What is stained glass glazing?
The panoramic glazing of the building is the stained glass system. It is mounted from the inside and secured with glazing beads, so the installation of glass walls is carried out in any weather without the use of lifting mechanisms.
Stained glass is a serious competitor to plastic windows. It is lighter, more reliable, easy to use, and does not require the installation of reinforcing profiles. Built-in windows with different types of opening make the stained glass system more convenient. Thus, these characteristics, as well as the spectacular appearance, allow architects to realize the most daring ideas.
Types of double-glazed windows
In panoramic glazing, ordinary glass or single (24 mm) and double-glazed windows of different sizes and shapes are used. The standard formula for double glazing looks like this: 4-10-4-10-4TopN. The outer glass can be tempered, and the inner glass can be triplex with a low-emissivity coating.
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Brick houses
The advantages of choosing a brick house are durability and warmth. When wanting to install panoramic windows, many are stopped by the problem of heat conservation. It's really not that easy to do, but it's possible.
Note! If your house includes the construction of an attic, then this is where you can install panoramic windows.
The photo of the house with panoramic windows shows a two-story cottage with an original layout. Their installation makes the surrounding design special and expands the boundaries. From the attic floor you can observe the surrounding beauty.
If this option is not to your liking, then you can use the partial method. The structures should be installed in the sunny side of the house. Thus, you will brighten the room as much as possible, giving it warmth and comfort.
An alternative to this option is often used in the form of an ordinary window, the width of which is up to 1 m. Such a window occupies the entire area from the floor to the ceiling area. This does not quite replace the panorama, but it attracts with its appearance.
When is stained glass used?
1. When it is necessary to completely or partially fill the façade. Partial filling can be horizontal or vertical, for example a flight of stairs. Also, a glass facade can emphasize the business style of administrative buildings.
2. When it is necessary to highlight the entrance to the building. Glazing of entrance areas (that is, doors, vestibules, signs, etc.) of shops, restaurants, theaters and other public buildings is used to attract visitors. Through glass you can see a product or a room, which increases the flow of people and aesthetic perception. In this glazing it is customary to use swing or pendulum doors.
Glazed entrance group
3. For arranging a winter garden (greenhouse, veranda). The winter garden not only decorates the interior, it is an integral part of everyday life - an ideal relaxation area. For greater convenience, windows and doors are built into stained glass windows.
4. To protect the balcony from weather conditions, street noise and dust, and uninvited guests.
Panoramic glazing of the balcony
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Wooden houses
Owners of wooden houses often think about designing a house with panoramic windows. This is a stylish solution that is popular today. It is important to consider the issue of heat conservation. With extensive glazing, it’s worth considering all the options for making the room warm.
Consider the region where your house will be built or has already been built. Consider heating and materials. It is important to choose double-glazed windows of appropriate quality that will last you a long time.
Despite the fact that there will still be heat losses, with the right approach they will be minimal. Partial glazing will help with this.
Note! It is worth choosing the south side of the house when planning the panorama. During design, this point is discussed.
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The advantage of choosing a wooden house is the comfort and atmosphere that fills the house. You can look at the catalog of cottages with panoramic windows and see the beauty of the surrounding nature.
Stained glass installation technology
It is as follows:
- calculating the size of the glazing area using high-precision measuring instruments, for example, laser ones;
- installation of an aluminum frame. Here it is necessary to maintain the evenness of all lines of the stained glass structure using a laser level;
- profile coloring;
- installation of double-glazed windows;
- installation of fittings. Mostly they install flaps. Good quality silicone lubricant is used in their maintenance.
Correctly and carefully performed work will make stained glass windows reliable and beautiful.
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Stained glass glazing of facades
The attractiveness of panoramic glazing is given by its solid appearance. It is made from a profile for a window and a profile for a facade, which is used if the height of the stained glass window is more than 2.5 meters. Among the profile systems, the most popular are Sial, Tatprof and Schuko, which can be painted in any color from the Ral and Dekor catalogue.
YAWAL profile system
Translucent filling is selected depending on the purpose and type of building. For example, small facades of car showrooms and various shops can be glazed with art glass. You can also use tinted, self-cleaning, armored glass, triplex.
Stained glass glazing of facades can be:
- “warm” – used in houses, office buildings, insulated balconies and loggias;
- “cold” - used in stained glass windows of industrial buildings, for example, a warehouse.
“Warm” designs are 2 aluminum bowls, fastened with a polyamide insert, which prevents the appearance of a cold bridge and retains heat in the room.
It is worth noting that the warm stained glass glazing of the loggia will allow you to arrange a small library, greenhouse or additional room.
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Features and Benefits
Stained glass allows you to emphasize the unusual design of a building, decorate a façade of any complexity, and improve the illumination of a room.
Environmentally friendly materials are used, the building looks light and modern, and the cost of stained glass is low. The design is strong, lightweight and durable, which allows you to glaze window and door openings of any size.
Stained glass structures are fireproof , installation does not require much time. They are easy to disassemble and damaged parts of the structure can be quickly replaced.
Disadvantages include:
- It is not recommended to install in high-rise buildings due to strong wind loads;
- not all stained glass designs allow you to design complex arched, round and semicircular openings;
- people with a fear of heights will feel uncomfortable staying indoors;
- it is necessary to constantly keep the glass clean, this requires additional financial resources;
- structures must be installed by specialists;
- Some types of stained glass do not retain heat well.
Weight of stained glass
Knowing how much the glass and stained glass profile weigh, you can calculate the average weight of the structure.
A square meter of transparent M1 glass, 1 mm thick, weighs 2.5 kg/m2. If the glass unit has a glass thickness of 3 mm, the average weight will be 7.5 kg. Now all that remains is to multiply the weight of 1 m2 by the sum of the glazing areas.
In the same way, the total length of the profile is calculated and multiplied by the weight of one linear meter of the profile according to the manufacturer’s technical data.
It is worth noting that when glazing balconies, remote glazing is increasingly being used. You can learn about the advantages and disadvantages by reading our article at the link. Making your own balcony with take-out is not easy and partly illegal.
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Design of stained glass systems
The following stained glass glazing systems can easily cope with the creation of an original openwork, high-tech image:
1. Post-transom . The design of the stained glass window consists of a support post and crossbars equipped with special grooves that are designed for ventilation and condensate drainage. The frame is usually located on the inside of the facade.
The design of stained glass glazing also includes a clamping profile, which secures the translucent filling. From above it is closed with decorative overlays of a round, flat or almond shape.
Scheme of mullion-transom glazing
The overlays repeat the pattern of the supporting structure, which affects the aesthetic appearance of the facade. The type of infill determines the color and appearance of the building.
Be sure to use seals in the system to ensure the tightness of the structure. In addition, it is reliable, durable and easy to use.
If the mullion-transom system is combined with a structural one, the facade will look solid due to the absence of protruding profiles and small seams.
2. Post-transom semi-closed system . It differs in its fastening. The glass is secured from the outside with clamps either horizontally or vertically.
3. Structural system . In stained glass windows, the glass unit is mounted to the frame using an adhesive composition. Thus, the outer side of the façade remains completely glass, since no seams are visible.
Construction of the building's structural façade
This glazing system uses high-quality profiles and glass units that have high sound and thermal insulation properties, they increase the ability of the structural system to withstand heavy loads.
Panoramic glazing of multi-storey buildings of any shape and proportions gives the facade a luxurious, dynamic look.
4. Semi-structural is a system in which fastening is carried out using special beads.
Semi-structural and modular stained glass glazing units
5. Spider is a system in which the installation of translucent filling is carried out using the point method. Double-glazed windows are secured with spiders - special steel brackets shaped like a spider. The gaps between them are filled with silicone solution.
Fastening steel spider
The façade is glazed using a spider system
The design is transparent and lightweight since there are no frame parts. It has the shape of a beam, truss, arch or dome. Thus, more light penetrates into the room and it looks more spacious.
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Making stained glass yourself using Tiffany techniques
Preparing a sketch
The first step in the process is to create a sketch according to the established requirements:
- The arrangement of connecting lines in the shape of a cross in the design of the stained glass window will help to make the product resistant to mechanical stress;
- The use of wide connecting seams in the design of a stained glass product entails the need to abandon narrow elements of oblong and acute angled shapes in order to protect the product from cracking when heated;
- Having decided on a pattern or design, they make a detailed list of all the elements used in the composition and number them according to color differences. The finished sketch is printed taking into account the seam allowance (about 0.126 cm), which is used for soldering with tin;
- Before production begins, a mounting table is first prepared, on which the cut pattern is laid out, and then its position is fixed with a glazing bead, ensuring that the composition has clear boundaries of the stained glass image;
The material for the stained glass window is selected. The market for components for window design offers many material options; in addition to glass, other modern materials of different colors, different levels of shade intensity, and thickness are used. To select the glass correctly, the sketch is made in color.
Glass parts are made in one color; the material for stained glass is selected to be similar in structure and thickness of the canvas.
- The next stage is cutting using a stencil made according to the sketch. Applying the stencil to the surface, use a marker to draw a line along the contours of each element. The numbering of each detail, carried out in accordance with the selected color, will allow you to place all the necessary parts of the stained glass window on the canvas of the desired shade. Similarly, cutting is done for each shade used in the drawing. Textured glass requires cutting only from the smooth side. Successful cutting of glass is only possible when making smooth movements along the surface of the blade. Excessive pressure will cause cracks to appear. To avoid chipping, you need to release the pressure after each movement.
When creating a recess intended for decorative glass balls, use a grinding machine with a stone of the required size.
How stained glass decorative elements are processed
- After cutting is completed, chips and irregularities are removed using grinding tools, and all sides of the elements are processed. Along the edges of the part, adhesive tape (foil) is applied, which is glued like tape to the ends of the elements. It is recommended to use gloves to protect your hands from cuts when handling glass.
The adhesive layer of the tape is of great importance in the manufacture of stained glass. The manufacturer can choose a black or transparent adhesive base. The type of tape depends on the characteristics of the glass that the manufacturer works with. Working with transparent glass requires choosing the appropriate adhesive layer. It is necessary to give the tape low visibility so that the stained glass pattern takes on the appearance of a single canvas.
The procedure for fixing the tape is performed on the dry surface of the treated sanded material.
- After the tape is wrapped around the ends of the parts, the tape is ironed with a special plastic stack. All details are laid out on tracing paper in accordance with the image in the sketch. You can speed up the layout of parts on tracing paper by placing parts from an angle, while maintaining the required gap of 1 mm. This placement will facilitate reliable connection of parts using tin.
- Soldering acid-flux is applied to the seams with a brush, ensuring easy removal of oxide from tin and reliably connecting parts using tin.
The cost of stained glass glazing in Moscow
The cost of panoramic glazing of facades in Moscow varies. It is influenced by the degree of complexity of installation work, the type of fastening system and double-glazed windows, built-in windows and doors.
It is worth considering that the cost of fastening systems from different manufacturers can vary greatly.
The price is determined per 1 m2, but with a large order for stained glass glazing it is usually reduced.
The minimum cost of 1 m2 of glass facade starts from 4 thousand rubles, the maximum is 25 thousand rubles. Development and installation according to an individual project in a private house will cost 8 thousand rubles.
This pleasure may be expensive, but elegant, modern, original and practical glass showcases or panoramic walls are worth it.
It is worth noting that installation of stained glass glazing is a very responsible and labor-intensive job that should be entrusted to experienced specialists.
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