible to rotting, and therefore requires care - treatment with an antiseptic, for example. But it is easy to work with, and the tree fits perfectly into the landscape.
You can glaze a gazebo of any design.
Brick
Because of their strength, brick gazebos are the best option for long-term construction. And in a glazed gazebo made of this material you can forget about bad weather.
The choice also depends on the summer resident, based on his preferences.
Warm glazing of the gazebo
Warm glazing means that if there is at least a small heating source, the gazebo will maintain a fairly high temperature in winter. To achieve this goal, double-chamber double-glazed windows with different chamber widths are used. Profiles can be used in plastic or wood, but in both cases you will need a “warm” frame with a thermal break.
Rice. 2. warm gazebo with sliding doors and glass ceiling
Plastic frames do not withstand frost well, so wooden ones have a certain advantage when choosing a material to glaze an extension. This is a natural material that is safe to use. Despite the belief that wooden frames are cooler, this is just a myth. In terms of energy saving, plastic and wooden structures are no different from each other.
You can make not only the walls transparent, but also the roof. For the gazebo, designs are chosen that can easily be opened wide. Such a system will not interfere with air exchange in the summer, and will retain heat in the winter.
Selecting a glazing system
For those who decide to glaze their “shelter,” the question always arises: “Which glazing system to choose?” The construction market has a fairly wide selection of glazing materials, which have different mechanisms for lifting the sashes, opening and closing, as well as a huge range of windows: plastic and ordinary double-glazed windows of any texture, shape and color. The choice always remains with the summer resident.
Combined
The essence of this method is that door and window blocks made of aluminum need to be integrated into stained glass windows made of solid glass. The latter will prevent drafts, and the frameless glazing option itself will create an excellent view and add “lightness” to the structure.
Frameless
Currently, frameless glazing is an elite design option. This style is suitable for gazebos and verandas of any shape of structure, because it follows any contours of the facade. Without vertical posts, the facade of the building will remain intact, and opening the windows in good weather is not difficult. This method also creates an excellent panoramic view.
There are a large number of glazing systems on the market. The choice depends on your preferences.
Aluminum glazing
Using aluminum, you can make a structure of any size and with any opening mechanism, which after installation ensures ease of use. Such a structure is glazed with double-glazed windows, polycarbonate, single glass, tinted or mirror-tinted glass or materials that do not transmit light. The structure can be painted in the desired color, and it can also be coated with wood structure or galvanic coating.
Facade
In this glazing option, the roof itself is most often glazed, which makes the building maximally illuminated. The glass used is exclusively tempered - for safe use and to avoid accidents. Polycarbonate can also be used as a roof. The design has advantages (for example, excellent appearance and tightness) and one big drawback - it is not ventilated. This can be corrected by making a small gap in the roof. As you know, air rises when heated, and it will come out through this gap when the door is open.
Traditional
One of the acceptable options for people with little financial ability is a gazebo, into which wooden glazed frames with a fixing bead are inserted. Traditional glazing is suitable for summer gazebos, as well as in fairly warm climates, since they do not require special tightness and heat retention, unlike some other types of gazebos. I can also say that in such cases many aspects of warm glazing are used, which will be discussed below, in the paragraph “Choosing a glazing method,” a little later.
One of the advantages of traditional glazing is that all the work can be done with your own hands.
Double-glazed windows
Expensive glazing method. Single-chamber frames are suitable for summer buildings. If the gazebo is located close to the house, then it will perfectly replicate its architecture. This method ensures complete sealing of the structure and good sound insulation, which makes the gazebo even more comfortable. Together with IR heaters, a double-glazed window will be an excellent solution for glazing.
Glazing options by material
Prices for materials vary; the cost of construction depends on your choice: polycarbonate or aluminum.
Double-glazed windows: -single and double-chamber
Warm glazing option. Installing double-glazed windows is an expensive task and difficult to do it yourself. Gazebos with double-glazed windows provide excellent sealing and sound insulation of the room. If you place an IR heater in the room, you will be able to stay in the house in winter.
Double-glazed windows can be single-chamber or double-chamber. The chamber is a cavity between the glasses, filled with neutral gas, which prevents heat loss. Gazebos made of fiberglass can be equipped with special double-glazed windows, the gas in which reacts to sunlight. This provides protection from the sun's rays, but expect that such products are not cheap.
Glazing the gazebo with polycarbonate
Polycarbonate has its advantages:
- high impact resistance: the material is several hundred times stronger than glass;
- when installing lightweight panels, no solid supporting structures are required;
- resistance to low and high temperatures;
- strength: depends on the thickness of the sheet;
- versatility of use: suitable for the construction of walls and roofing.
Among the disadvantages , we note the sonority of the material: if you sit in a building during the rain, the sound of the drops will at some point begin to tire. Polycarbonate structures are a warm type of glazing (they are also used in winter), but in summer it will be hot inside if the roof is transparent. We recommend cutting small windows in the roof to ventilate the room if desired.
Choosing a glazing method
Currently, the main glazing systems make it possible to repeat any contours of the gazebo facade and open fairly large openings, which do not have lintels. The use of different methods of opening windows and doors, the ability to make a roof entirely or partially from glass, and installing insect screens on windows also have their place.
Cold glazing method
This type is used for glazing unheated structures. The main function is protection from low temperatures in the internal space of the gazebo. Frameless structures or cold aluminum metal profiles are used for this type of glazing. The windows can be either sliding or turning. Foldable ones are also possible. The temperature inside the gazebo will be 5-10°C higher than outside.
Features of the procedure in gazebos with barbecue
Since it is pleasant to spend time with friends in closed gazebos and organize barbecues, during construction you should first of all worry about fire safety. The same polycarbonate does not burn, but melts, without emitting toxic gases, but it is still better to focus on other, non-combustible materials.
Here are some useful tips for those who are planning to use a barbecue:
- there should be a source of water near the gazebo;
- It is better to build a stationary oven or barbecue from refractory bricks;
- cover the floor with ceramic tiles.
Since the main detail of a glazed gazebo is glass, for a better design we recommend purchasing stained glass options. These can be painted patterns, cute drawings, or a mosaic made up of multi-colored fragments. Stained glass windows pleasantly diffuse the penetrating light, making the atmosphere more comfortable and even a little fabulous.
Metal-plastic and aluminum sliding windows
The most affordable glazing method is the use of metal-plastic windows. Despite the poor strength, the design perfectly retains heat in the room, regardless of whether you installed one glass or a double-glazed unit. Aluminum windows are more expensive, but they are also stronger than metal-plastic.
The reliability of the aluminum structure is guaranteed.
Features of frameless glazing
Rice. 26. Structural features of windows without frames.
The frameless glazing system is, in fact, a unique design that has many features that are not found in any other type of glazing. Let's start in order:
- Thanks to the complete absence of frames in the design of the frameless glazing system, a unique illusion of a single large window is created.
- During production, glass for frameless windows goes through careful grinding, which is aimed at eliminating all possible distortions. Thanks to this measure, the output is completely transparent, clean glass.
- Sliding system. Adjustment of the position of window sashes is carried out thanks to the presence in the design of frameless windows of roller hinges and guides along which they move.
- A unique mechanism for opening the sashes, thanks to which it is possible to open the ENTIRE window opening. In this case, frameless window sashes are assembled at one edge of the system, forming a structure resembling a book or notepad. This makes it possible to clean glass, both from the inside and outside, while being completely indoors.
- Maximum possible increase in view from the room
Glazing a gazebo with your own hands
Many summer residents prefer to do all the work themselves, and the gazebo is no exception. If the shape of the gazebo is not very complicated, then you can glaze it yourself.
The first thing to do is measure the window openings. Next, you need to order windows according to these sizes. Modern windows are very easy to install, so installing them yourself will not be difficult. However, you will need helpers, because the window sizes for such a structure are quite large and it can be problematic to install them alone. Before installation, you need to clean the entire window system and paint the structure, if necessary. Then you can proceed directly to installation:
- First of all, the frame is installed in the opening, then the rollers are installed in the guides, and only then the windows themselves.
- An important step is to check the windows for leaks. If necessary, fill the cracks with foam.
- The mosquito net can also be made as a sliding system.
Frameless glazing type
This option is called cold, but gives a beautiful appearance to the structure. The frameless glazing of the gazebo is a separate building that is glazed on all four sides. The absence of vertical posts looks like a solid wall of glass, which gives the structure an edgeless appearance. Such glazing of gazebos is common, although this direction in architecture is new.
- Parallel sliding. This option assumes the presence of doors that move parallel to each other, like doors in a wardrobe. This has a micro-ventilation system.
- Book system. It assumes that the doors work like folding a book in the corner of an opening. In addition to slot ventilation, there is a fixation of the sash in the slightly open state.
Which system to use is up to the owner to choose. But for glazing gazebos, the second option is most often used, and the first is used for verandas and terraces.
Such gazebos allow you to admire all the beauty of your garden plot.
Main purpose of glazing
So, how to protect the gazebo from bad weather in summer or winter? When choosing the type of glazing, you need to take into account that such structures should:
- reliably protect the internal space of the building from adverse weather factors;
- be mobile (easy to open and close);
- be sufficiently strong and durable;
- have an aesthetic appearance
Look how beautiful and practical outdoor “houses” with glazed windows of different types can be:
Invalid Displayed Gallery
Requirements for windows for gazebos
The general requirements for glazing gazebos are not as stringent as for residential buildings, so here the owner has the opportunity to choose the type. However, these designs are the same as for residential premises :
- must let in the required amount of light;
- have the ability to ventilate and protect from precipitation, temperature and dust.
At the same time, they must be easy to maintain and durable to ensure a minimum service life of 10 years. The most important requirement is that they must comply with the overall architectural project both in the exterior and in the interior.
Acceptable characteristics for cold glazing of gazebos:
- glass unit 4-8-4, thickness - 16 mm;
- frame material: PVC, wood and aluminum;
- heat transfer resistance (R) - 0.28 m2* C/W;
- sound insulation coefficient (RW) - 20 dB;
- weight - 21.7 kg/1 m2.
Service
Like any element of a building, facade glazing, despite its reliability and durability, requires maintenance and sometimes repair. During operation, the rubber seals lose their elasticity, the sealing of the openings is compromised, the metal frame is slightly deformed, and adjustment of the fittings of the opening elements may also be required.
When installing cold systems, building owners often have a desire to change the glazing to warm ones or install double-glazed windows with a high level of noise absorption. All repairs or maintenance of glass facades must be carried out by specialists, this will ensure their durable and safe operation.
Useful video about the types of facade glazing:
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How can you close the gazebo openings?
There are alternative methods for glazing countryside street houses. In addition to Euro-windows, polycarbonate double-glazed windows or roller shutters, as well as PVC film and stained glass windows can be used for this purpose.
Using soft glass
The method of glazing using PVC films is currently becoming increasingly popular.
PVC curtains are an excellent way to protect the gazebo from rain and wind
Such soft windows for gazebos cost much less than glass ones. They perform their main functions very well. Buildings “glazed” in this way also look simply wonderful. The film is attached to the gazebo posts through special plastic oval eyelets on rotating brackets.
Gazebo with barbecue. Photo of a structure protected by soft polycarbonate windows
Buy soft PVC curtains made from film with a density of at least 630 g/m2. Flexible “glasses” made from less durable materials are unlikely to last long.
The only disadvantage of using flexible windows for a gazebo is the need to handle them carefully. PVC film is not very resistant to punctures and cuts.
PVC film - the material is not very resistant to mechanical damage
Polycarbonate double glazed windows
This material is more expensive than soft glass. For gazebos, however, it is very well suited, since the main disadvantage of the latter - instability to mechanical damage - is absent. Windows made from it will, of course, last longer.
Outdoor building with barbecue, glazed with polycarbonate
Today on sale you can find inexpensive and very easy-to-install transparent, ready-made polycarbonate double-glazed windows. It’s certainly worth thinking about using them to protect the interior space of a summerhouse.
Roller shutters
A rather interesting type of polycarbonate “glazing” is transparent roller shutters. They are also very suitable for a gazebo. These roller blinds consist of individual translucent slats.
Polycarbonate roller shutters are an excellent option for a gazebo
Stained glass
You can simply make a luxurious gazebo using stained glass windows with an aluminum profile. They are installed and operated in exactly the same way as conventional double-glazed windows. But stained glass windows, of course, are more expensive.
Gazebos with stained glass windows can actually look very impressive
As you can see, there are many types of glazing for gazebos. Choose any one, and you will make your time in this outdoor “house” as pleasant as possible, not only on sunny days, but also in bad weather.
Preparatory stage
If the main factor is weight, price and thermal insulation, the obvious option would be to use cellular (cellular) polycarbonate for glazing the veranda, which is 13 times lighter than ordinary glass of the same thickness. If strength and transparency are important to you, the choice lies with the monolithic option. The monolithic version is more expensive and heavier than its cellular counterpart, but still several times lighter than regular glass.
Preparation of the glazing of the veranda begins with measurements of future windows and the acquisition of the required number of polymer sheets. Next, in accordance with the selected type of window, related parts are purchased: aluminum tape, runners, hinges, self-tapping screws, thermal washers. Then you can start marking and cutting. Polycarbonate at home, depending on the thickness, is cut with a stationery knife, jigsaw or grinder. Do not forget that the cellular polymer is sensitive to orientation in space and should be positioned so that the cells are located along the window opening with the protective anti-ultraviolet coating facing outward.
When installing such windows there are some nuances
Don’t forget that you need to drill 10–15 mm more holes for the thermal washer to compensate for the thermal expansion of polycarbonate panels.
