Site built with lumber.
Essentially wall panels, technically ‘windows’ per code, 48″ X 96″ glazing panes to work with.
I see these all the time but if anyone knows of some tips, tricks or best practices as far as getting them built and up, I’d be glad to hear it. The system I’m thinking in my mind is a bit Rube Goldberg’ish, I’m sure there has to be a simpler way.
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Replies
The same composition as you see in modern designed homes where an entire wall is made up of a glass panel.
If you go to Google, type in "Modern Home" and click images, it will show exactly what I'm talking about a hundred times over.
Basically looking for advice from someone who has experience designing and installing floor to ceiling windows.
So you're saying a giant "Thermopane" unit? Any idea what one of those would weigh?
I just installed a 8' sliding glass door. The panels were perfectly managable by 2 people. A 4' x 8' fixed window wouldn't weigh that much more. The young whipper-snapper that unloaded the truck carried the frame with one fixed panel up hill by himself.
Floor to cieling glass just depends on all structural elements being over the wall instead of in the wall. It also requires at least some solid wall for shear panel or else some good engineering.
Here's some info that might be of use: http://buyat.ppg.com/glasstechlib/101_TD-140.pdf
Your panels would weigh about 200 pounds.
You will need to have tempered safety glass.
You need to figure out how to run a header above that glass panel that does no protrude below the ceiling.
You need to consider issues such as excessive heat gain and privacy and safety. Both people and birds are wont to run into panels like that.
Best practices would include exterior seals that seal out water and hold the glass in place. When I hear "site built with lumber" warnings go off because glass isn't going to move at all but anything but well dried (NOT kiln dried witch is still pretty wet) boards will fail the first year.
Many glass pannels are built with nothing but wood, most of which are half arsed and dont' last. Use good jointery, polyurethane caulk in the frame, and let the glass supplier set a few so you can see that it's not rocket science but you need to do it right. Then detail the exterior and interior well and keep it painted and caulked and it will probably last indefinitely.