September 4, 2013
Slim Framed Sliding Doors to Residential Refurbishment
Written by Rebecca Clayton
IQ Glass Solutions LTD, Sky House, Raans Road, Amersham, HP6 6FT
"IQ Glass provided their minimal windows sliding doors to both the ground floor works and the balcony doors"
Cranley Gardens
This residential project is based in the attractive area of Muswell Hill. The back of the semi-detached family home was to be redesigned as well as adding brand new bedroom and balcony to the extended loft space.
IQ Glass provided their minimal windows sliding doors to both the ground floor works and the balcony doors. These slim framed sliding doors allowed the maximum amount of glass to be used in the opening available upstairs increasing the amount of daylight into the small loft bedroom. Over the step free, flush threshold of the large sliding doors a frameless balustrade was used, again to maximise the amount of daylight coming into the bedroom and balcony space.
"These slim framed sliding doors allowed the maximum amount of glass to be used in the opening available upstairs increasing the amount of daylight into the small loft bedroom"
The main use of glass in architecture and construction is for that clear window, both from inside a space to view outwards, and to allow light into a living of working space. There have been numerous studies showing the improved living and working environment that natural light can offer.
To the new stairs leading to the loft bedroom a single piece of structural glazing was used as a frameless picture window. Again, the lack of framing created an unbroken and uninterrupted window with a clean contemporary aesthetic both inside and outside.
"These slim framed sliding doors opened at the corner of the room leaving no supports or framework."
At the ground floor level the minimal windows sliding doors were used in a specialist configuration to get maximum use from the kitchen and dining spaces. These slim framed sliding doors opened at the corner of the room leaving no supports or framework. Each elevation of the sliding doors then slid into concealed cavities in the houses walls leaving a completely frameless, completely clear opening.
One reason that bi-fold or sliding folding doors are so popular among the residential building sector is that they do allow you to open up at least 90% of the available window space. This gives a sense of larger living space to the internal rooms and creates that indoor-outdoor effect that designers and magazines rave about. But when the systems are closed you are left with large vertical frames cutting into the view outside and also limiting that much needed natural light entering your living space.
"IQ’s large sliding glass doors can be designed to slide away into hidden cavities as they are on this project opening up nearly 100% of that window"
If space is available IQ’s large sliding glass doors can be designed to slide away into hidden cavities as they are on this project or onto the external face of the building opening up nearly 100% of that window.
To the side of the slim sliding doors a fixed window was used to bring light into the side dining space, internally this window was finished as frameless for that clean contemporary finish, externally a slim aluminium frame was left on show to mirror the minimal windows and surrounding finishes.
Contact IQ Glass UK for more information on this project or to discuss a possible project of your own.
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