GLASS GLAZING. FEATURES, USES AND MORE

Posted on 07/28/2021

Glass glazing is an important concept that is present in the manufacture of windows, doors and even roofs and commercial facades. When we talk about these products, we generally look for certain characteristics in common, such as thermal and acoustic insulation, resistance to the passage of water, resistance to deterioration due to humidity, among other factors. All these characteristics depend to a large extent on a correct glazing of the glasses used. Therefore, glazing in construction and architecture plays a fundamental role for the correct execution of any project under development.

At present, it is practically impossible to think of installing windows, changing a door or remodeling a façade with products that do not offer the advantages that we have just mentioned. Glazing is an art that, together with the properties of the glass and the profiles used, make an almost perfect seal possible in the spaces where they are installed. Ignoring this and manufacturing or installing poor quality elements would represent enormous losses in the energy consumption of any space that are undesirable in any modern work. Let us remember that currently a space that is not designed and built to contribute to energy savings is a poorly designed space.

In this post, you will learn about glazing and specifically about glass glazing (since this concept applies to other materials such as acrylic, polycarbonate, metal sheets, among others, which we will talk about in future blog posts). We will break down how it is done, the characteristics of glass glazing, the most important types and their use today. To begin with, let’s define glass glazing:

WHAT IS GLASS GLAZING

Glass glazing consists of the action of framing a glass panel (note: glazing on its own usually refers to glass, although it can apply to panels of any material) with some type of profiling that encloses it around it. all its perimeter. As you already suppose, this is the base of any swing or sliding window pane, door, facade panel, ceiling and even decorative mirrors.

Before the invention of systems for indoor temperature control (as in the case of air conditioning or modern heating systems), the concept of glazing was flat and did not encompass any type of analysis or additional work. A wooden window had panes and these fit into grooves within the wood, just like that.

It was not until the beginning of the 20th century that the art of glazing became relevant, since it contributed significantly to energy savings, hermeticity and insulation of a space.

Now that you know what glazing is all about, let’s take a closer look at its characteristics and why it is important in any product that uses glass to insulate areas in buildings:

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF GLASS GLAZING

Of course, although glass glazing is a simple task, it is still a task that, when poorly executed, can cause us headaches. The use of quality glass and good profiles are not guarantees of good glazing by themselves. Let’s see below what is the minimum necessary that you should take into account when glazing a glass panel or cloth to obtain optimal results. At the level of hermeticity and insulation, the main characteristics of a good glass glazing job are:

– The glazing of the glass must be continuous and uniform. Glazing a glass panel for a window is a task that is done with the aim of covering the entire perimeter of the window. In this way, leaks or ingress of water and air currents into the inhabited space are avoided. It is common to wonder how much glass insulates when you want to install a door or window, but the truth is that without a good glazing job, the type of glass used is useless.

– It is important to use special materials and sealants that guarantee adequate glazing work. It is useless to glaze windows uniformly if the materials used for sealing and insulation are of poor quality. Between the perimeter of the glass and the profiles used as frames, there are generally gaps that, if not covered or sealed, harm the general insulation of the manufactured product. For this purpose, EPDM gaskets and seals are the most recommended option.

– The glass used must be adequate. The currently existing types of glass offer a variety of surface finishes and come with variable thicknesses. All these are factors to take into account when glazing. It is also important to know how much glass insulates and, together with the profiles used and the sealants, put together a set that guarantees energy savings in a closed space.

TYPES OF GLASS GLAZING

Given the main characteristics, let’s talk now about the types of glazing that exist today and that are the most representative. These define the type of glazing application and it is important to know them to know in which projects they are necessary.

Depending on the project, there are various types of glazing available. Currently, the most popular types of glazing are those that use different amounts of crystals and separations between them to increase the insulating properties of the whole. Knowing what level of insulation the project requires is essential to choose the type of glazing that best suits you.

There are 3 characteristic configurations that are applied in a variety of glass glazing products and projects. Here we explain these 3 types:

1- Monolithic glass glazing

This is the most common type of glass glazing, the one we find in many doors and windows. The use of only 1 glass cloth guarantees insulation in a range of temperatures that are not extreme. Installing elements with monolithic glazing in an area with degrees below zero or a desert would be a mistake. This glazing is designed for areas with pleasant climates where the required insulation is not so high. The thickness of the glass used plays an important role in this type of glazing. Additionally, its insulation can be increased with a layer of protective paper applied to the faces of the cloth.

2- Double glazing

In this case, 2 glass panels of the same size are used, arranged in parallel. Hence the name double glass or double-glazed glass. An important point in this type is that if the panels are glued face to face, they can be considered a monolith. On the other hand, to be of the double type they must have a separation between them. This space is an air chamber or some inert gas that serves as a barrier for heat transfer by conduction or convection to or from the outside. This glazing option, therefore, provides greater thermal and acoustic insulation in the spaces where they are used. The choice of this particular type will depend on the geographic location of the project and the level of insulation required.

3- Triple glazing of glasses

The latter would be the one that offers the best benefits in terms of insulation in general. Similar to the previous one, in this case we have 3 glass panels of equal size arranged in parallel and with air chambers between them. These cloths are of uniform thickness and can have coatings to increase protection or insulation on the outer faces. The detail to take into account with this glazing is that it should be used in projects that really require this level of insulation. In an area with a stable climate, the investment would be high compared to the necessary energy savings. Before oversizing a project, the ideal would be to consider the use of monolithic glazing or double glazing.

WHAT TYPE OF GLASS GLAZING TO CHOOSE?

The ideal glass glazing depends to a large extent on the degree of insulation required by the space where the glass products are installed. The thickness of the glass panes, the separation used between panes for double and triple systems, all influence the general insulation of a door or window.

As we have just understood in the types of glazing, the use of a single pane of glass or double and triple panes goes hand in hand with the geographical location of the space or building and the level of protection required. The ideal would always be to use triple glazing to guarantee the best of the best, but depending on budget constraints or technical requirements, this is not mandatory. The choice, in the end, remains in the hands of the designer or manufacturer of products that require glazing.

THE THERMAL TRANSMITTANCE OF GLASS MATTERS

To conclude, let’s talk about the thermal transmittance of glass and its importance in the general insulation of a space. We already know that well-executed glazing prevents leaks or unwanted entry of air or moisture. Now, what about the glass insulation? To better understand this, it is important to start by defining heat transfer, from a general perspective:

Heat transfer refers to the “movement” of heat from areas of higher temperature to areas of lower temperature in a space or material. This transfer is physical and is present in all materials that exist in nature. In general, heat transfer can take place by conduction, convection, or radiation.

The glass has heat transfer in its three types. Conduction through its volume in solid, surface convection with respect to the environment and radiation, due to its transparency. The thickness of the glass used plays an important role in what level of heat transfer a cloth or panel can have. Added to this are the number of panels placed in parallel and the separations between them, which affect the general heat transfer and therefore favor thermal insulation.

TAKE A LOOK AT OUR ALUMINUM DOORS AND WINDOWS

We offer aluminum doors and windows made with high quality modern profiles. Excellent mechanical properties, optimal insulation capacity and guaranteed quality glazing. Whatever the project you are executing, we have a product that adjusts to your design and remodeling needs. Here are our 4 profiling series available for you to take a look at and choose the one that best suits your ideas:

45 MM FOLDABLE

Aluminum exterior carpentry series for doors and windows.

60 MM PERIMETER

Series of exclusive aluminum exterior carpentry for windows.

70 MM PERIMETER

Aluminum exterior carpentry series for sliding windows and balcony doors.

70 MM STRAIGHT CUT

Aluminum exterior carpentry series for sliding windows and balcony doors.

You can also visit our products section to learn more about the design solutions we offer for interiors and exteriors. Adaptable to your spaces, quality and modern.

LEARN MORE IN OUR BLOG

If you want to learn more about the materials of our products, cleaning and maintenance tips, recommendations, the world of 3D modeling and rendering, and much more, don’t hesitate to visit our blog. We publish weekly content and if you want us to delve into a topic of interest (or if you want us to write an entry for your blog), do not hesitate to send us your request in our contact section.

Finally, remember to follow us on our social media profiles on Facebook and Instagram, where you will be up to date with our latest projects and designs.

GLASS GLAZING. FEATURES, USES AND MORE

WHAT IS GLASS GLAZING

MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF GLASS GLAZING