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Here, IQ Glass runs through your glazing options.
Sliding or bi-fold doors?
One of the most desired features in a modern home is a contemporary glazed door to create an ingress of natural light into the internal living spaces as well as providing a seamless connection with the inside and outside of a home. Choosing the right glazed door is very important for both style and practicality.
Bi-fold doors comprise multiple glass units that are concertinaed to provide a large open aperture. When considering this type of system, it is paramount to compare the varied flexibilities in configuration, size and profile capabilities between systems. For example, some have the ability to open in the centre and concertina to either side – this is an excellent way to open up a very wide aperture as this allows for more panes than a configuration that only slides to the left or right.
Sliding doors are a fantastic option when looking to exploit panoramic views of the outdoor scenery, whether it’s your garden or the rolling hills in the landscape. The frames of sliding doors can be manufactured to incredibly slim vertical profiles that create a frameless-style aesthetic. Sliding glass doors are very versatile due to the many configurations and adaptations available – an open corner sliding door, for instance, or a pocket door feature whereby you can achieve a full opening in the same way achievable with a bi-folding system. A pocket door is a system where builders allow a space in the wall cavity for the sliding doors to hide within when the doors are open – therefore, a completely frameless opening is achieved.
Whether you opt for a sliding or bi-fold door is a matter of personal preference. Bi-fold doors universally allow for the whole length of the aperture to be open due to the concertina feature which neatly folds the panes of glass away to one side. A traffic door can also be integrated within the configuration to provide quick and easy access through the door without having to open the whole bi-fold door each time. Whereas sliding doors can offer incredibly slim vertical sightlines to provide an impressive and seemingly uninterrupted glass elevation. They are opened linearly with one pane behind another which means that the panes have to be stored to one side of the aperture which removes the ‘open aperture’ aesthetic – unless a pocket door can be installed.
Glass box extensions
Extensions are a popular home renovation project to add additional living space but also enhance the existing property. Have you ever thought about using glass as your main building material? Glass box extensions are a fantastic new concept to flood the internal living space with light as well as create an indoor-outdoor living environment. Glass extensions can utilise a large variety of architectural glazing including structurally glazed roofs and walls of an entirely frameless appearance.
The striking aesthetic of a highly glazed facade can create a frameless feel to the architectural glazing, removing the division of inside and out. Did you know that sliding glass doors can be incorporated within glass facades to create a luxurious opening? Due to the slim frames of some sliding door systems, they can blend in with minimalistic silicone joins to create a cohesive design.
Glass balustrades
Frameless glass balustrades are also a popular feature of architectural glazing which creates a stunning addition to modern homes whether they are installed externally or internally. Utilising frameless glass not only provides the required elements of safety, but additionally avoids the need for solid handrails which often obstruct your outlook at eye-level. Glass balustrades can be used internally for level changes, stairwells and internal balconies with various fixing techniques depending on the surrounding elements.
IQ would always recommend low-iron glass for frameless glass balustrades as this avoids the green tint naturally inherent to any glazed unit, accentuating its invisibility and allowing for the surrounding landscape or building aesthetic to make a statement. Alternatively, if you would like the balustrade itself to feature as a design statement, curved glass is another exciting avenue to pursue.
Rebecca Clayton from IQ Glass advises: “When appointing a glazier for your project, attending a showroom is imperative to help you understand all the options available. This experience will provide an opportunity to gain valuable advice from the showroom technicians that can assist you in choosing the perfect glazing system for your project.
“Always make sure you ask about thermal performance; the basic rule is that the lower the U-value, the higher performance you can achieve – and make sure the unit you are given refers to the whole unit.”
For more information and expert advice on glazing systems for your self-build project, visit IQ Glass' website.
