Curtain glazing vs steels beam

[Stonehouse]

Hi everyone. 
 

Wanting some advice re curtain glazing vs conventional horizontal steel with windows fixed to this. 
 

I have had some quotes where they have specified curtail wall glazing by SAS (see picture) - plus sliding doors by either Schuco or Cortizo 

 

 Other option which the majority have offered has been a horizontal beam with doors/ windows attached to this. One company we have looked at is Origin or express bifold

 

See pictures for these.

 

Those offering Curtain Wall have said it’s more secure/ solid. They say the other option there is movement in the window. Others says the horizontal steel option is fine and secure . Who to believe?

 

The curtain wall option is about 15K more overall.

 

The question is are the Curtain Wall people just chatting and over egging the issue or is there some truth in this? 

[JohnMo]

What does your structural engineer say on the subject? Sorry would not leave this to price or that looks pretty.

 

Involve a structural engineer, he will take account of load conditions on the house from wind etc, glazing company more likely to assume you have structural engineer input and they are just selling you a product.

 

[Gus Potter]

1 hour ago, Stonehouse said:

Wanting some advice re curtain glazing vs conventional horizontal steel with windows fixed to this. 

In my own house I have a mix of products. The windows and pass doors are Origin.. Its high end stuff and expensive... they have performed well to date.

SE wise and in terms of large areas of glass.. its a mine field.

 

Very few of the glazing suppliers will give you the data I need as an SE to design an adequate system.

1 hour ago, Stonehouse said:

Those offering Curtain Wall have said it’s more secure/ solid.

My arse.. the glazing system needs to be integrated with the structural design. If not the guarentee is void. The glazing system is a big ticket item and thus you need to get an SE involved early (pay your SE a little more.. it will be money well spent) so they can guide you on the selection of the glazing system and how you fix that to the structure so the horizontal and downwards vertical deflection of the stucture is compatible with the glazing system. Armed with this information from the SE will help you select the right glazing supplier.

 

Express Bifolds are a mass market outfit.. there is one up the road from me and they don't give away too much and that often leads to trouble later on in the build.

[saveasteading]

Proper curtain walling will be 2 to 3 times the price of everyday glazing supported inside a frame. Then allow for the framing.

If you look af the section sizes, the reason is clear.

[Russell griffiths]

Do you really want the glazed gable. 
they look pretty on paper, but unless that is a very deep room you won’t be able to stand back far enough to appreciate it. 
 

I have lots of glass and could definitely get rid of 20% of it and not notice the difference. 

[Stonehouse]

So would the timber frame SE review and advise this or would they pass the responsibility to the glazing providers who are responsible for their bit?

 

My architectural technical feels it’s the latter. He feels more comfortable with the curtain wall due to glazing size

 

 @Russell griffiths I do like the look of glazed gable and the vaulted ceiling. I know In addition to this the specialist blinds will cost £££

[JohnMo]

You should get a structural design certificate from one company for the whole property including everything from the foundation to the roof top. If the glazing company (and any other company) is providing structural design calculations, the company issuing the structural design certificate should review, comment and approve as appropriate. This should be standard working on the structural drawings and/or notes.

 

Your architecture tech, is misguided.

[craig]

Any "gable" glazed screen floor to roof in my honest opinion should always be in curtain walling, it's what it is designed for. What you have with windows/doors being coupled and creating a glazed screen is deflection and loading calculations that will need to be confirmed for static reason. There may be too much deflection with a coupled system meaning additional strengthening is required and can then become quite bulky. 

 

Curtain walling is what is and can incorporate other systems and opening windows etc, inside and is the best solution but not the cheapest. 

[saveasteading]

If I've said it already, apologies. Every curtain wall I've done has had a structural steel behind it at a height that hides it behind a rail. This reduces the curtain wall section by about half and the cost more. Several £k. It's still curtain walling though, not domestic plug in size and cost.