It is believed that glass is a very fragile refined material, unable to withstand the effects of snowfall, rain, temperature changes, so the maximum where it can be applied is to use for glazing windows and street doors. But thanks to modern methods of processing, glass today in demand comes to the forefront, even roofs and entire facades are created from it. Not so long ago began to produce glass canopies. Installation of this small architectural element gives the building sophistication, lightness, transparency.
The main purpose of the canopies and canopies is to protect the doors of the house from weather troubles. Architects, striving to ensure that protective elements not only fulfill their direct function, but also add decorativeness to buildings, improve its aesthetic appeal, put forward a bold idea - to use glass for their manufacture, which is not inferior in strength to reinforced concrete structures.
Features of the use of glass attachments
Glass peaks and canopies can be used as the only building part made of glass or included in a whole complex of architectural elements made of this material.
Install such structures above the entrance to:
- Hotels
- administrative buildings;
- exhibition complexes;
- Airports
- stopping complexes;
- parking;
- arbors in private households and other public and private structures.
Since such canopies for glass doors are most suitable - they are most often installed above the entrance.
Product Types
Glass canopies can have a very different design:
- Frame. For installation, the glass plate is fixed in a metal frame. So the design acquires the necessary rigidity and reliability. To protect the metal from corrosion, those places where the glass is connected to the frame are treated with a special coating. So dust and moisture do not penetrate the junction.
- Console. For the manufacture of the console, polished stainless steel is used, on top of which a glass plane is then applied. Although this type of design does not differ from the frame in strength, it seems to be lighter in appearance.
- All-glass. This type of construction is particularly decorative. In order not to use the frame for the manufacture of the structure, the material is given the necessary shape - domed, curved - in a word, the one that is necessary for a particular object. To fix the product use guys. So-called metal products on which glass is hung.
The advantages of glass products
Indisputable decorativeness is the main, but far from the only advantage of glass canopies. The advantages include the following characteristics:
- Transparency. Glass easily transmits natural light, which ensures good illumination on balconies, terraces, verandas and other rooms where it was used. This saves energy, and the larger the building, the more significant this figure.
- The ability to use tinting or staining glass. It is suitable for those cases when it is necessary to create a sparing illumination in the room and to protect people living or working in it from direct excessive sunlight in the summer.
- The ability to produce elements of the form that is suitable for a particular building.
Types of glass used
For the manufacture of glass canopies for terraces, loggias, and front doors, many types of building glass are produced that can withstand the adverse effects of weather conditions. The most commonly used types are:
- Multi-layer shatterproof. It is considered the safest option for the manufacture of large items. The material consists of several layers of glass, for the bonding of which a special organic film is used. The process completes the lamination. In this case, the film is melted and firmly connects the canvas in a single design. This technology provides the product with durability and safety. In case of damage to the glass plane, the fragments do not crumble down, but are held by the film.
- Reinforced. During manufacture, a wire mesh is laid inside the glass.
- Hardened. Glass is heated and treated in a special way, so that its strength increases 10-12 times. When processing the glass plane does not lose its transparency.
- Self-cleaning. A special coating is applied to the glass surface. When daylight hits it, the substance in the coating begins to destroy organic contaminants, which are then washed away by the rains. This option is considered the most convenient and functional, therefore, it is most often used for the manufacture of hinged structures and other elements.
Preparation for installation
Installation of this type of design is quite simple, so you can do the installation of a glass canopy to the house with your own hands. For this, it is necessary to prepare all the materials that will be used in the work:
- The glass itself. This can be either a single sheet or several parts, if you plan to create a long or wide canopy.
- Metalwork, which will serve as the basis for the placement of glass planes. To create a frame, a round or shaped metal pipe can be used. The only condition is that it must be made of stainless steel. If you use a cheap analogue, its coloring and chrome plating will not help protect the frame from corrosion, so it is unlikely that the design will serve for a long time.
- Fasteners. His choice depends on the material of the surface to which the frame will be attached - for a wooden, concrete or brick surface, a specially designed type of fastener is used for this purpose.
- Instruments. This is a ladder, welding, level, grinder and other tools.
- Additional materials. We are talking about those that are needed to prepare a concrete mixture designed to fix the supports in the soil.
Features of installation work
First of all, the frame is made and fixed. If it is a small canopy, it is simply attached to the wall of the structure. If the structure is large, supports are needed for which the pits are prepared, pipes are installed in them and the foundation is poured with concrete. When it hardens, the work continues: the upper part is interconnected so that the size of the resulting structure is less than the size of the glass plane.
If the surface of the glass canopy will consist of several sheets of glass, the support element is laid at the junction. After creating the frame, the glass is laid and fixed. The joints are treated with a substance with a special composition.