Cold glazed balconies
If you want to protect your balcony unit from negative environmental factors, but are not willing to spend large sums of money on it, then cold glazing would be an ideal option. Externally, it is in no way inferior to warm, but it is much cheaper and has a number of significant advantages.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantage of this glazing is its low weight. This means that you can install such a design absolutely in any balcony. This may be a fresh new building or an old building with a dilapidated facade.
Cold glazing will not cause any harm even to worn concrete floors. In this, it is ahead of warm constructions, the weight of which allows them to be installed in far from every building.
Installing such windows quickly and easily. To do this, it is not necessary to turn to specialists and pay extra money. Installation of cold glazing on the balcony can be made independently. To do this, it is not necessary to be an experienced builder. Even a beginner can handle all phases of work.
It is worth noting an interesting design of such structures. They may have different colors. With the help of such parts you can create an attractive and harmonious room.
Cold glazing is distinguished by its durability and durability. Even after many years, it will not lose its attractive appearance and will not create any problems. Such windows are eco-friendly. They do not emit unpleasant odors or harmful substances even under the influence of high street temperatures.
But such designs also have a number of drawbacks that you need to be aware of if you decide on a similar finish:
- The name of this glazing speaks about its essence. On the balcony with such windows will always be cold.In the winter season, the temperature in the inner part will not differ much from the outside, so it will not work all year round in such conditions.
- You cannot make a full-fledged living room from the balcony with cold glazing and increase the functional area of the apartment. This fact distresses many owners of small-sized dwellings.
- This option of finishing the room does not have good soundproofing characteristics. You will constantly hear street noises and the howling of the winds. This problem can be partially solved with the help of a high-quality plastic door leading to the balcony. As a rule, such parts have good sound insulation properties.
- Rooms with cold constructions are easily blown and drafts always “walk” in them. This disadvantage is due to simple single glazing, which can not provide high-quality sealing space.
- As a rule, in this design there are very strong and reliable aluminum frames, equipped with sliding opening and closing mechanisms. Under low temperature conditions, such parts often freeze or become covered with ice crusts.This can lead to complications in opening and closing the valves.
Species
Today, there are only two types of light cold glazing - these include installation on an external balcony construction and standard glazing without removal.
Cold glazing without carrying
In the first embodiment, the installation of window structures with durable aluminum frames is carried out using a balcony railing or wooden bars attached to the fences.
Such installation can be done independently. The end result will delight you with its reliability and durability, if all the work is done correctly.
But with this option, you will not increase the effective area of your balcony.
Cold glazing with removal
Portable designs significantly expand space of the balcony block. This effect is achieved through the removal of window designs outside the balcony. In this case, the glazing is as follows:
- From the outside, solid metal brackets are welded to the balcony railings. Their length should not exceed 400 mm and be less than 250 mm.
- In the upper parts of the balcony you need to install similar brackets.
- Now you need to attach the support bars.
- Windows should be installed on the bars. You will have a large free space between the glazing and the balcony fence, which should be closed with a large sill window sill.
Balcony remote structures are a good solution for small apartments. You can have a very cozy summer room in which you can equip a small seating area or a corner to read your favorite books.
It is worth mentioning that the installation of glazing on such balconies is not the easiest and quickest. If you do not secure the brackets firmly and reliably, the entire structure may be damaged. It is recommended to contact the specialists for a similar design of the balcony unit.
Cold glazing is frame and frameless:
- In the frame version, wear-resistant aluminum profiles are most often used. They are light and practical. These windows are cheap, so many apartment owners can afford them. It is worth noting the excellent light transmission ability of the glazing with aluminum frames, which wooden and plastic structures cannot boast.
- Slightly more expensive beautiful frameless glazing. This design of the balcony premises is popular in recent times. In these designs, the frames are missing, so they are lightweight. There are options for full disclosure of the balcony.
What is different from warm glazing?
Many people believe that cold glazing is much inferior to warm, and all its advantages are more than overlapped by disadvantages. In fact, it is not. If you are not going to remodel the balcony into a functional living room and use it all year round, then aluminum glazing will be the perfect solution for you.
Such conditions are perfect for storing preserved vegetables. Often, apartment owners break up a beautiful winter garden in such areas. Many plants will feel comfortable in such an environment, because even in the winter season there will be a positive (albeit small) temperature on the balcony.
Warm and cold glazing, first of all, differ from each other in their functions. The first option is addressed to improve the room and rework it into a living room. The second option is aimed solely at protecting the balcony block from dirt,dust and precipitation.
The warm glazing option is addressed if year-round operation of the balcony room is planned. In such conditions, constantly maintains a favorable microclimate that persists at any time of the year.
The main disadvantage of warm windows is their great weight. They cannot be installed in the old house. Many owners of small-sized "Khrushchev" would like to equip their balconies with such glazing, but the technical condition of the concrete floors makes installation impossible.
Warm glazing is much more complicated than a cold one. It is extremely rarely mounted with their own hands. More often, people turn to window companies that send professional teams to install such structures.
Another significant difference between warm and cold glazing is their cost. The first option is more expensive, so not all owners can afford it. Cold-type glazing is much cheaper and more common.
DIY installation
Cold glazing with aluminum profile can be installed by hand. For this, it is not necessary to be knowledgeable in construction matters.
You should stick to a certain phased plan, and you will have a strong and reliable design:
- First you need to carry out the preparatory work. If there is an old glazing on the balcony, it should be dismantled. It is necessary to remove the old railing from the fences and clean the open frame from dust and debris accumulations.
All openings and slots should be treated with sealing foam or foam.
- Installation of frames will be easier and faster if you install special support bars.
It is recommended to choose materials with a section of 5x7.
- Bars need to be attached to the walls and fences in the places of the proposed fasteners aluminum profiles.
- After that, you can begin to create a frame frame. If it is possible to remove all the glass and loose parts from the frames beforehand. The next step is to attach the mounting plates. They need to fasten, adhering to an approximate step of 70 cm.
To fix these elements fit screws for metal.
- Then you can install the frame on the pre-attached bars. It must be strong and securely fastened with remote pads.The frame must be leveled in all planes - this can be done with the help of wedges from wood and the usual level.
Do not forget that remote wedges must be removed at the very end of the installation work!
- Now you can begin to attach the frame around the perimeter. Hammer need to bend the mounting bar to the point of attachment. After that, using a perforator, you need to make a hole in the wall through a hole in the bar.
Next, you need to hammer in the anchor.
- After the installation of cold glazing is completed, it is necessary to seal the gap separating the frame and the wall. If you do everything neatly and correctly, then in the balcony room it will be a little warmer in winter or rainy autumn.
Foam must be poured into the slot and moistened for better seizure.
- From the outside to the wooden bar must be attached ebb. Inside it is necessary to construct a window sill with the help of bent slats and brackets. At the junction of the window sill boards and windows need to go sealant.
If you did everything right, then you should get a reliable and durable construction that will last for many years.
In the course of work it is recommended to use only high-quality and durable materials and fasteners.
A more detailed process of assembling cold aluminum konstruktion can be viewed in the following video:
Reviews
People who chose cold glazing, most often remain satisfied with it:
- They consciously make a choice in favor of this design, since they do not plan to use the balcony room all year round.
- Many apartment owners have noted the low cost of such windows. Money is saved not only on the glazing itself, but also on its installation, since installation can be done by hand.
- In summer, these balconies are not hot, so people often arrange small recreation areas there.
Another significant advantage of cold aluminum glazing was noticed by consumers: with such a design in the apartment has become much lighter. Visually, this effect expands the space, so the apartment seems more spacious.