| Are Glass Curtains actually curtains? Or are they | | | | 1. Replacing a wall or patio doors with a great view |
| windows ... or doors? The answer is - Yes! | | | | and maximum access. |
| Origins. | | | | Bifolding doors offer good views and fold back to the |
| Originally developed to enclose balconies and terraces | | | | side wall or walls for full access. The door frames |
| in warmer climates, such as Spain, the single glazed | | | | determine how good the view might be. For example, |
| glass panels formed a weatherproof wall of glass that | | | | cheap plastic frames are quite wide in order to provide |
| took nothing away from the view yet enabled the | | | | some strength, better plastic is reinforced with metal |
| balcony or terrace to be used on all but the coldest | | | | but is wider than wood which, in turn, is wider than |
| days. | | | | aluminium (typically 60mm). |
| The concept of simply sliding each panel to the side of | | | | Narrower still are the 20mm frames of slimline doors, |
| the aperture and turning it 90 degrees to stack against | | | | new to the market. These are based on the |
| the side wall gave rise to the term 'curtain'. | | | | slide-and-turn concept of glass curtains. |
| Restaurants and Cafes began enquiring whether their | | | | 2. Achieving great views with individual panels for |
| windows could be replaced by the frameless glass | | | | versatile access. |
| panels, the benefits being an enhanced view and ease | | | | Slimline double-glazed, mentioned above, were |
| of opening up the 'windows' to maximise air flow. If the | | | | developed in Spain specifically for the UK market. All |
| whole wall is replaced from the floor, the glass curtains | | | | panels can stack at the side of the opening or can be |
| would function as doors. | | | | arranged across the opening to leave gaps between |
| Inside larger establishments, the slide-and-turn panels | | | | the glass panels. Gaps can be wide enough to walk |
| were used to partition off areas as necessary, some | | | | through or small enough to keep toddlers in or pets out. |
| owners specifying tinted or etched glass to enhance | | | | Arguably, a bonus of installing this system is the |
| their decor. | | | | pleasure of being different. Bifolding doors have |
| Golf clubs and hotels with cloisters saw the advantage | | | | become popular over the past two or three years, yet |
| of enclosing the areas to maximise their year-round | | | | they have been available for about ten years - major |
| potential. Glass Curtains can be installed to fit inside | | | | purchases are not made too often so the growth of |
| curved arches; they can also be fitted round the | | | | such an industry is relatively slow. This new system |
| curves of a circular terrace or balcony. | | | | has just become available and will probably be installed |
| Today. | | | | in less than 200 properties this year. |
| The glass curtains concept was recently introduced to | | | | 3. Wanting the ultimate frame-free system. |
| Britain. The original single-glazed toughened glass | | | | Double glazed, thermally compliant Glass Curtains, |
| panels are ideal for internal partitions and commercial | | | | similar to slim profile double-glazed - but frameless - |
| purposes but unsuitable as replacements for patio | | | | are available to order whilst awaiting testing and |
| doors in dwellings, as the thermal insulation | | | | approval for suitability as external doors. |
| requirements cannot be met with single glazed units. | | | | Testing and approval is necessary for householders |
| However, there are a number of options for | | | | who have the product installed to comply with building |
| householders to consider, depending on which aspects | | | | regulations as well as saving on energy costs. |
| of the design appeals to them. | | | | |