Contents
The design of our house is a creative process, which allows us to get completely different in functionality, purpose and type of dwelling from the premises of the same layout. A wide variety of new and old materials provide a sea of opportunities for the implementation of the most daring projects. For example, to give a dwelling a non-standard look, to change the layout without erecting new walls, glass partitions in an apartment or house allow. Their installation does not require permission, they do not “load” the space, but divide it, blocking out separate zones.
Types and varieties
First, let’s talk about the design features of glass partitions. Conditionally, they can be divided into the following groups;
- All-glass. Partitions of this type are assembled from large sheets of glass without additional structures. In addition to glass, only fasteners are needed for fixing to the ceiling / floor / walls. Glass must have a high load-bearing capacity, so duplex or triplex are often used – glass glued with a transparent film. When such glass is destroyed, it does not crumble, and the fragments remain hanging on the film. The glass is good but expensive.
All-glass partitions seem to have no boundaries - Frame. A profile made of aluminum / painted steel / wood / plastic is fixed to the walls, floor, ceiling. Glass is attached to the profile. A significant part of the load with this arrangement of the glass partition falls on the frame, so that glass can be used simpler (and cheaper).
Wireframe look more graphic. Especially in combination with a dark/black frame - French glazing. One of the private types of frame. There is a frame, but the glass in it is not solid, but divided by imposts. This type of glass partition for the home is good because if part of the glass breaks, the rest remain intact and it takes less money and time to restore.
French glass partitions in an apartment in a classic design have this look. - From glass blocks, double-glazed windows, glass profiles. When using this material, the glass partition is already more like a wall. Glass blocks resemble bricks (there are even similar in shape) and they are much thicker than just glass. They also give a greater degree of sound insulation, less transparent. But despite this, it is still a glass partition.
Glass block glass partitions were once popular, but with the development of technology, they have become much more attractive.
There are also author’s options that are difficult to attribute to any type, although most of them are variations on the theme of frame and French partitions made of glass, in which different geometric shapes of the frame and different types of glass are used. It’s just hard to imagine how different the results of such experiments can look.
Stationary
Glass partitions in an apartment or house are made stationary or mobile. Ordinary walls are replaced by stationary ones, they are simply made of unusual material. This is an excellent solution if the fenced-off part of the room is obtained without windows – enough light penetrates through the glass wall. This technique is still often seen in shared offices: glass partitions mark the boundaries but do not create the feeling of a beehive with small honeycombs / cells. Each has its own working angle, but the room is the same.
Stationary glass partitions in the apartment and house can be found in the bathrooms, where they separate the shower or bath from the rest of the room. They are also called “sanitary glass partitions”. This separation provides waterproofing, but does not visually divide the space, which is why even a small bathroom remains spacious. In this case, frameless glazing is more often used. Glass joints are sealed with a transparent sealant, perfectly retain water resistance and do not spoil the appearance. This solution is better for two reasons. Firstly, it is easier to care for, there is nowhere to accumulate water, dirt, salt deposits. Secondly, profiles for frequent contact with water are expensive. So it’s a smart decision.
Mobile phones
Mobile glass partitions are usually design solutions that allow you to use the same area in different ways at different times. In this case, the glass wall can be moved. This is a great solution for small apartments, this technique is also used in the design of studio apartments.
This technique is also used when combining a kitchen with a gas stove and a living / dining room. To ensure safety, the room in which the gas appliance is installed must be fenced off and have doors. But the meaning of the association is precisely to remove the partition. This contradiction is solved with the help of a glass mobile wall. It is completely or partially made of glass, sliding / folding doors are installed.
Mobile glass partitions in an apartment can be:
- Sliding compartment doors. In this case, the movable part “drives” onto the stationary part of the partition, glass or not – it does not matter. There are two types – with the upper leading rail and with the lower. Top rail systems can be hung without touching the floor. This option is good if the floor is already ready and it is difficult to build the necessary structure into it. Systems with a lower guide rail are cheaper and, at the same time, more stable in operation: the main load falls on the lower rail, and the upper one serves to stabilize the web in space. The main sliding glass partitions are a low degree of sound insulation.
Sliding partitions in a glass room – mobility and convenience - Radius barriers. In principle, the design is the same – with sliding / sliding doors, only the glass is curved with a certain radius.
Radial glass partitions are separated into a separate group, as they have a special package - With pendulum or hinged doors. This option is often found in retail outlets, but can also be used at home.
Swing or pendulum doors in glass partitions - Folding partitions. There are two types – a book and an accordion. The systems are similar, but for the book the fixation points are on the edge of the canvas, for the accordion they are in the middle. Large canvases can be assembled from them, which, if necessary, are shifted and folded, freeing up space. Usually require the presence of two leading rails – to ensure a stable position of the canvas.
Accordion or book – two systems that can fold a glass partition into a compact unit
If you can’t decide whether you need a stationary partition or a mobile partition, consider the issue of price. Mobile partitions are much more expensive. The difference can be twice or more. If the budget is limited, it is reasonable to make a combined glass partition in an apartment or house – make part of it stationary and part of it sliding.
Types of glasses and their maximum dimensions
The same glass partition can be made from different types of glass. It is important to choose the right parameters, performance characteristics of the material, and for this you need to know their features and properties. If you came up with a similar design yourself, it is better to consult an experienced glazier. Not all designers have all the necessary information, and even ordinary people are simply unaware of some things.
Thickness for partitions for various purposes
First of all, you need to decide on the thickness of the glass, which is best used when building a partition. Depends on the type of partition, the place of its installation, the type of glass used.
- All-glass make material 10-12 mm thick. You should not take a large thickness, since it is very difficult to find accessories.
- Glass partitions in an apartment and a house with imposts, frame ones are assembled from glass with a thickness of 8-10 mm.
The original solution… - In showers, the optimal thickness is 8 mm. You can take 10 mm, but this is an additional 5 kg per square meter of partition area, and this is quite a lot. A reinforced structure is needed, which leads to additional costs.
If the partition is external, it serves to separate the covered veranda, winter garden, etc. most likely, you will need a double-glazed window, and this is another story and a different approach.
Conventional silicon glasses
Glass partitions in an apartment can be made of transparent, frosted, patterned, tinted, colored glass, mirrors and their combinations. The size of a glass sheet depends on its type. A sheet of ordinary glass has a width of 1200 mm and a height of 2000 mm. If large dimensions are needed, either imposts are made (additional dividing profiles) or tempered glass is used. It is characterized by higher strength characteristics; when destroyed, the fragments are not sharp, so the likelihood of injury is low. The maximum dimensions of tempered glass with a thickness of 6 to 19 mm allow you to make a solid partition for almost any room: 3210 mm * 6000 mm. The disadvantage of this glass is one: it is expensive. And the larger the sheet, the higher the price.
Laminated glass has even higher strength: duplex and triplex. Sheets of glass are glued with a transparent plastic film (duplex is glass with a film, triplex is two glasses and a film between them. The technology is designed so that the transparency of multilayer glasses does not decrease, breaking the glass does not scatter, but is covered with a network of cracks, the fragments remain hanging on the film. The maximum dimensions of duplex and triplex are 2600 mm * 3100 mm Which glass is better for glass partitions in an apartment: duplex or triplex? So if a glass partition in an apartment or house will separate the room from the street, the best options are double-glazed windows or triplex.For an internal partition, you will have to choose between ordinary, tempered glass or duplex.
organic glasses
You can also use acrylic glass or sheet polycarbonate for glass partitions in an apartment or house. They have low thermal conductivity (0,2-0,3 W / (m K)), transmit light well (transparency up to 92%), weigh 2-3 times less (with the same thickness), and are more resistant to shock loads. , cost less. These are their advantages. Even organic glasses at a certain temperature have a high plasticity, so that they can be bent, giving any shape. After cooling, the glass retains its specified shape.
The disadvantages are that the material melts at not the highest temperatures (250-300°C), scratches easily appear on the surface, which significantly reduce light transmission. There is nothing to be done about melting – they should not be installed near heating devices or an open flame. And they fight against scratches by gluing a thin but durable film. Plexiglas thickness – from 2 mm to 50 mm, sheet dimensions – 2050 mm * 3050 mm.
Acrylic glass is cast and extruded. Cast – more durable, can be of considerable thickness. Extrusion – thinner (maximum thickness depends on the extruder), can be opaque, light-diffusing, colored. There is also decoacryl, a variety with a matte or smooth surface. various objects can be inserted inside – from sparkles to any small objects. Decorators like to use such acrylic glasses.
Glass blocks and glass profiles
For stationary glass partitions for an apartment or a house, in an office, glass blocks and glass profiles can be used. Both are glass products, but they have a different look and manufacturing technology. Partitions made of these materials transmit light, but are not completely transparent. Visible, at best, silhouettes. Details, even in very good lighting, can not be disassembled.
Glass blocks are poured into certain shapes. Two identical fragments are then combined into one block – a parallelepiped. They are small in size, produced in the form of squares or rectangles, made of transparent or colored glass. The edges can be smooth or patterned, and the corrugated surface is usually internal, and the external is smooth.
Glass blocks have good heat-insulating ability as there is an air gap between two glass walls. Of these, like bricks, a wall is laid, but at the same time it is not necessary to lay it apart, maybe a seam in a seam. Glass partitions in a glass block apartment let in light, but are not transparent. This is a good option if you need to isolate, for example, a bath from the rest of the room, put a partition in a long room.
Glass profile – P or U-shaped product made of curved alkaline silicate glass. It is produced in long strips (up to 3 meters), which are inserted into a special profile. The wall can be assembled single, or double, by turning the profiles towards each other.