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A large glazed veranda or terrace attached to the house makes it more spectacular. The choice of materials and mechanisms necessary for the construction of structures depends on what functionality it will perform and in what part of the house it will be located. Consider the types of glazing of terraces and verandas in country houses, as well as materials used in construction.
Advantages of glazing
A terrace or veranda attached to the house allows you to expand the usable area, and a glazed one adds a comfortable corner for spending time. Sometimes such a place has a more functional meaning, as it is used for arranging a summer kitchen, study, dining room, greenhouse or winter garden.
In summer, the enclosed space is protected from wind, dust and precipitation. If the veranda is planned to be used in the winter, then it is additionally insulated, energy-saving double-glazed windows are used and heating devices are installed.
Sometimes terrace glazing is just a design feature to create a certain architectural style. It does not carry any functional load and is only an additional decoration of the house.
Features of glazing terraces and verandas
To choose the right method of glazing, you need to understand the differences between the terrace and the veranda. Sometimes they are confused with each other, but they have a strict distinction in terms of functionality and materials used for installation.
The veranda is a structure that is a permanent element of the structure of the house and has several common walls and a roof with it. For its construction, more durable materials and bulky structures are used, which are planned to be used constantly. On the veranda, heaters can also be additionally installed for operation in cold seasons.
The terrace (photo above) is separately attached to the house and adjoins only one wall. It is a light building. Often a terrace can consist of both permanent and collapsible elements that can be removed if desired. Usually it is used only in the summer and is made of inexpensive materials that can only protect against rain and sunlight.
Glazing types
Veranda glazing is divided into two main types:
- Warm – the use of space at any time of the year.
- Cold – allows you to use the structure only in the summer.
For warm glazing, frames are additionally used that are tightly adjacent to the walls, as well as thick double-glazed windows. Cold glazing is simpler and does not require additional costs for expensive materials. Such structures can be lightweight and removed during the period when they are not planned to be used.
According to the type of construction, the structure can be divided into:
- Wall – installation of only vertical structures on the finished frame of the floor and roof. This view complements the walls of the building.
- Roofing – in addition to walls, a glass roof is being installed.
By type of double-glazed windows:
- Frame – the use of wood, PVC or aluminum profiles as frames.
- Frameless – the absence of vertical racks and frames. For glazing, special tempered glass or polycarbonate is used.
Frameless glazing of the veranda and terrace is well suited for country houses and cottages. Additionally, to create this type of glazing, rails are used in the lower and upper parts of the veranda, for which glass sheets are attached. During operation, they can be moved or disassembled.
The choice of one or another type of glazing depends on the operating conditions in the future. The main disadvantage of frameless structures is low sound insulation, so its installation near busy streets and roads will be impractical. But this type of glazing is able to create a beautiful panorama and significantly expand the space.
It is impossible to glaze the veranda in a frameless way if it is planned to build a second floor above it. Here, the main thing is to correctly calculate the loads of the building and the sufficient ability of the frame structure to withstand heavy weight. This type is well suited for creating a veranda on the second floor.
When designing framed glazing, even though it is limited, the designer can create an interesting composition. It is important to use quality materials and choose the right way to open windows. Modern tilt-and-turn mechanisms create additional convenience, as they allow you to open either the upper part or completely tilt the sash to the side.
Full and partial glazing
In addition to the types mentioned above, glazing can be made in two more options:
- complete;
- partial.
Full glazing involves the creation of a space separated from the external environment by glass structures. When it is erected, a separate room is obtained, which can be used for relaxation or organizing a garden.
Partial glazing is used if it is not planned to use the space permanently, but only needs to be protected from a large amount of precipitation and exposure to gusts of wind. This type of glazing can also be just a design idea and not carry any semantic load other than aesthetics. With this type of glazing, the roof or individual walls can be covered with stained-glass windows.
According to external review:
- partially closed;
- panoramic.
When designing, it is considered whether the glazing of the veranda will be panoramic or not. A partial view is provided by glazing half or some part of the veranda. In this case, the lower part of the walls or individual walls are covered with another material used for the manufacture of frames. It can be wood, plastic or aluminum.
To create a panorama, it is necessary to fasten glass structures to the floor and roof with a small number of frame structures, or, in general, without them. Panoramic windows can be used for both walls and roofs, creating a single open space with a wide view.
To create the most open space, large stained-glass windows are used. By providing them with mechanisms for opening, a large space is created for viewing or ventilation.
Materials used
When choosing materials for the construction of glazed verandas or terraces, it is worth dwelling in detail on the types of glass and on additional elements for their fastening.
Glass
Glass – the main material used for glazing. It is used with various types of frames. But there are several of its alternatives – more durable and functional.
Stained glass – it is based on full or partial toning, as well as a drawing. Such glasses are more expensive than ordinary ones, but they are able to protect from direct sunlight.
Strained glass used for frameless structures. According to its characteristics, it is able to withstand high mechanical loads, protects against climatic influences and has anti-vandal properties.
Energy-saving glasses used only with frames for warm options. They retain heat well inside and do not let the cold through. Despite the high cost, this is the most effective material for warming the extension.
Double glazing are used in conjunction with plastic or aluminum profiles as frames. They have good sound insulation, which depends on the thickness of the double-glazed window, so they can be used in busy places. Can be used for warm and cold glazing.
Plastic
Polycarbonate glass (another name for monolithic plastic, molded or plexiglass) is best used to create round terraces, as it has plasticity. Additionally, an aluminum profile is used to create frames. The tree is not suitable due to lack of flexibility. Glazing a veranda with polycarbonate is a fairly cheap option and is often used in practice to save money, or when creating cold verandas.
Film
At present, a special PVC film has been invented, thanks to which it has become possible to create “soft” windows. Such a film can be rolled up into a roll with fastening in the upper part. This material is quite dense and is able to be hermetically fixed – it can be used in winter in heated rooms.
Despite its good properties, it is a rather fragile material that requires careful handling. The disadvantage of these windows is that their width cannot be more than 140 cm. In this case, it is necessary either to use frames more often, or to choose the desired length and mount it horizontally.
Materials of elements for fastening and installing glass
aluminum profile allows for more complex designs. They can be dismantled if necessary, for example, in winter, or moved apart to create an open space. The main advantage is that aluminum is lightweight and well suited for sliding systems. Frames made of it are more expensive than plastic ones, but stronger than wooden ones.
Tree has high thermal insulation properties. This is a traditional material, which, even with the development of modern building technologies, does not lose its relevance. Especially often it is used in the construction of verandas in wooden houses. It is easy to process and has good maintainability. But this is a rather expensive method of glazing.
plastic profile is a flexible and inexpensive alternative for terrace glazing. To date, this is the most common material. Affordable price and high performance make it popular. But in the event of a breakdown, such a structure cannot be repaired; it must be completely replaced.
The service life of plastic is less than that of other materials, and this material also has a fairly large weight. It is not suitable for creating collapsible structures and is only used to create terraces or verandas on the ground floor.
For stationary glazing of verandas, when sliding or collapsible elements are not required, wood or plastic is more often used.
Choice of door type
The types of mechanisms used in the manufacture of doors for verandas are divided into three types:
- sliding;
- swinging;
- accordion.
The doors to the terrace can swing inward or outward – this is the standard way and is used most often. It is easy to install and also has a relatively low installation cost. This view allows you to choose the height of the threshold – high, low, or without it. Swing doors require additional space for opening, and the width of the door should not be more than 1,1 meters.
If you want to save space, or swing doors create inconvenience, then it is better to use sliding doors. Such structures have a tight fit to each other and, accordingly, have good thermal insulation properties.
Sliding doors are able to provide high noise insulation, they are easy to operate due to smooth sliding. The main disadvantage is the higher cost, as well as the ability to simultaneously open only half of the glazed area.
Accordions are another option for decorating doorways on verandas. They are more ergonomic compared to swing doors, but they have a more complex device, so they are rarely used in practice. But such doors are able to open the veranda as much as possible compared to sliding doors, while not losing in area.
Conclusion
With the final choice of the type of glazing of the veranda, one should start from the functional purpose of the building. The choice of materials depends on this, as well as the type of design complexity, which affects the cost of the entire building. With a limited budget, you should pay attention to simple designs and materials for their manufacture, if this veranda meets all the stated requirements.