“There are many options for Window and Door Glazing. Which do You go for?”
How well your window and door glazing performs, is not down to one factor. Yes the glass itself is very important, but also whether the double glazing is gas filled, what the gap between the glazing is and how many layers of glazing also have a big impact. With glazing you will also need to know how well it is fixed, for the overall security of your windows and doors. One other thing to consider is whether you want clear or obscure glass? While most people prefer clear glass, in some locations your window and door glazing may be more suitable if you can’t see through it!
Window and Door Glazing
Window and Door Glazing – Glass Specification
For many years glass didn’t advance massively, but in recent ones the drive for increased energy efficiency has brought about significant development. The introduction of “low E” glass has really helped to improve window and door glazing performance. Low E stands for “low emissivity,” which is a ratio of what it absorbs to what it reflects. This has been achieved by special coatings which effectively reflects radiant infra red heat without absorbing it, to any great degree. This means that in the winter heat from inside your log cabin will be reflected back inside, whilst in the summer a lot of the heat from the sun is reflected back outside, (a win, win situation).
More recently gas filled double glazing units have become more popular too. Argon gas has been found to have excellent properties in this environment, as it again reduces conductance between the panes of glass. Whilst in some countries buying Argon gas filled units is a nice option to help increase energy efficiency, in some it is a requirement to comply with the latest building code or regulations! If you are importing a log cabin with the windows and doors included, make sure these comply with your local building department. In countries where regulations are strict, I have seen expensive mistakes happen, because people assume the windows and doors they are getting will comply. Always check first!!
The thickness of the glass and also the gap between the glass, in double or triple glazed units, also has affect how the units will perform. As you would expect thicker glass will be stronger which is great for security, as well as improving performance. Generally the higher quality the unit, the thicker the glass and the larger the gap between the double glazing. Not only will this increase the thermal efficiency of the glazed element, but noise insulation is also significantly improved. Manufacturers or suppliers should be able to give you this information, which makes comparing window and door glazing easier. Our own family log cabin has triple glazing with a very big gap between the glass and is extremely quiet to be in, even in high winds or gale like conditions!
Window and Door Glazing – Single, Double and Triple?
Selecting whether your window or door glazing should be single, double or even triple, is largely about the usage of your log cabin and choosing appropriately in relation to the overall quality of your structure. There is absolutely no point in spending a lot of money of high end triple glazed window on a very basic log cabin with no insulation. Neither should you try a save some money by getting poor quality windows and doors in an otherwise high quality and well insulated log cabin. In very general terms, single glazing will suffice in cheap log cabin for occasional use or in a warm climate all year round. Double glazing should be the norm for anyone seeking to live full time in a log cabin. Triple glazing can make a lot of sense for countries which endure extreme winters, but for many the extra cost and warmth in milder climates, is not justified or necessary.
Window and Door Glazing – Fixing into frames
It used to be popular for window and door glazing to be secured to the frames by use of external beading. This also meant that the glass could relatively easily be removed from the outside, with the obvious security risk this entails. Hence many window manufacturers moved away from external beading to avoid this problem. However do not always assume that if glazing is still externally beaded it can be easily removed. The are now extremely powerful glues which can bond the glazing in place so well, that it would require forces in excess of half a ton, to be able to remove them! So find out how the glass is fixed during manufacture and satisfy yourself it meets up to your expectations.
Window and Door Glazing – Clear glass?
Most of time glass is there so we can see out of a building. However in some situations you may want natural light without anyone seeing in! Bathrooms are of course a prime example of this, but also around entrance areas or perhaps a wall which is very overlooked, obscure or frosted glass could be ideal. There are many different types of patterns available now which stop anyone looking through the glass, so you should be able to find one you like, or that suits your log cabin theme. If you did make a mistake and forgot to order obscure glass for a window or door, it is still possible to achieve a similar effect using an adhesive film on the inside.
Click here to go from window and door glazing to the homepage
