Building with glass, aluminum, and ideas.
TECHNICAL BINDER: Guide to Glazing, Finish Options and Performance
Glass Sizing: Rules-of-Thumb
The following rules-of-thumb provide the basics on how glass for skylights and curtain wall is constructed. These are standard dimensions and thicknesses which can be evaluated and altered for your specific application.
Overall thickness: Sloped glazing (skylights)
Sloped glazing's overall glass thickness is determined by the overall size of the panels. They are typically an overall thickness of 1 1/8" — 1 1/4 ", consisting of:
- 1/4" outer lite
- 1/2" airspace
- 3/16" to 1/2" laminated inner lite, with a .030
PVB innerlayer for lites under 30 square feet, or a .060 PVB innerlayer
when specified with a ceramic frit, low-e glass, or for reduced
distortion.
Inner lites are always laminated for safety on sloped glazing
Laminated thicknesses are determined by the area of the lite.
Overall thickness: Vertical glazing (curtain wall)
Vertical glazing is typically 1" insulated glass consisting of the following layers:
- 1/4" outer lite
- 1/2" airspace
- 1/4" inner light - heat strengthened or tempered, depending upon where it is located geographically
Maximum size: Unsupported glass
In most cases, the maximum size of standard, 1/4" unsupported glass is 40 sq feet.
Glass fabrication and budget
Generally speaking, the amount and type of cuts made in the fabrication of the glass units directly impact the glass prices:
- Rectangular panels are the least expensive
- Radius cut panels are the most expensive
Please contact us or call us at 800-345-7899 for more information about sizing glass for your next project.