Whether you’re renovating, a self-builder, or just looking to make some home improvements, your glazing plays an important role in the overall look and feel of your property. Your glazing determines not only the natural light that can flood into your home, but also the layout of your house too! When it comes to choosing new glazing, you might feel overwhelmed with the choice and decisions, lucky for you, we’re breaking it down in this handy guide!
Here are our top tips and advice when it comes to selecting new glazing for your home:
Determine your needs
The first thing you need to ask yourself, is what do you need from your glazing? Do you want to increase the natural light into your home? Open up your living space? Integrate your home with nature? Understand the goal you want to achieve and how your glazing will also suit your lifestyle. For example, if you regularly host get-togethers and BBQs, then bifold doors are a great option, allowing you to open up your home and create a connection between your interior and exterior.
Compare the options available
These days, there are lots of different design options available, and narrowing it down can be tricky with so much choice! Let’s break down the various options available:
Choosing the perfect patio doors
When it comes to patio doors, there are three main options, these are bifold, sliding, and French doors.
Bifold doors – if you want to open up a wall of your home, then bifold doors are the number one choice! Thanks to their accordion-style design, you can almost take a whole wall away and blur the lines between home and garden. This is great for lovers of the outdoors, and who spend a lot of time in, or admiring, their garden! Not only this, thanks to the high ratio of glass, you’ll enjoy the morning sun coming flooding into your kitchen or living room.
Sliding doors – another option is sliding doors, and with an even higher ratio of glass to frame, this really is the best choice if natural light is your main goal. If your home design is minimalist and contemporary, you may wish to think about a slimline design. The ÜberSlide by Kloeber offers minimal 20mm sightlines, for that ‘barely there’ look and you’ll still benefit from high thermal performance and security.
French doors – not one to be overlooked, French doors are a real classic and are very adaptable to all types of properties. Whether you have a period cottage or modern new-build, French doors will always look right at home. There are many different design options available when you opt for bespoke French doors, so the panel style is really down to your own personal preference! You could opt for less glass if you want to still retain privacy within your home, or, opt for a Georgian bar style of French door like the ‘Heritage’ style from Kloeber.
Choosing the perfect windows
Choosing new windows doesn’t necessarily spark excitement, but there are so many fantastic options now that it’s definitely one to pay attention to! After all, windows are an integral part of your home, as not only are they responsible for natural light and airflow, they’ll also keep your home warm – that is, if you invest in a quality, thermally efficient window! Let’s take a look at the design options you could choose…
Casement – this style of window can either be hinged at the side to open outward, either to the left or right or can be hinged at the top to open out from the bottom. This window design is very popular thanks to its versatility and the variety of configurations available.
Tilt and turn – Tilt and turn windows feature a hinge mechanism which essentially means the window can be opened in two ways. You can either open the window fully inwards or you can tilt the window from the bottom so that it’s open at an angle, allowing air to flow through at the top. Ideal for those with young children and even pets. Do be mindful that adequate indoor space is needed for the inward opening!
Fixed glazing – if an opening window isn’t an option due to layout, or perhaps you just don’t want one, then fixed glazing is a great solution! Great for awkward spaces, or just letting in light and creating a feature in your home.
Have you considered rooflights?
Windows and doors are all well and good, but have you also considered installing rooflights into your home for even MORE natural light?! Sit back and watch the clouds float on with a stunning pitched or flat rooflight. They’re not only great for creating a light and airy living space, but they also create an interesting focal point in your home, so one to think about.
Choosing your material
Once you’ve determined the style of glazing you want to go ahead with, there’s another big decision to make! That is your material. There are generally three options that you want to think about if you want to ensure your home is eco-friendly and your glazing is long-lasting. These are timber, aluminium and alu-clad (also known as composite). All three of these options are recyclable, and you should also check that if you’re buying timber bifold doors or windows, that the timber is FSC-certified. This means it has come from a sustainable source, the organisation works hard to protect forests and replace harvested trees. Let’s break them down really quick…
Benefits of timber
- A sustainable material
- Versatility – suits all property types
- Naturally insulating
- Add warmth and depth to your property
Benefits of aluminium
- Extremely strong and durable
- Recyclable material – won’t sit in landfill!
- High thermal performance thanks to new technology
- Modern aesthetic
Benefits of alu-clad
- You can benefit from the best of both worlds!
Finding the right company
Buying new glazing isn’t a quick, off-the-cuff decision, especially when you’re likely to be forking out quite a bit of cash. This is why it’s so important to do your research! Check for accreditations, awards, look at previous customer reviews and also any case studies and previous work from the company. If a price sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so avoid the cowboys, pay for quality and enjoy glazing that will last for years to come.
Discover award-winning bespoke glazing solutions at Kloeber.