In the construction world, glazing refers to the installation of glass in windows, doors or any other fixed opening. Glazing can be referred to as any and all glass within the structure or the installation of any piece of glass within a frame or frame. How you refer to glazing will depend on whether you are talking about a specific piece of a project or the entire project itself.
Glazing methods
Rubber gaskets or structural tapes are often used for dry glazing and these elements are pressed into place, well in advance, on both sides of the glazing element. The panels themselves are then glazed from the inside or outside, depending on the system being used.
Wet glazing method
A bonding agent, such as structural silicone, is applied to an aluminum frame before the window panel is set in place. Silicone creates a bond between the panel and the frame, and this work is best done indoors, where dust is minimally present. The reason for this is that any dust will prevent the adhesive from working as well as it should.
Pointed Support Glass Systems Method
The pointed support glass system has worked very well since the 1960s, and although some adjustments have been made, the basic concept is still the same. Tempered glass has holes in it and these holes are used to fix screws. The disadvantage of this method is that the screws cause obstructions to the view and are not as visually appealing.
Cable Network Method
The glazing method called cable mesh can be quite expensive and take a long time to install correctly. However, the results offer incredible views and a luxurious look to any building.
Double Wall Method
Double wall is a very complex glazing method and consists of two layers of glass or facade. The space between the two layers uses the sun's energy to create warm air that is then ventilated throughout the building.
Types of glasses
Float glass
The process of using molten glass to create large, thin flat panels is called float glass. These pieces float on what is normally a piece of tin and the result is a smooth sheet of consistent thickness.
Annealed glass
The float glass mentioned above can get very hot, but when this glass is cooled in a very controlled and slow manner, it becomes annealed glass. This reduces the internal stress in each piece of glass and the glass sheets become even stronger. The only downside to using annealed glass is that when it breaks, it breaks into large, irregular pieces. These parts are quite dangerous and can cause many accidents if a person is in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Heat Strengthened Glass
Thermo-strengthened glass is basically annealed glass that has been reheated to approximately one thousand two hundred degrees Fahrenheit before being very slowly cooled. This results in a durability twice as long as that of annealed glass. When heat-strengthened glass is used in buildings, it may still need to be laminated to prevent injury if the glass breaks.
Fully Tempered Glass
Fully tempered glass is heat annealed glass, but it is cooled much faster than thermoset glass. Therefore, the inner section of the glass is fluid for a longer period of time than the outer surface. The fluidity of the internal section ensures that this glass is four times stronger than annealed glass. Fully tempered glass is often used as safety glass because it is the only type that breaks into small pieces that look like granules. This tremendously reduces the risk of injury.
Laminated glass
Two layers of glass, or more, are fused with a layer of polyvinyl butyral, or PVB, in between for laminated glass. The fusion is completed with pressure and heat and prevents the glass sheets from breaking. Although some pieces of glass may break into larger pieces, these pieces will stay together with the help of the PVB layer.
Wired glass
Wire mesh is placed between the layers of glass and makes these layers stay together in wired glass better than they would with PVB. Glass using this type of glass is often considered fire resistant glass because the glass will not shatter if high temperatures break it.
Low emissivity glass
Low-emissivity glass is also known as low-e glass and its main purpose is to reflect long-wave infrared radiation. The coating used is typically tin or silver and helps keep the temperature inside the building consistent.
Self-cleaning glass
Self-cleaning glass has a clear coating applied and this coating reacts to the sun's rays to break down dirt that accumulates on the outside of the window. The dirt that decomposes is washed away every time it rains.
It is essential that you choose the best glazing method, as well as the best type of glazing, for each construction project you undertake. While one method may work best in one building, it may not work as well in every other building you build. The same goes for glazing types, so you should do your research before starting the project.
The amount of glass you use for each project will determine exactly what you need, as well as your client's wants and needs. If they want a wall full of glass windows, you must determine which method and type of glass will work best for your needs.
Whatever you decide may not be the easiest method to do, but you should consider the extra work when creating your budget. This is why it's crucial that you know exactly what you need to do when it comes to glazing before you submit your proposal, because it can be very easy to misquote your glazing and end up going over budget. So ask questions and make sure you're on the same page before any contracts are signed!
We hope that you now know everything you need to know about glazing in construction and that you can now change the way you approach this part of the construction process in the future. After all, if done correctly, you can save your clients thousands of dollars in energy bills while making their buildings look better than they planned.
