A curtain wall is an excellent alternative to traditional walls for quickly and easily updating a building’s visual appeal. A curtain wall provides an uninterrupted flow of light and views between the inside and outside of a structure, making it ideal for creating a contemporary, minimalistic look. Let’s closely examine the different types of curtain wall systems.
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What is a Curtain wall?
Curtain walls are often made of aluminium and glass, which are both lightweight and thin compared to conventional construction materials. These walls aren’t meant to hold up the rest of the building. Therefore, they can only support their own weight while shifting the effects of airflow and gravity onto the building’s other components.
Due to the design, it is impervious to air and water, which helps to keep the inside of the structure airtight at all times.
See also: Wall designs for home for an original wall decor
Types of curtain wall systems
Curtain walls are prefabricated at a factory, where they undergo assembly before being transported to the construction site. There are fundamentally two distinct kinds of curtain wall systems, each of which may be classified based on the manner in which the individual components are put together.
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Stick curtain wall system
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When using a curtain wall system, the individual components are affixed to the building’s framework in a piecemeal fashion. This method is often used for low-rise structures or in areas that are quite compact. This is a result of the fact that having access to the outside world is necessary in order to go to greater heights. This method offers versatility since it allows for alterations to be made on the spot. Although it has the benefit of cheap shipping costs, one should not overlook the amount of time and effort that will be required since it tends to run rather high.
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Unitised curtain wall system
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This curtain wall system’s components are pre-assembled before leaving the manufacturer. The parts are assembled at the manufacturer and sent to the location all at once. The necessity for manual set-up is therefore eliminated. Unitized curtain walls expand in size as building height increases. They are often used in tall structures since they do not need the use of cranes or scaffolding. Small cranes or a makeshift hoist are all that is required. Since the system’s parts are mass-produced, it allows for rapid building with high quality. Shipping costs for this sort of curtain wall system often go up since better protection is required during delivery to the construction site.
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Column cover and spandrel systems
These systems create a frame by aligning mullions (vertical beam used to divide window glazing into units) to structural columns. The pre-assembled or field-assembled infill units of glass or opaque panels are attached between the column covers.
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Point-loaded structural glazing systems
These systems eliminate visible metal framework by including tension cables, glass mullions, trusses, or various custom support structures behind the glass panels. The glazing is secured by brackets or using proprietary hardware embedded in the glass.
Curtain wall: Characteristics
Curtain walls include crucial factors such as thermal performance, building sway and vibration, and heat capacity and compression, among others. However, the details may vary based on the needs of the project.
It is possible to build curtain walls with a variety of internal, external, and structural glazing choices. Also, they may be set up as a stick-framed wall, with the panes separated by mullions. Based on what’s needed for the layout, you get to decide how long your lines are and how far into the millions you want to go. Curtain walls with a stick frame provide lateral resistance and thermal insulation.
To further customise the look of the structure, a number of different face coverings are available. Since they can be set up in any shape or size, they allow for the creation of very remarkable and eye-catching facades. All without giving up efficiency or saving money.
Curtain wall: How can they enhance your building’s structure?
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While the most noticeable advantage of a new curtain wall installation is a stunning aesthetic upgrade, there are also several technical improvements:
Amazing contemporary design
It is difficult to argue against the fact that curtain walls give a structure a more impressive appearance. Regardless of the sector, a polished and cutting-edge façade may captivate customers, inspire confidence in potential investors, and contribute to an unrivalled air of professionalism.
Both the inside and outside of the building benefit from the glass facade’s open, airy feel. A curtain wall façade gives off an air of refinement and may be used to reflect nearby buildings.
When compared to the designs of ordinary architectural structures, the number of possible views that may be enjoyed from inside the building is significantly expanded. The availability of natural lighting and openings provides for a pleasant and expansive ambience, which is ideal for achieving the look and feel of a magnificent workplace.
Superior central heating
When treated to achieve optimal efficiency, curtain walls are able to maintain a consistent temperature throughout a facility. Because of their protective character and the fact that curtain walls have an additional outer layer, a building’s heating system can be controlled more easily, which in turn results in lower expenses.
Tightly sealed from water and pollutants
Buildings that are subject to the fluctuations of the weather might strengthen their resistance to water and airborne contaminants like carbon dioxide to make them more impenetrable. Curtain walls not only shield the inside of a structure from the outdoors but also contribute to the building’s overall insulation, ensuring that the interior remains toasty and dry regardless of the outside temperature.
Enhanced fire protection
Curtain walls serve to considerably enhance the reliability of your structure by serving as a barrier between the various areas of the building. It is of the utmost importance, particularly in higher-rise buildings with more stories, to restrict the fire before it spreads. Buildings that would ordinarily experience rapid fire spread may, thanks to curtain walls, reduce the risk of fire spreading through the structure.
More wind resistance
A curtain wall is not specifically designed to lessen the sway of a structure, but it does provide additional structural stability against the wind, making it a good choice for buildings of a larger height. The large area of a curtain wall allows for more uniform force and pressure distribution throughout the building’s framework. More protection from the wind is provided as a result.
Adaptability for various building types
The design and construction flexibility offered by a curtain wall is among the most compelling arguments in favour of using one on your structure. This makes it possible to create really unique wall solutions that can be completely tailored to the specific measurements of any structure.
Components of a curtain wall
The different components of curtain wall facade are:
Mullion and Transom
A mullion refers to a vertical beam used to divide window glazing into smaller units. They ensure structural support to a window arch. On the other hand, a transom is a horizontal beam used to divide window glazing into different sections.
Brackets
Mullions are attached to the structure using brackets at slab edges of 5 to 7 m each. Those above and below are fitted through internal sleeves. Transoms are attached to the mullions at predetermined points using brackets. After that infill panels are fitted into rectangular openings formed by mullions and transoms. The panel is generally a fixed glass. However, the panel can be a blend of composite aluminum sheet, open sashes or stone.
FAQs
What use does a curtain wall serve?
A curtain wall system's principal function is to shield the inside of a structure from the elements (such as the sun, temperature swings, earthquakes, rain, and wind) that occur on the outside.
How are curtain walls and windows different?
The primary distinction between the two systems lies in the fact that the window wall is designed to be structurally positioned between the suspended concrete slabs, whereas the curtain wall is anchored to hang off the edges of the slabs.
Are curtain walls costly?
Curtain walls are more expensive and time-consuming than window walls. These materials have the potential to become susceptible to the damaging effects of the environment, such as corrosion, mineral deposits, and discolouration. As a direct consequence of this, they call for routine care in order to preserve the integrity of their aesthetic value. Adding a curtain wall to a building may drastically raise the overall construction expenses.
What materials constitute curtain walls?
Aluminium and glass are the two materials that are most often used in contemporary curtain wall systems. Aluminium alloy is frequently used for the framing of walls or roofing since it is flexible enough to conform to practically any shape while yet maintaining its strength and low weight. After that, glass panels are attached to the metal frames as glazing.
