Glazing verandas and terraces: options and methods

Verandas are usually used in the warm season as an additional living space. By type of construction they are classified into built-in and embedded. The first are built after the completion of the construction of the house. The presence of embedded is provided at the design stage of a residential building. Also, verandas can be with or without glazing. In the second case, the site, in fact, is a terrace, equipped with a canopy. Verandas with glazing can be used not only during bad weather in summer and not to be afraid of rain or wind, which previously prevented quiet gatherings, but also in winter, if they are heated. In this regard, the premises are similar to the attic, which will convert cold lofts. In the south, the veranda is most often used as a gazebo or dining room. In the most sultry nights here you can arrange a bedroom, where the night coolness falls in abundance. In the outback, equipment for a summer kitchen is transferred here, if there is no free detached building for this purpose. The veranda can be called not only an extension to the house, but also a separate room on the site in which there is a greenhouse or a hall for receiving guests (earlier for dance evenings).

The fashion for such spacious "gazebos" came from France. And the very word "veranda" has a Bengali origin, which in principle is not surprising if we recall the close ties of Old Europe with the countries of South Asia. Balconies and loggias, in fact, are also verandas, but related to urban apartments in high-rise buildings. Suffice it to recall that they are also divided into "warm" and "cold." We will consider options for glazing verandas in private homes.

Features and benefits

Glazing of the veranda is the very rare case when, among a multitude of advantages, the disadvantages are lost. The room is warm and cold. In the first case, it can be used in winter, as a residential. If the glazing is cold, then the temperature inside the veranda will be just a couple of degrees above the outside temperature, that is, the difference is not significant. This veranda can only be used in summer. The advantages of glazing premises include:

  • Protection from wind and rain (for both cold and warm options).
  • Noise isolation.
  • The possibility of arranging a separate room. In the case of cold glazing, this is a “summer residence”. With warm glazing, the room can be used all year round, that is, another full-fledged room is added to the living space on a “permanent basis”.
  • The ability to connect to the heating and use of the room in the winter (only for warm glazing). It is quite possible to equip a bedroom, a small guest room, a winter garden, a pantry and a kitchen or dining room. The choice of the functional purpose completely depends on the quadrature of the veranda itself and its possibilities.
  • Creating a stylish, unusual element of the interior and exterior of the house. Glazing can be different, and original solutions emphasize the creativity of the design of the whole building as a whole.


If we mention the features of the glazing of the veranda, then it should be well combined with the design of the house. This is a mandatory and most important condition. Next, you should pay attention to the area of ​​the translucent canvas to provide him with adequate support in the form of frames and at the same time not to reduce the strength of the whole structure. The next stage is the choice of material for the frame, but we'll talk about this in more detail later. Modern glazing systems offer great opportunities for owners:

  • Partial roof covering with heavy-duty glass sheets.
  • Exact repetition of the veranda shape.
  • Various door and window opening systems.
  • Regulation of the width and height of open door and window openings.
  • The possibility of mounting mosquito nets.

Now let's talk about the types of glazing, their disadvantages and advantages.

Types of glazing

There are quite a lot of classifications of glazing, depending on its features:

  • Warm and cold, already mentioned above.
  • Frameless and with frames.
  • Full and partial.
  • Swing and sliding.

In a separate category can be attributed panoramic windows. Let's talk about each of the species in more detail.


Cold and warm

Cold glazing is used when the owners have chosen "seasonal use" for the veranda. The main materials are suitable:

  • Plastic single-chamber double-glazed windows.
  • Aluminum profile as a frame, which, moreover, weighs very little, unlike heavy wood.
  • Panoramic windows.

Cold glazing looks stylish and practical. At the same time double-glazed windows reliably protect the veranda from precipitation, dirt and dust. In the summer, the room can be used as a study, a rest room, a summer kitchen, and in winter it can be easily converted into a storeroom, for storing stocks of pickles or garden gifts. Warm glazing is usually carried out using plastic windows, which have special airbags.


They serve as a "buffer", retaining heat in the room and not allowing the cold to penetrate from the street. Window shutters tightly fit to the frames. The glass consists of several transparent sheets, the gaps between which are filled with a special absorbent that absorbs moisture. This glazing does not let the cold, moisture and wind in the room. It reliably protects the veranda from the external environment and allows you to convert it into a full-fledged living room. If we talk about the cost, then for the glass will have to pay more, but the option provides much more advantages.

Full and partial

Depending on the functional purpose of the veranda, the glazing for it may be full or partial. The first option allows you to create a warm or cold glazing, that is, the openings are closed with double-glazed windows completely and no "gaping" windows in the walls of the room remain. Partial glazing is a simpler and cheaper option. It is appropriate in cases where, for example, the room needs to be protected from the leeward side. You can use this veranda only in summer.

Frameless and with frames

Glazing with frames is a popular and already rather beaten version. Sheets of glass are placed inside a special frame that provides the structure with durability and stability. Relatively recently (just a couple of decades ago), the fashion for frameless glazing has come to us, when the facade is completely composed of sheets of ultra-strong glass that are sealed at the joints. It creates the illusion of a fully open space. Sheets of glass are fixed with aluminum profiles near the floor and ceiling. This option can not be called budget, but the rest on such a veranda will really be "breathtaking." It is appropriate to use frameless glazing only in cases when a beautiful view opens from the room (garden, field, meadow, nearby river or sea coast). Although outwardly the structure looks fragile, in fact it will give odds to any other glass unit for durability. For frameless glazing is used only tempered glass, which is almost impossible to break.


If a blow of tremendous force still damages the surface, then it is only covered with small cracks, but does not cover everything around it with fragments. The design is equipped with additional protection against accidental opening. Among the shortcomings can be noted only low noise insulation and complexity in the care. In order for the glass to retain its transparency and "gloss", they should not be washed with substances with an abrasive effect, leaving small scratches on the surface. One will have to forget about the old “grandmother's” method using crumpled newspapers instead of a sponge.

Panoramic view

Panoramic glazing is performed on the entire facade, that is, windows occupy the entire space from the ceiling to the floor. This is a stylish, original solution that originates in the European tradition of window decoration facing the garden. From the veranda there will be a magnificent view of the nearby beauty. Panoramic glazing can be frameless and with frames. The variant is popular not only for verandas, but also for glazing of balconies and loggias in high-rise buildings with a slight difference: there the system is necessarily complemented by a protective frame that prevents a person from falling on the glass.

Among the shortcomings, only the rapid misting and freezing of the transparent sheet during the winter period is noted.

To avoid this, it is necessary either to install an additional heat source, in which hot air flows to the windows, or to regularly lubricate the glass with glycerin solution.

Sliding and swing

The swing opening system is familiar to everyone: the doors of windows or doors after turning the handle open inwards (usually 90 degrees). In plastic double-glazed windows, a more complex swing system is used, which additionally makes it possible to partially open windows and doors from above, pulling them "towards themselves." The option is ideal for airing the room. Wing glazing provides good tightness. With it, you can create both a cold and warm room. The sliding system works according to a completely different principle: the leaves are moved to the sides on special guides located below and above. They can “drive” only in a straight line (as in wardrobes) or they can be folded into an accordion.


In the latter case, we are talking about panoramic glazing with frames, when large “window-doors” are compactly assembled at one of the walls of the veranda. Sliding systems cannot provide full tightness, therefore they are used only for cold glazing.

Construction materials

The frame of the glazing can be made of plastic, wood and aluminum. Materials are located in popularity, starting with the most popular. Of course, at first plastic was used throughout the glazing of city apartments. Gradually, he moved to private houses, but wood and aluminum here still continue to persevere with defenses. This is especially good for wood, which involuntarily associates with the warm atmosphere of a country house and perfectly combines with the chalet, country and Provence style that are so often used in the outback.

Aluminum

The main advantage of aluminum is its low weight. The material allows you to make the structure much easier, but without prejudice to its strength. In terms of value, aluminum also benefits from its main competitors. For comparison: the price of plastic glazing is two times higher than the installation of a similar aluminum construction. Unfortunately, the material was not used everywhere because of its main drawback: the design retains heat very poorly.

An aluminum profile veranda can only be used in summer; in the winter, it’s more logical to build a “street freezer” here. Although manufacturers now offer a rather expensive solution to this problem - thermo-inserts and special inserts that trap heat and create additional noise insulation. The aluminum profile is refractory, so the risk of ignition of the structure is reduced to zero, which becomes another advantage of the material when compared with wood.

Tree

Previously, only wood was used for glazing houses (not only verandas). With the advent of alternative options, this material was slowly forgotten, but its merits did not fade. The tree has a high noise and heat insulation. Although, of course, the glass itself receives the main "blow" to preserve heat, too much depends on the frames. Unlike plastic or aluminum, wood does not need additional thermo-inserts, since the material itself prevents the cold from entering the room and the exit of warm air to the outside. There are micropores in the wood, which allows it to "breathe". Manufacturers of plastic glass in the characteristics of voice limit the minus for the material at 30 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, PVC loses its strength and becomes brittle.

For wood, there is also a frost resistance limit, but this figure is so transcendental (minus 120 degrees) that even in the conditions of the Far North it cannot be verified. From this we can conclude: wood is the warmest material. The wood is eco-friendly, but when exposed to an open flame it ignites. Pre-material is treated with special impregnations that increase its refractoriness and moisture resistance. Contact with wood liquid is dangerous. Material that is not processed properly may be deformed, which will cause the glass unit to become completely unsuitable. And the main advantage of the tree lies in its beauty, which is not possessed by either aluminum or PVC. A warm, homely, “cozy” material will perfectly accentuate the design in the Alpine chalet, unpretentious country, French Provance and rustic Russian style.

Plastic

Contrary to errors, high-quality plastic does not emit harmful substances during operation. PVC perfectly keeps heat, thanks to special rubberized inserts around the perimeter of the casements of windows and doors, on the veranda remains tight. Plastic windows provide good noise insulation. They are ideal for warm glazing, but they are heavy, so they are not recommended for use in old cottages or old country houses. PVC can not be called refractory, but when in contact with an open flame, they do not ignite, but begin to melt, releasing corrosive substances.

Perhaps the main disadvantage of plastic glazing is its high cost. If you need to put one or two windows, then the purchase and installation will not hit hard on the budget, but for the panoramic glass unit you will have to spend a lot of money. Wood and aluminum in this respect leave PVC far behind, luring buyers with tempting prices.

Glass materials

A transparent canvas occupies the lion's share of the area of ​​the glazed section, therefore its characteristics have a greater influence on the quality of the design than the features of the frames and profiles. On the verandas are used not only "classic" glass, but other materials, which also provide free penetration of sunlight into the room and at the same time protect from the weather. Consider their types and estimate the profitability of use in the glazing of the veranda.

Glass

For glazing houses it is better to use special materials that have increased strength. All of them are made in the form of sheets and belong to a large category of sheet glass. The following types are suitable for glazing the veranda:

  • Tempered. Ordinary flat glass is subjected to special treatment: the mass is heated to high temperatures with subsequent sharp cooling. The technology allows you to create durable glass that can withstand heavy loads (compared to conventional ones) and is absolutely safe for humans, since with a strong blow they are showered with small fragments with blunt edges that can not hurt, even if the pieces fall on exposed skin.
  • Laminated or triplex. Treats group of the tempered glasses possessing the increased durability. Triplex is a puff "pie" of several sheets that are glued together. There are two types of such glasses: flood and film. In the first case, the sheets are glued using a laminating liquid, and in the second - with a special film. With a strong blow, the triplex does not crumble like ordinary glass, but is covered with cracks sealed between two protective layers.


  • Energy Saving. Novelty in the market of double-glazed windows, which so far can only afford secured homeowners. Externally, the glass is no different from the usual sheet. It even has a standard thickness (not more than 1 cm), but from the inside its surface is covered with a special coating. It "beats off" the heat, redirecting it inside the room, thereby not allowing it to leak out into the street.
  • Stained glass. Glasses are a decorative composition that is collected from pieces of different colors, enclosed in a metal profile. Previously, this option was widely used for decoration of cathedrals and rich palaces in Europe. Real masters of whole pieces are made from small pieces on the principle of mosaic, which will be the highlight of the interior of the veranda. They have only one drawback - they do not let the sun's rays very well, therefore they are often used in combination with ordinary transparent glasses and play the role of an accent decor.

In addition to glass, there are several transparent materials that are actively used in glazing porches and gazebos in areas.

PVC film

PVC film is more commonly known as soft glass. It is used only for cold glazing, as the material does not cope with the vagaries of the domestic climate and harsh winter conditions. PVC film is sold in rolls, may have a different thickness and color. It is ideal as an alternative to expensive glazing, as it has a low cost. The material can be given any shape. Soft glass is often used as "flexible curtains", which are rolled into compact rollers and fixed in this position with ribbons. Если начинается дождь или поднимается ветер, то занавески опускают, но при этом улица просматривается так же хорошо, как и без них.The film is durable. With constant contact with the sun it can be used for up to five years. If the operating conditions are more benign, then this period is doubled.

Polycarbonate

Polycarbonate is often used for glazing greenhouses, summer greenhouses and gazebos. The material is flexible and light. Classify it into two types:

  • Monolithic. Sheets are more like glass, well pass light, have high transparency.
  • Cellular. The sheets consist of two layers of material that are similar to the “honeycomb” in the section, that is, the surface of the polycarbonate is decorated with “stripes” formed due to the cells inside. Light material passes well, but it can not be classified as transparent. Suitable for verandas that need to be hidden from the views of passersby.

From the point of view of aesthetics, monolithic polycarbonate looks more solid and noble. From a distance it is generally difficult to distinguish it from sheet glass. Cellular material benefits as it is more affordable. Naturally, such glazing is not suitable for warm verandas.

How to choose a glazing method

The choice of the glazing type of the veranda completely depends on the functional purpose of the room. The first thing you need to decide is the time frame for its use:

  • The end of spring, summer, beginning of autumn.
  • All year round.

From this it is already possible to make a start when choosing the type of construction and materials. For the "winter" verandas are ideally suited solid wooden frames or plastic double-glazed windows, tempered glass or triplex. For cold glazing, you can use aluminum, polycarbonate, soft glass. Of course, the summer terrace will be much cheaper, but the “warm” one provides more options.

Design and decoration of terraces

The design of the veranda is chosen for the stylistic design of the house. The interior of this room should not stand out from the overall composition. Most often, verandas are used as a room for rest. Here they put a wide sofa, armchairs, a coffee table. The walls outside are covered with hops, grapes or ivy, and the windows are curtained with light curtains. When the dimensions of the room allow, its interior is complemented by a pair of shelves with books and a cozy fireplace. If the loft is chosen as the main direction, then the brick prevails in the decoration, and the glazing is better to choose with aluminum profiles. Similar designs are suitable for high-current and modern style. Provence, modernism, classics, chalets, a number of ethnic styles are more impressed with wood. Plastic is universal and can be combined with any modern style, but it does not fit luxury apartments, where every element of the interior should be associated with luxury.


The nuances of self-glazing terraces

Glazing the veranda with your own hands is possible only if you plan to use wood as a frame. First you need to carefully carry out measurements and create design drawings. Glasses are inserted into special grooves in the timber, which are cut out in advance. No matter how good the master is, his work will still be much inferior to ready-made double-glazed windows, which are produced in factories and undergo strict quality control.

Conclusion

Glazing of the veranda in any case will require a sufficiently large cash investment. This room will be an excellent substitute for a gazebo and will allow you to enjoy unity with nature in any weather. Agree that it is foolish to spend time outside the city, while limiting yourself to four walls. If the terrace is designed only for summer holidays, then it is worth thinking about partial glazing or using cheap polycarbonate as an alternative. If the house is very small, then the extension will add to its area another living room with a unique comfort and warm atmosphere.

Watch the video: Veranda Design Ideas. Veranda Covering Roof (March 2024).

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