Tag-Archive for ◊ Curved glass ◊

Balcony’s curved patio doors were a key feature in an award-winning spectacular new build project in Lacock, Wiltshire. The high–spec timber-framed stone finish property, worth £1.5 million is on top of a hill, benefiting from amazing views that go on for miles. The aim was to build a traditional stone cottage with natural slate roof at the front and large futuristic curved glass bays at the rear, to take advantage of the 180° panoramic views over the Wiltshire countryside. Curved patio doors were installed to one whole side of the house, top to bottom leading off the living room/kitchen and snug on the ground floor and the master and second bedrooms on the first floor. Curved Juliette balconies, with Royal Chrome anodised aluminium handrails, were installed on the first floor so the patio doors could be opened and views enjoyed in safety. The minimal hand rail, with glass reaching from top to bottom and no clamps between panes means there is nothing to distract the eye. The result is breathtaking.

Balcony joy

It’s not just high spec projects that benefit from our products. Specialist Joinery Company Timberland Windows, Doors and Conservatories installed five Juliette Balconies for a barn conversion near Launceston in Cornwall. The Juliette balconies were installed on French doors on the first floor of the barn and were chosen to give the stone barn a modern, clean look. And Homeowner Dave Cant is enjoying his new balcony with our stylish balustrade installed by a local installer. Mr Cant extended his detached four bedroom property in Aberdeen to create a large open plan living area. The single storey extension was built with a flat, decked roof leading off from the bedrooms and an elegant balustrade installed around the decking area. Installing the balustrade meant Mr Cant could step out in safety and enjoy his nearby river and countryside views.

Our balustrades and balconies exclude intrusive clamps in between the panes of class, leaving a clear expanse of glass from handrail to floor. Our wide range of Juliette balconies now also come with a self cleaning glass coating as standard on both sides of the glass, and is an optional extra for our balustrades.

Proof is in the pudding

Jersey based Pallot Windows Ltd has added around £250,000 to its turnover since becoming a Balcony Systems dealer. Director Paul Bourke explains: “A key benefit of Balcony’s products is that they are straightforward to install, add value to the property and customers like the design – the glass to glass corners, lack of intrusive uprights and clamps, and minimal handrails make it an ideal choice for homeowners wanting to make the most of Jersey’s spectacular views – and so the products are easy to sell.”

Pallot Windows’ recently installed 165 linear metres of balustrade at a new build apartment complex in St Helier. The design called for both Balcony’s curved and straight balustrades with round handrails.

The Window Store, part of the Epwin Group, is the latest to join Balcony’s dealer network following an enquiry for a Juliette balcony. Enquiries continue to come through and the trade supplier has now added Balcony’s Juliettes to its range and marketing material, and

displayed it in some of its showrooms.

To get into this new growth sector visit www.balconette.co.uk or call Lesley Woodcraft on 01342 410411.

Juliet balconies are a very common part of the British building industry solution for first floor and above full height doors.

What do you do when you need a curved one however?

Well Balcony systems, being experts in the field of both Juliet balconies and curved rails and glass have a perfect solution.

A curved glass Juliet balcony!

Balcony Systems have recently supplied this solution to 4 different sites in the UK with stunning results.

The curved glass Juliet allows uninterrupted views and a clean curved look, both features going well with the architects vision of aesthetics.

Balcony have recently supplied and installed 4 sets of curved sliding doors overlooking the National Trust village of Lacock.

The interesting fact about these doors is that balcony was required to make rails which were over 10 meters in length in one unit so as to maintain a continuous frame around the opening. This required some modification of the standard door system but the results are marvellous.

The curved doors replaced a facetted system originally designed. The curves complement the property and have allowed larger spans of glass than any facetted option could have allowed.

The curved doors were RAL powder coated and the curved glass used was 28mm Low-E double glazing with safety glass on both sides.

Also incorporated into the first floor doors were two sets of curved Juliet Balconies to protect the users from a fall when the doors are open.

Balcony Systems have completed an amazing project on the sea front promenade in Bognor Regis.

A beautiful apartment block with over four hundred meter of glass balustrades were supplied and installed in this project.

The developer, Hamlet Homes, had previously encountered problems with staining and corrosion on stainless steel balconies they had manufactured on a different project that was also in a marine location nearby.

They chose Balcony Systems Royal Chrome handrail system for the glass balustrades after seeing the advantages both in the look and also in the long term resistance to the salty air environment.

Many complex curves and “S” type bends on the top level terraces required some experienced surveying and precision manufacturing.

The results are delightful and parties are well pleased.

Normal designs of balustrades, or shall we say until Balcony Systems Balustrade system was introduced, have always relied on the strength of posts cantilevering from the floor or relied on the strength of glass clamped at the floor to resist the loads at the top.

This is the traditional and frequently seen solution for balustrades, glass or not.

Resisting the loads

The glass balustrades supplied by balcony systems has broken this routine and introduced a refreshingly innovative approach to resisting the loads. Rather than cantilevering the load and thus needing to design a very rigid base the handrail is designed to take loads direct at the design height.

Fixing the handrail to the falls allow the handrail to work as a rigid element which resists the loads. When corners are introduced the special way the handrail parts are connected and the way the glass is continuously silicone sealed to the glass along the long edge of the glass uses the shearing load of the glass from the handrail right down to the base rail. Again this “out of the box” approach allows for clean glass corners and for cornered balconies to require less posts than ever.

Spreading the resistance across the curve

To top these designs some curved balconies, depending on the radii, are amazingly strong without posts! The curved glass railing is a very stable element to the greater ability of the curve to resist a load by way of spreading the resistance across the curve, similar to a brick arch. In addition the glass itself lends additional horizontal support in a fashion that each curved glass panel cannot bend along the vertical side.

Property developer Paul Nash of Kooks Ltd in Hove specified Juliette balconies in his East Grinstead development.

The project

The project is a luxury gated development of three mews houses in the centre of the town. Set back from the main street in a secluded position, each three bedroom house has a large (2.84m) standard Juliette balcony on the master bedroom at the rear of the property and a bespoke 15sq metre balcony with hand rails at the front to the second bedroom, which could also be used as a study or dining room.

Keeping the clean lines and modern look

Juliet balconies for clean lines and modern look »

The implementation, installation and manipulation of curved balustrades and curved glass requires a higher level of experience and expertise and may require an experienced professional to correctly install the job, wherever possible we recommend that an experienced installer be employed to install curved balustrades.

It is important to note and be prepared for the following when dealing with curved balustrades:

Installing curved balustrades and curved glass »

Balcony’s stunning curved patio doors and Juliette balconies complement traditional features in a new modern home with spectacular views.

Curved glass doors for panoramic 180° view »

Balcony’s sales staff are commenting on a great increase of enquiries for curved sliding patio doors. These enquiries I am told are mainly coming from architects with a large number of these curved door projects relate to refurbishment projects.

Increase in sales of curved doors »