We are now encouraging customers who have ordered with us in the past to enter this year’s competition and get the chance to win a new Apple iPhone 4S worth £599.

We want to show just how happy our customers really are!

How to participate

Send us a short video clip showing you and your installed product – whether it’s a Balustrade, Juliet balcony or Curved door – with a brief message about the product or Balcony Systems or both.

Tell us why you chose us or the system. Did you receive good service? Are you happy with the result? What do you like best about it?

We think a video testimonial is a wonderful way to show our products and services; that’s why we want to hear from you.

The competition closes at midnight on December 31st 2011.

The judging process will begin in January when the lucky winner of a brand new Apple iPhone 4S (32GB) worth £599 will be announced.

Please click here to read the competition’s terms and conditions.

Every accepted entry will also receive a complimentary 5-set pack of BalcoNano® self-cleaning glass sachets worth £25

To participate all you have to do is:

1. Make a short video clip (30 – 120 seconds) as described above.
2. Fill in your entry and upload the video on our competition entry page.
3. You will receive an email confirmation of your entry submission.

Good luck and we look forward to seeing your videos!

Low maintenanca, crystal clear glass

Applied using a special ‘vapour chamber’ process, this unique patented double-sided coating creates a smooth surface that quickly repels water, dirt and grime. Protected from the elements on both sides, glass stays looking clean for longer; requiring just the occasional wipe down with a wet cloth.

The innovative coating can also be applied on all colours of glass, including tinted panels, providing an affordable, readily available and convenient extra benefit for architects, specifiers and designers to offer their clients.

Available now across Balcony Systems’ entire product range, including curved patio doors, the self-cleaning glass coating can be specified at the design stage for bespoke projects or supplied on off-the-shelf Juliette balconies.

Fantastic customer feedback

Managing Director Effi Wolff comments: “Introducing this self-cleaning glass coating option has put Balcony Systems firmly at the forefront of innovative and practical balcony solutions. It has generated fantastic customer feedback, as well as growing demand from architects for a distinctive feature to offer their clients.”

At £199, the BAL 128 version measuring 1,280mm with white handrail is available in various quantities – from just a single unit to bulk delivery for larger housing schemes.

Low-maintenance glass Juliette balconies are not only a great deal on initial purchase, but also prove to be a long-term cost-effective choice when compared to conventional balustrading materials as they don’t require painting or repairs. Clear glass retains views and maximises light to the interior, while a wipe down with a wet cloth keeps them sparkling.

The Juliette balcony range includes 28 different standard models with aluminium handrail finishes in white, silver, bronze or Royal Chrome. Bespoke sizes and colours can be supplied for bulk orders to suit any client specification and budget.

Low cost, High value

Commenting on the lower price, Balcony Systems’ Managing Director, Effi Wolff says: “With our genuinely affordable Juliette balcony range, we’re challenging people’s perceptions that glass balconies are expensive. In fact, our glass and aluminium products cost about the same as steel – but work out cheaper in the long run as you don’t have to paint them.

“With the added advantages of corrosion-resistance for coastal areas, contemporary clean lines and ease of installation, we’re already seeing a tremendous response from purchasers seeking a value-for-money balustrade, which also looks good,” he adds.

“I was looking for strength in the product as well as good looks,” explains Mr Cant. “I found out that the strength of Balcony’s balustrade comes from the handrail rather than the fixings so it was possible to have the maximum amount of glass and the minimum number of metal uprights. The handrail, although it is minimal in size, stops the glass from flexing and makes the installation safe as well as stylish.

“I’m delighted with the balustrade – it means we can enjoy our new extension and it adds value to the house. ”

Karl explains: “It all started from an enquiry for a Juliette balcony from one of our customers. It was new territory for us so we explored what was around and came across Balcony. Their range was exactly what we needed and the quality looked good too. We’ve now been selling their products for about two months with enquiries continuing to come through. Currently we’re waiting to hear back on an order for 17 Juliettes for a new build project.

“It’s still early days, but we like the product, the service we get from Balcony is excellent and the feedback from customers has been positive,” continues Karl. “We primarily supply Juliette balconies via a selection of our trade counters in the South West, and if it goes well, we will expand supply to the rest of our branches, of which we have 15 in total.”

To join Balcony’s dealer network and win new sales, visit www.balconette.co.uk. For more information about The Window Store visit www.windowstoreplastics.com.

The glass has already been manufactured for the stock and is on route to the warehouse. We expect to have this ready for delivery mid July.

The glasses to be supplied are specially coated with a nano coating on both sided of the glass making them hydrophobic.

More information on the slef cleaning glass solution by Balcony can be found here on the self cleaning glass area of the website: http://www.balconette.co.uk/self-cleaning-glass/

Balcony Systems do not intend to raise the price of the balconies and thus this development will increase the Juliet balconies value for money and make them self cleaning Juliet balconies.

Aesthetically however tea staining is not ideal, and so the information herein is in an attempt to help identify the causes and suggest possible solutions.

Stainless Steel

The term “stainless” steel derives from the development of the speciality steels for modern cutlery industry. It has now been adopted as a generic name for steels developed for any corrosion or oxidation (rust) resistant applications.

The corrosion resistant characteristics of stainless steels are a result of chromium-rich oxide film that forms naturally on the metal surface. Although this film is extremely thin, it is chemically stable and ‘self-repairing’.

Other types of steel such as mild steel suffer from general corrosion where large areas of the surface are affected, but stainless steels, due to their oxide film, are normally resistant to this form of attack.

Common stainless steels used in the enclosure industry are 304 and 316. Both are iron alloys with additional chromium, and nickel. The nickel content in 316 grades is slightly higher than with 304 grades, and the chromium content is slightly lower. However, the most important difference is that the 316 grades have molybdenum as an additive, to improve its resistance to pitting corrosion, which is usually the result of chloride or saline attack. 316 stainless is preferred by balcony and handrail manufacturers due to this superior corrosion resistance, even though it is a higher cost material.

Tea Staining of balcony handrails

Tea staining can be defined as the “discolouration of the surface of stainless steel mainly as a result of chloride attack”

As a first step it is useful to try to understand why, and in what circumstances tea staining can occur. Tea staining of stainless steels is a phenomenon that occurs where water with significant chloride content is in regular contact with the metal surface. This is a common occurrence along the coastal areas of the United Kingdom.

How is tea staining caused?

Although research on the root cause of tea staining has been limited, there seems to be little research on the root cause of tea staining. However the mechanisms involved can be inferred by the pattern of the corrosion, and known factors that can help counter the effect. One of the most common factors linked with tea staining is the surface finish of the material. Smoother, polished surfaces often do not show any signs of staining, so from this it can be said that grooves or troughs in the material are a root cause of the problem. Surface roughness (Ra) is measured in units of micrometers (µm), and is defined as the average deviation of the height of the surface from the mean height. Higher Ra values or irregular profiles are often associated with increased tea staining.

It is reasonable to assume that the base cause of this corrosion is similar to that of many of the other common types of corrosion. The association of tea staining with proximity to salt water means that chloride attack is the most likely cause of the problem. However you would not normally expect the low level of chlorides present in sea water, for example, to have such a dramatic effect. The reasons why this occurs can be deduced by the locations and one of the solutions to tea staining problems.

Reducing the effect of tea staining on stainless steel balconies

One of the most common ways to prevent problems associated with tea staining on stainless steel balconies is to ensure that the surface is washed regularly with fresh, clean water. This would infer that the corrosion is being caused not by the initial contact with salt water, but with deposits of salt building up on the surface and pours of the handrails. Though microscopic the chloride concentration would build up in any surface troughs. As the water evaporates it leaves a deposit of salt in the trough, and the next time the surface becomes wet this deposit concentrates the chlorides naturally present, and increases the corrosive effects. Over time therefore the chloride concentration in these troughs can become high enough to cause corrosion. Note that this would be consistent with the effect that an increasing surface roughness will have on the tea staining effect, i.e. a deeper groove will trap more salty water, which will give a higher chloride concentration.

The location of particular areas prone to tea staining also implies that higher temperatures and humidity have an effect, as does intermittent exposure (for example, spray from rough seas). High temperatures increase the rate of corrosion, but elevated humidity will increase the time taken for the water on the surface to evaporate, and hence increase the time that the higher concentration chloride solution will be in contact with the metal, and it is this contact with the solution that causes corrosion rather than with the resultant solids.

When ordering stainless steel balconies and handrails, the following is a list of factors that should be considered in particular in areas close to the ocean, or where high levels of chlorides occur naturally, or are found in wash waters.

This starts with basic initial material selections, and proceeds into maintenance of the balustrades to ensure a long life, and therefore maximum value for the balcony.

Material Selection – Initial material selection for the enclosure is of critical importance to the longevity of the balustrades. Stainless steel of grade 316 or above should be used as minimum, as lower grades such as 304 are significantly less resistant to chloride attack due to the absence of molybdenum.

Surface Finish – The rule of thumb for surface finishes is that the smoother the finish, the better will be the resistance to tea staining.

Cleaning stainless steel handrails – Regular washing with clean, fresh water or even rain water has a significant effect on reducing the incidence of tea staining in the environments that can cause concern. Where tea staining still occurs despite regular washing, additional protection can be provided by a special coating procedure using a bespoke polymeric resin

Conclusion

Tea staining of stainless steel handrails, balconies and surfaces can be a problem where there are significant levels of chlorides in water that comes into contact with the metal surface. This can be around the coastal locations, or in the interior where ground water contains significant chlorides. Although it does not look very pleasant it tends to be a surface phenomenon only, and does not affect the structural integrity or longevity of the balcony. The cause of tea staining has been examined in some details to help evaluate the potential remedies for the condition. Recommendations to help prevent tea staining include correct specification of the grade of stainless steel to be used, surface finishes to help reduce the problem as well as maintenance procedures, and preventative coating treatments.

Glass balustrades are also available from stock or custom made to suit the style and size of property. Available in curved, stepped or straight designs, balustrades add great character and style to homes. And with our systems there are no clamps between each pane of glass to disturb the view and the glass reaches top to bottom to give an uninterrupted, clearer view. Using the same minimal hand rail as the Juliette balcony and available in easy maintenance anodised aluminium, Balcony’s Juliettes and balustrades are easy to install and offer instant improvement to the look of any property.

Balcony is the UK’s leading supplier of curved patio doors and our stunning range is described by homeowners, builders, installers and architects as giving properties the ‘wow’ factor. Each door comes with high weather rating, thermally broken aluminium profiles, multi-point locking, 28mm double curved glazing with safety glass on both sides and a choice of RAL powder coat colours. A special low maintenance coating is available for the external surface of the glass to minimise the need for cleaning.

Reasonably priced balcony

“There were plenty of companies offering balconies with vertical bars,” says Peter, “but that defeated the object. I wanted to let in the light and have clear views and Balcony offered exactly what I needed. I ordered a standard 3 metre Juliette balcony from stock, which kept the price reasonable.

Great service

“The service from Balcony was great and I am delighted with the result,” continues Peter. “The Juliette was delivered within seven days of order and it was very easy to install myself.”

The properties, based in East Grinstead, are contemporary and Paul wanted to keep the clean lines and funky feel to the houses while maximising the use of light and space.

High quality, competitive prices and short lead times

Three standard Juliette balconies in a Royal Chrome finish for the master bedrooms to the rear of each house were ordered. Balcony’s products were primarily chosen for the look – clear glass with no vertical posts or clamps and brushed chrome handrails fit perfectly with the contemporary design. But Paul was also looking for high quality, competitive prices and short lead times. Balcony’s products fitted the complete spec.

Paul says: “The Juliette balconies have definitely added value to these developments and gives them an edge when it comes to selling in a tough market.”