Types of Facade Glass Used in Buildings

The word "façade" refers to a building's front or outside faces. To last for a long time, the enormous glass skyscrapers you see in cities need to be of a specific quality. Glass is available in a variety of thicknesses, sizes, forms, laminations, and sun-blocking qualities. These glasses are distinct from typical ones; they are tailored, put under strain and pressure to make them tough and lasting, molded into diverse forms, and glazed with protection layers. When designing, quality must come first since it must be ready to protect the people from strong winds and earthquake activity.

Glass facade types

1. Drapery wall

In order to embrace the façade, curtain walls are non-load-bearing curtain-like constructions that are linked to the building's floor. Such facades must support only their own weight, not the dead load weight that the structure imposes. In order to shift the weight of the wind off the façade, connections are made between the curtain wall and the building's columns and levels. These facades are extremely useful and aesthetically beautiful, providing resistance to wind and water incursion. Such glass facades also act as a heat barrier and a seismic resistance.

Curtain walls can be modified to meet the needs of the building and the client's preferences for design. It can appear in a variety of captivating designs and fashions.

2. Wall of a storefront

Another non-load bearing façade type with a focus on the ground floor is this one. When built with specialized glasses, it provides the best thermal and sound insulation between the ground and the roof of the building above it. It is a reasonable choice that can be tailored to the needs of the client.

Framing Techniques

1. Systems Stick

These kinds of glass facades are framed by vertical support mullions. Typically, the entirety of these extrusions is built elsewhere than where they will be installed. The glass panels are then installed in the mullions when they are transported to the construction site. Typically, horizontal frames support the vertical extrusions, creating a glass-framed structure on all sides.

Typically, materials like aluminium, steel, concrete, or wood are utilised to create the mullions used in stick systems. Any of these materials may be employed, based on the stylistic preference. Due to their high cost, structured silicone, toggle-locked, bolted, or pressure-capped stick systems are only used in mid-rise or low-rise structures.

2. Systemized Units

As the name implies, these glass facades are typically created in a factory before being transported to the installation location. In essence, this means that unitized systems arrive at the facility prepared for installation. In tall buildings, the continuous system might span several stories. Unitized-framed facades can also have windows and vents fitted. The complete framing system may readily incorporate elements like moisture and air resistance because it is built in a factory under regulated environmental conditions. In most cases, the finished systems are delivered to the site using mobile street cranes, tower cranes, or monorails.

3. Systems with Some Units

Stick systems and unitized systems' greatest features are combined to form semi-unitized systems. Such facade glass are enclosed in metal cassettes that are manufactured from sticks. At the manufacturer, the cassettes are packed with glass. Later, the individual cassettes are transported to the building site where they are assembled alongside other cassettes. Gaskets are used to bind one metal case to another, allowing for quick and secure assembly and installation. During the installation procedure, structural silicone must be used for these kinds of systems.