Over the previous decade sliding doorways have turn out to be the default possibility for householders wanting huge glazed doorways for his or her extension, renovation or self-build mission. As demand has grown, so has the inflow of various door programs, with producers chasing slimmer frames to allow nearly uninterrupted views out.
To attain these thinner frames, the best way the door programs have been constructed has modified considerably, however in doing so, it has launched a major danger that householders aren’t at all times conscious of.
The dangers of utilizing structurally bonded glass
“Home windows and doorways have historically been glazed utilizing beads to carry the glass into the body,” says Will Mitchell, Sunflex UK‘s Technical Supervisor. “The bead clips into the body, often on the within, and secures the double- or triple-glazed unit in place. The problem with ultra-slim frames is that there isn’t a area for a glazing bead, so producers have needed to go for various strategies of securing the glass in place. For many programs, that includes completely glueing or bonding the glass on to the body, creating programs which are referred to as structurally bonded doorways.”
Structurally bonded sliding doorways are simple to identify – they’ve slim frames on all 4 sides of the panel and make up the overwhelming majority of ultra-slim programs in the marketplace. The difficulty is that by completely bonding the glass to border it’s unimaginable to interchange the glass with out changing the complete body.
Sunflex ultra-slim sliding door programs usually are not manufactured with absolutely bonded glazing. This implies the glass will be changed moderately than the entire door, providing important financial savings.(Picture credit score: Sunflex UK)
Monetary implications
Whereas customary dwelling insurance coverage insurance policies will possible cowl glass substitute, most will not cowl the price of the body, leaving you considerably out of pocket. “Final yr we accomplished a variety of initiatives the place the unique provider had ceased buying and selling and the client had enquired to us about an entire new door as a result of they could not change the glass,” explains Will. “The dangers concerned with structurally bonded programs had been by no means defined to them earlier than they ordered the doorways within the first place.”
Fortunately, there are various sliding door programs on the market that permit for ultra-slim frames and are not structurally bonded. The Sunflex UK SVG20 options 20mm sightlines, however resulting from its deeper outer frames, which may accommodate glazing beads, it’s doable to take away the glass and change it with out damaging the body.
For particulars, go to www.sunflexuk.co.uk or communicate to one of many technical gross sales group on 01603 494424.
