Loggia glazing options and selection tips

Loggia is an example of a modern design solution created specifically for the comfort of the inhabitants of the apartment. In the city, it replaces the village terrace, being an analogue of the balcony, which at the same time is not so cold because it is recessed into the outer wall. At the same time, one wall still goes directly to the street, a huge window is located in its entire width, so the owners should think about how not to lose their own homes in thermal insulation. Fortunately, modern materials can successfully cope with this task, you just need to figure out what and how.

Loggias in our country are popular if only because their alternative - an ordinary balcony - in the climatic conditions of even central Russia for a significant part of the year is a completely useless area that can hardly be used in any way. The loggia recessed in the thickness of the building is already slightly better protected from the harsh conditions of the street, but nevertheless even it is the weakest point in the thermal insulation of housing. The issue is solved by the glazing of the loggia. In high-quality performance, it is obliged to solve a number of problems.

• Turn the loggia into a full room. The fact that a large panoramic window is located here should not create inconvenience for residents - they should be able to arrange furniture here, store any things and certainly not wear special clothes to go here.

• Protect from noise. Located in the center of a large city, the apartment with a loggia experiences a constant sound load, and this is probably not about bird singing. The kind of city traffic may not bother you, but from the upper floors a pleasant city landscape could even open up, but sometimes you want silence, which is completely deprived of numerous transport.

• Allow the creation of a greenhouse. Not every owner equips his own loggia for a flower garden, but glazing can be considered good if it leaves such an opportunity. A high-quality double-glazed window reliably isolates from the cold, even close to it heat-loving plants will not feel that there is a cracking frost outside the window, while it practically without loss transmits sunlight, which is so necessary for photosynthesis.

• Additionally protect the apartment from unauthorized entry. Of course, not a single double-glazed window will stop the attackers - if they set out to penetrate precisely into your home, they will break the glass and find themselves inside. But any thief is guided by the maximum silence of his actions, and knocking out a window from two or even three glasses is not a priori quiet, and even threatens with an abundance of sharp fragments.

• Be easy to maintain. The degree of sunlight passing through the glass unit is highly dependent on the degree of purity of the glass. You will rarely find a loggia in which absolutely all windows would open, so it is advisable to think over the design so that you can reach from any corner of the outside of the windows from the inside.

• Be affordable. This is another criterion that should not be the first on the list, but at the same time it cannot be ignored. Modern materials allow the production of inexpensive, but at the same time high-quality and easy-to-maintain double-glazed windows.

There are many options for classifying glazing, but the first thing to decide is whether your glazing will be cold or warm.

The name of this method speaks for itself - such glazing does not imply an increase in thermal insulation (although in reality it, of course, is still observed to some extent). When installing double-glazed windows, the main emphasis is on protecting the loggia from other negative manifestations of the open street - precipitation, wind, dust, and so on.

Profile material can be any - both wood and aluminum, however, many owners make frames even on their own - literally from what is at hand. It would seem that the lack of thermal insulation crosses out any prospects for this type of glazing, but no - even such double-glazed windows are in great demand.

In fact, this is not surprising - if you look closely, the cold method has enough advantages that can attract the consumer, namely:

• the utmost ease of installation is limited by the installation of double-glazed windows and a minimal finish, in many cases this can even be done independently;
• cold glass itself is relatively inexpensive, and if you install it yourself, the savings are impressive;
• cold glazing weighs relatively little, so it does not create an unnecessary load on the parapet - in old multi-apartment buildings, where the installation of double-glazed windows was not originally provided, this can play a key role;
• glass and with cold glazing transmits light well, and this means that a bright sun can contribute to a certain increase in the temperature in the room;
• The loggia, glazed even with cold glazing, still has a more presentable appearance than unglazed.

At the same time, there are only two minuses, but it is worth paying attention to them, perhaps they will turn out to be fundamental and force to abandon this option. The first has already been said - in the cold season, such windows will give practically nothing in terms of heat saving, you will go out onto the loggia in the same way as you go outside. In addition, there are varieties of frames that do not imply a convenient installation of mosquito nets, and in this case the comfort of households will greatly decrease.

If in the case of balconies both cold and warm glazing have approximately equal validity, then for apartments with loggias it is usually much more advisable to choose a warm version of glazing. The fact is that the loggia, being recessed into the outer wall, is inevitably considered an integral part of the apartment, and the exit to it is often equipped with relatively slightly insulated doors, and the quality of the window with access to the loggia is often questionable. The main insulation loop is already carried out on the outer wall of the loggia, which means that it needs warm glazing.

Having chosen this approach to the improvement of the apartment, you can use the loggia as an extra room, and this has its advantages. Now it can be a great location for a year-round greenhouse to enhance the mood in the cold or a good relaxation area if you are lucky with a view from the window. In addition, some owners decide to redevelop and practically completely abandon a separate loggia, demolishing the partition and connecting it to the room inside the building.

Of course, for proper warming of the loggia, windows alone are unlikely to be enough, because the central heating radiators are not made here. To solve the problem, they use the installation of underfloor heating systems, the double-glazed windows themselves also should not be the simplest and cheapest - only multi-chamber PVC options, wooden frames and aluminum structures with thermal break are suitable. Using this option will cost owners a tidy amount, but still the advantages of warm glazing are so significant that many owners are not afraid to spend money to achieve a better result.

Having lost money, a person in return receives the following benefits:

• it is not for nothing that this method of glazing is called warm - it does not solve the problem of thermal insulation by itself, but now it’s definitely not the window that will be the least protected place, but with the use of additional insulation of the walls and floor, the loggia can be turned into a full-fledged part of the apartment;
• with all its soundproofing capabilities, cold glazing is not even close to warm - households will be reliably isolated from any extraneous sounds from the street;
• manufacturers of double-glazed windows for warm glazing care not only about high-quality insulation from the effects of the street, but also about the attractive appearance of their products, thanks to this, the repaired loggia will have a representative appearance and delight the owner with its beauty;
• warm glazing is always more thorough than cold; for the same reason, it even more stops potential intruders than cold.

Alas, there are no such solutions in repair and design that would be unambiguously perceived as positive - they are also criticized for loggias with warm glazing, namely:

• such a decision will cost much more, so someone will refuse such glazing altogether, and someone will have to work hard and limit himself to something in order to afford such repairs;
• a loggia glazed in a warm manner will no longer constitute a full-fledged open space, and connoisseurs of fresh air can criticize it for turning it into an ordinary room;
• the warm frame due to the insulating materials weighs significantly more, so its installation looks advisable only if there is a strong and reliable frame.

One of the most common classifications of glazing for loggias is the division according to the material from which the frames are made. Each running material has its own advantages and disadvantages.

• Plastic glazing, whose profiles are made of PVC, in our time is considered the most popular. In combination with double-glazed windows, reliable heat and sound insulation is obtained, while the product looks beautiful, is durable and relatively inexpensive. According to the method of opening the shutters can be both oar and sliding.

• Wooden frames two decades ago, they were a massive and practically uncontested phenomenon, but then they gave way to more practical plastic. However, nobody would completely abandon the tree, especially since recently it has been repeatedly improved to extend the service life. The material, even despite numerous protective impregnations, still remains natural and has the ability to “breathe”, confidently provides thermal insulation, weighs a little, while it looks very stylish and is therefore considered elite.

At the same time, a double-glazed window made of wood is very expensive, and without regular updating of varnish and repeated impregnations, the frame can quickly dry out, crack, burn out in the sun or even rot.

• Aluminum frames began to use relatively recently, although it is even strange how this idea did not occur to people before. The durability of aluminum is amazing, in this sense, the frame of it is optimal, especially since aluminum is very light and durable, looks beautiful, environmentally friendly and is not afraid of any external influences, but it is also inexpensive. On the basis of aluminum frames, you can create both cold and warm glazing, while there are practically no restrictions on the window area, and the design refers to the sliding type, so it does not take up much space.

By the way, it is illogical to classify the glazing of loggias only on the basis of the frame material, if only because there is also a frameless solution. There is no frame as such here - the glass component is mounted on special guides above and below, due to which the window is huge and transmits a sea of ​​light. Glass, of course, is used only tempered and thick (from 6 mm), but it can be completely folded so as to open maximum access to the street.

This solution is often chosen for its originality, but there are plenty of minuses: forget about isolation from cold and noise, do not count on tightness or subsequent installation of insulation and mosquito nets. In addition, privacy will also have to be forgotten - frameless glazing allows anyone to see what is being done on the loggia from the street.

A separate type of glazing can be considered panoramic, which is also called stained glass or French, apparently by country of origin. Such glazing can be warm, cold or frameless, any profile materials are used, the main difference from all other types is that The view opens from floor to ceiling, that is, there is no provision for any parapet under the window at all.

Of the advantages, they usually indicate a maximum of natural light in the room and a visual expansion of the space, a stylish design and the absence of the need to engage in any kind of decoration - in fact, there is no wall. Of the minuses - the intense heat in the summer, caused by the complete absence of shade, the lack of privacy for the same reason, the difficulty of washing the outside of the glasses yourself. Do not forget about the high cost of materials and installation.

Before choosing windows for glazing the loggia, you need to clearly imagine what the result should be in the end and what you are striving for by replacing the windows. You should start, of course, with the answer to the question of whether warm or cold glazing suits you more. With warm everything is clear - it actually turns your loggia into another room, and in most apartments this option seems more adequate - since the space is recessed into the thickness of the building, let it be a full room.

Having decided to save money due to the choice in favor of cold glazing, the owner actually draws up his refusal to use the space as a room in the winter, believing that it is better to glaze the loggia on the cheap, he admits that he considers it only a large pantry, where the temperature does not matter.

Last but not least, look at the financial component - there is no point in wasting, albeit slightly, on cold glazing, if it does not ensure the use of the loggia for which repairs were started. In addition, you need to decide on the choice of frame material, and here you have to look at a very, very many circumstances. Fortunately, a modern approach to production allows you to get out of any situation, but you need to correctly assess the conditions on your own loggia and give preference to what fits perfectly here.

It is worth starting from the first what your loggia is capable of. If this is a completely reliable design that can withstand significant weight, then you can freely experiment with all types of glazing and any possible materials, creating your own ideal design. If the parapet under the future window is unreliable, you no longer have such freedom of choice - you need to take into account the ability of the structure to withstand the load.

Another important point is the protection against street noise.. If the loggia overlooks a quiet courtyard somewhere on the outskirts of the city, only children whom the owners love very much can make noise in it - this is one thing, in which case you can not go too far. Another thing, if we are talking about the front window, which opens directly onto the busy traffic artery, and even is not too high - just in the reach of everyday noise.

In such circumstances, proper comfort is out of the question, therefore it makes sense to install soundproof double-glazed windows that are best combined with a plastic or aluminum frame.

Loggia glazing is usually done in order to make the life of the owners easier and more enjoyable., but not at all to create an additional problem for yourself in terms of regular maintenance of a large window.In terms of cleaning, all frames are approximately the same, but for the worse, wooden windows should be distinguished: unfortunately, this material in its completely natural form is subject to too many options for external exposure.

Manufacturers, of course, try to protect it with various impregnations and a thick layer of varnish, but all these protections wear out pretty quickly, and the owner's task is to constantly update the varnish layer and impregnation.

A separate moment is the washing of glasses. With dirty glass, the loggia, even the most stylish and beautiful, will quickly lose its attractiveness, and it won’t let light in, then it makes no sense. Meanwhile, it is difficult to reach the farthest sections of glass from the outside and you need to think about how to do it. In this regard, frameless glazing seems to be the most productive solution - the window can be completely folded, which means that there will be no problems with access to both sides of the glass.

Swing wings also seem like a pretty convenient solution, but panoramic glazing can be a real problem - when you need to wash the entire wall outside, it is possible that you can’t do without outside help.

Another crucial point that is too often forgotten is this is the degree of privacy provided by the glazing of the loggia. Recently, many owners, chasing fashion, have mounted either frameless, or even panoramic windows, focusing on good lighting and a fresh approach to room decoration.

An unpleasant surprise for them is that now they are almost defenseless before looking from the street, and if the loggia is a direct continuation of the room, then even in the depths of the room you can’t hide from the curious. While it’s a bright day outside, you can still hide in the twilight, stepping away from the window, but in the evening, with the inclusion of internal electric lighting, the households will live as if on a window display.

In addition, the above-described frameless and panoramic windows can carry another serious problem that significantly affects comfort: the fact is that they are completely unsuitable for installing mosquito nets. At the same time, even in the northern regions of our country, characterized by a cool climate, in the summer a huge amount of midges are bred, and even in warmer regions, through hordes of defense, whole hordes of insects will be trampled into the apartment.

It’s worth paying attention to the design, but no manufacturer, of course, focuses on the production of ugly windows - the only question is what seems more attractive to the buyer and fits better into his apartment. In terms of apparent high cost and aristocracy, wood stands out especially - it doesn’t even need to be painted, it is perceived in natural color as an element of luxury.

Plastic and aluminum look good in modern and futuristic designs, especially since both options allow a variety of colors and shades. French glazing is a priori associated with the Provence style and slightly resembles a rustic style in the best sense of the word. Frameless windows, like plastic with aluminum, look like an attribute of the future.

When choosing a glazing option for a loggia, many homeowners lack the knowledge of professionals who could suggest something interesting based on their own personal experience. We have put together some reasonable recommendations that could be useful to the reader.

• The choice between cold and warm glazing in the case of a loggia almost never rises - the vast majority of consumers choose the warm option.Cold glazing may still be appropriate for a balcony, separated from the apartment by a capital wall and requiring double-glazed windows from three sides, but the loggia is already recessed into the building. It turns out that a warm double-glazed window in one wall will be needed in any case, just by installing it on the border of the loggia and the room, the owner consciously refuses a piece of his own apartment. Such a step is only appropriate if, in winter, for some reason, you need a large "refrigerator", otherwise it is difficult to explain such a solution.
• You need to choose warm double-glazed windows, but it would be naive to believe that they themselves will make the loggia really warm. The wind will not blow in here, and crackling frosts will not cool the room so quickly, but dwellings become really warm not only due to tightness, but due to heating. On the loggia it is not by default, so the owner should consider installing a system of underfloor heating - this is the most reasonable option, since central heating may require many permissions. Without heating, even the highest quality double-glazed windows will not save the loggia from coolness, especially in thirty-degree frosts.
• It is necessary to focus on the fact that many consumers unreasonably pursue only design, completely forgetting that the loggia glazing is a practical task. When deciding which glazing option to choose, do not immediately think about how it will look - think over what useful criteria a glazed loggia should meet, and choose only among those windows that allow you to solve these problems. Only this approach will leave a holistic positive impression of the repair of the loggia and provide complete comfort.

For more information on glazing and loggia options, see the next video.