Peak on a balcony: types and subtleties of installation

Many balconies in the apartment are used as a useful additional room, where, with the correct layout of the space, you can not only relax, but also store blanks, dry clothes. Most balconies are open spaces that are virtually unprotected, so dust and precipitation easily get in from the street. To prevent this, it is necessary to install a visor. It will reliably protect from snow, rain, and will also serve as an original design decor.

The balcony is an architectural part of the facade of the building, which should be equipped with a visor - to increase functionality. This is especially true for open structures located on the very last floors. In this case, it performs two tasks at the same time: it prevents precipitation and replaces the roof.

In the classic version, the visor to the balcony has the form of a frame sheathed with decorative material, it is an autonomous structure that can independently hold and cover the entire area of ​​the balcony space. Unlike the roof, it is attached to the outside of the balcony with strong bolts (on steel corners), acting as its continuation. As for the roof, it is usually installed on special supports or attached to a load-bearing wall. If you install a balcony visor, then from this solution you can get many advantages:

• decorative finish;
• protection of things and people from direct rays of the sun and, accordingly, ultraviolet radiation;
• decrease in the blowability of the interior;
• protection of the apartment from the penetration of thieves, which can easily get into it through the roof.

As for the shortcomings, they are also available:

• installing a visor is considered quite expensive;
• during installation of the structure, it is important to do the calculations correctly, otherwise it may be unsafe;
• the balcony needs to be additionally insulated, since in the cold season it will become a source of heat loss.

Today, balcony visors are represented by a huge selection of models. This type of construction performs not only a protective function, but also an aesthetic one, therefore, in order to give the balcony an original look, manufacturers try to produce them in various shapes and configurations. Visors, depending on the design and technical characteristics, are divided into five types.

• Pitched straight and inclined. The former are the most effective in controlling rainfall. The only thing is that due to the lack of slope, snow masses can accumulate on the balcony or icicles can form. Therefore, it is best to give preference to inclined single-slope models.

• Gable. They are characterized by high protection against gusts of wind, this is due to the fact that they have the appearance of an equilateral triangle, outwardly resemble a roof. They look beautiful in large sizes. To make this kind of visors decorative, they are often decorated with forged elements around the edges, while the lining of the frame can be made with any material. Forged visor can be either simple or folding, having many twisted shapes.

• Arched. In such designs, the roof has an arched shape, they look organically in any style. The only thing that installing such visors yourself is quite difficult, you need to have certain skills and a curved rafter. They are characterized by reliable protection and give the design a modern look. The curved shape does not allow rain, snow to linger on the surface, and also perfectly withstands wind gusts.

• Dome (tent). These models are not only difficult to manufacture, but also assemble. They look spectacular, special attention is paid to the varieties of transparent polycarbonate. They are particularly suitable for installation on the upper floors of buildings. The only minus of the model is great difficulty in the case of self-manufacturing.

• Marquises. These are the so-called frame structures, on the supports of which a dense fabric is stretched. Often, such models are equipped with an electric drive, which is necessary to open or close the awning. The lifting mechanism is usually attached to the wall. Awnings, like the previous options, are well suited for placement on the upper floors, they are usually made of strong strong acrylic paintings of a rather bright color.

Visors for loggias and balconies are made of all kinds of materials, which can differ both in design and operational characteristics. Most often, ondulin, slate, decking, polycarbonate, glass are used for the production of canopies.

• Ondulin. This is the cheapest material that looks similar to slate, but differs from it in light weight and flexibility. Ideal for coating, as it withstands the negative effects of the external environment and is resistant to mold and mildew. Ondulin is produced in various shades, which makes it easy to select it for any style of the balcony.

• Slate. It is characterized by a low level of thermal conductivity, due to which it is possible to maintain an optimal microclimate inside the balcony room (regardless of weather conditions). In addition, slate is characterized by high technical characteristics and design expressiveness.

• Decking. This material is made from polymers that are galvanized. Therefore, it is resistant to corrosion, external influences and mechanical damage. Decking is available in the form of sheets having a corrugated structure, it perfectly withstands any load. The advantages include a huge selection of colors.

• Polycarbonate This material is highly durable, but is afraid of mechanical stress. It resembles translucent plastic and is often used to create open protective structures of various shapes. The main advantages are good sound insulation and the ability to transmit the rays of the sun. Polycarbonate is made of specially tempered glass-triplex, so it makes an excellent covering for the balcony, which not only makes the structure inside warm, bright, pleasant, but also gives it an aesthetic appearance. Minus - requires special care.

• Glass. Balconies with a similar visor look interesting, in this case they usually use safety glass (laminated, tempered). The design can be installed in various sizes, since there are no standards - it all depends on the strength of the balcony, as well as on the personal preferences of the apartment owners. The disadvantage of glass visors is the high price.

In addition to the above, the visors also shelter galvanized steel sheets and roof tiles. These materials are considered budgetary, have long life, allow you to create original designs. The only negative material is poor soundproofing.

An unusual solution for decorating the balcony will be installation of a forged visor, which will give the design airiness and unusualness. For manufacturing, they mainly use a solid metal rod, which, in comparison with profile hollow pipes, is able to withstand different loads. If we consider the reliability of forged visors, they are in many ways superior to those made of screw joints.

Mounting a balcony visor is not particularly difficult, so many carry it out on their own. Problems can only arise when installing the structure on the very top floor. First of all, it is necessary to create a project, prepare the required tools and raw materials. For work, you will need devices for welding, metal processing, a brush, sandpaper, a screwdriver, sealant, dowels, anchors.

At the stage of project development, you should consider the size of the structure and its shape. To do this, first measure and make a drawing, according to which the desired amount of material is calculated. After that, you must perform the actions, following the following instructions:

• First of all, you need to weld a steel frame, which in the future will fulfill the function of a canopy;
• the frame should be installed against the wall so that there are no gaps, all seams should be treated with sealant;
• it is advisable to make a soundproofing of the canopy, which will provide the owners of the apartment a comfortable rest without noisy sounds from the street;
• then you will need to treat all metal parts with a special solution that protects against corrosion, and go to the direct installation and fixing of roofing sheets.

If you plan to install a visor made of polycarbonate, then the procedure will be slightly different.

• The type of the future visor, which was described in detail above, is selected and the design is being made, given that it should protrude beyond the edges of the balcony by at least 30 cm. This will protect the interior from rain, snow and wind.
• A metal structure (it should look like a frame) is pre-constructed, it is attached both to the balcony fence and to the wall. To do this, trusses are welded from corners of 40 * 40 mm, and markings are made on the wall of the house, where the future location of the lower and upper horizontal bars is marked. The distance between them should be equal to the height of the metal trusses, on top of which a crate of boards or timber is laid.
• After this, insulation should be made by laying the thermal washers. You can cover the structure with both cellular polycarbonate and monolithic. In this case, the first type of material has greater strength, since its basis is a hollow sheet, which has internal jumpers. As for monolithic polycarbonate, it is suitable in the case when you need to build a structure of complex shape. Sheets are best fastened with anchor bolts, since they have increased strength and are able to press the material well, increasing its resistance to wind loads.

See how to make a visor on the balcony in the next video.