Curtain Wall, Cladding, Tilt-up, and Skylight Construction Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, systems, glass types, finishes, defects, and construction methods in glass curtain walls, metal cladding, tilt-up concrete, and skylight assemblies.

Curtain Wall

An external, lightweight, non-loadbearing wall system (either glazing or cladding) hung from a building's metal or concrete frame rather than built up from the ground.

Hallidie Building

A building in San Francisco designed by James Polk in 1918, recognized as one of the first buildings to feature a pure glass curtain wall suspended in front of concrete floor slabs.

Pilkington Planar

The first widely marketed structural bolt-fixed glass system, developed by Alastair Pilkington.

Float Glass

High-quality, economical flat glass produced by floating molten glass on a bed of molten tin, introduced into full production in 1959.

Window Wall

A curtain wall system that bears directly on each floor slab, breaking vertical continuity of air and water barriers to reduce overall construction cost.

Structural Glass or Bolt-fixed Glass

A glazing assembly consisting of glass units held together with stainless steel patch fittings or bolted connections that support the glass by direct bearing and friction.

Aluminum Frames

Most common curtain wall frames are extruded aluminum.

Stick System

A curtain wall assembly installed piece-by-piece on-site using frame lengths of $24$ to $40\text{ ft}$ ($7$ to $12\text{ m}$) that are cut and glazed in the field.

Unit Panel System

A curtain wall system composed of prefabricated, often pre-glazed units that interlock with adjacent frames, generally spanning one floor.

Unit and Mullion System

A hybrid curtain wall system (semi-unitized) where vertical mullions are installed first as sticks, followed by the insertion of complete spandrel and glazing units.

Column Cover and Spandrel System

A curtain wall arrangement similar to unit and mullion systems that visually emphasizes the building frame using column covers that act as sticks.

Point Loaded Structural Glazing System

A curtain wall system where structural glass panels are supported by four-point metal brackets anchored to vertical framing members, with joints sealed using silicone.

Annealed Glass

Standard float glass slowly cooled post-formation to relieve internal stresses; breaks into large, sharp pieces upon impact.

Tempered Glass

A strong, break-resistant type of safety glass that shatters into small granular pieces when broken.

Laminated Glass

A sealed, double-pane glass unit incorporating a gas or vacuum space between the glass panes.

Float glass

It is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten tin. It is the clearest of the glazing options, transmittance of 75-92% visible light.

Tinted or heat-absorbing glass.

It has colour added to the glass during manufacture to colour and light- or heat-reducing capabilities. transmittance of 14-85%

Coated glass

This is a type of glass with a chemical film applied to one surface.

Solar-reflective glass and low-emissivity glass

These are the most common coatings used for reflection, absorption, and radiation of solar energy.

Ceramic frit

It is used to create an opaque or spandrel glass.

Polyester and Silicone films and paints

These are other methods of creating an opaque glass.

Self-cleaning glass

It is a glass with a photocatalytic coating that reacts with sunlight to break down and dislodge organic dirt.

Pilkington Activ self-cleaning glass

is also hydrophilic; instead of remaining droplets, rainwater spreads uniformly to wash away dirt.

Shadow box

It creates the illusion of opacity with a dark metal pan or insulation board that is held back from the glass.

Elevation

Diagrammatic showing the relationship of the various curtain wall components to the floor slabs, and indicates the locations of Sections.

Substrate

This system supports itself from floor slab to slab.

Fastening Method

Steel brackets are used at every slab.

Low-Emissivity Glass

A type of coated glass engineered to reflect long-wave infrared energy.

Cladding

The application of one material over another to provide an exterior layer intended to control weather elements or serve aesthetic purposes.

Lap-Seam Metal Panels

Formed metal sheet panels (typically under $0.05\text{ in}$ thick) ship-lapped with adjacent panels in strips up to $4\text{ ft}$ wide and $20\text{ ft}$ long.

Composite Metal Wall Panels

Wall cladding panels consisting of two metal facings adhered to a core material such as foamed insulation, laminated board, or honeycomb core.

Foamed-Insulation Core Metal Wall Panels

These panels have metal facings with insulation foamed into place during fabrication.

Laminated-Insulation Core Metal Wall Panels

These panels have the metal facings laminated to preformed insulation boards.

Honeycomb Core Metal Wall Panels

These panels have metal facings bonded to a honeycomb core.

Flat Plate Metal Wall Panels

Wall cladding panels fabricated out of $\frac{1}{8}\text{ in}$ thick metal plate bent to profile, providing high impact resistance.

Metal-Faced Composite Panels

Cladding panels made of thin metal facings bonded to a thin thermoplastic core, reaching overall thicknesses up to $\frac{1}{4}\text{ in}$ ($6\text{ mm}$).

Aluminum

is corrosion-resistant and comes with a variety of finishes in a wide range of colours.

Stainless steel

is long-lasting and comes in a number of finishes, including high reflectivity, smooth, brushed, embossed.

Galvanume (Zinccalume – TM)

It has a hot-dip zinc and aluminium coating and is produced by major steel manufacturers. It offers better corrosion resistance than just galvanized steel.

Sprayed sheet metals or coil-coated

Sheet metals are sprayed with paint as individual pieces or coil-coated.

Terne-Coated Stainless Steel

Stainless steel finished with a lead-tin alloy (terne) coating that helps bond lead to steel and provides a lead-like appearance.

Kynar 500

A brand of fluorocarbon exterior architectural coating that resists fading and chalking, providing superior weatherability.

Thermoset Acrylics

are durable and come in a wide range of colours and glosses; however pieces cannot be postformed, as the acrylic finish is baked-on.

Urethane coatings

come in wide range of colours and glosses and have excellent chemical resistance. They will fade and chalk to a minor degree.

Polyester

comes in variety of colours, as well as high glosses, and has good durability. It is widely used in high-quality architectural applications.

Weathering steel

This kind of steel, in plate form, has been used for cladding.

Zinc

It is also well-known for its high corrosion resistance.

Titanium

It is popular but a costly metal, the most famous example of this building is Frank Gehry‟s Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain.

Insulation

With the exception of insulated metal panels, metal panels do not typically provide any insulation value to wall systems.

Air and Moisture Barrier

While face sealed systems do not require an air and moisture barrier, drainage and rainscreen metal panel typically require a secondary air and moisture barrier system.

Metal Stud Framing

The design of the metal stud framing needs to be integrated with the panel design and fastening system.

Thermal Performance

Non-insulated metal panel wall systems derive their thermal performance characteristics from the amount of insulation placed in the cavity or within the backup wall.

Moisture protection

Metal panel systems can be barrier systems, drainage systems or rainscreen systems. The design of metal panel joints is critical for the watertight performance of the panel system.

Fire safety

Metal panel systems are typically not a fire rated system. The design of the metal panel wall systems may need to include fire-stopping at floor levels. Metal panel systems are typically not flammable.

Acoustics

Metal panel systems, except for some types of insulated panels, typically do not offer much sound insulation.

Impact Resistance

With the exception of flat plate metal systems, metal wall panel systems typically have low impact resistance.

Material/Finish Durability

The finish of the metal panel system is important for system performance. The most common durable finishes applied on metal panels include flouropolymer, powder, and anodized coatings.

Pitting

Surface deterioration of exposed metal panels caused by weather and pollution attacking the protective coating over time.

Oil Canning

A visual condition characterized by pillowing or waviness on a flat metal panel, caused by fabrication, design, or installation issues.

Shadowing

A condition where welds or stiffeners installed on the backside of a metal panel become visible on the panel face.

Dissimilar Metals

The use of these metals can result in two types of problems: water runoff staining and galvanic corrosion.

Galvanic Corrosion

Electrochemical corrosion that occurs when two dissimilar metals are in direct physical contact, causing the less noble metal to corrode.

Maintainability

Metal panel systems, when properly designed and constructed require little maintenance.

Tilt-Up Construction

A construction method where modular concrete elements are formed horizontally on a concrete slab and tilted vertically into position using a crane once cured.

Bondbreaker

A chemically reactive liquid sprayed onto forms and casting surfaces to prevent cast concrete from bonding with the floor slab beneath.

Reveals

Style accents or decorative grooves molded directly into the surface face of tilt-up concrete panels.

Shear Walls

Interior concrete walls designed to provide additional structural stiffness to a building.

Roof Window

A glazed opening in a roof that can be reached directly from the interior floor.

Savings in Construction Costs

Tilt wall provides numerous construction cost savings. This means that raw material costs are lower.

Fast Construction Schedule

Tilt wall offers several opportunities to "compress" the schedule and deliver the building very quickly.

Safety

Tilt-up is a proven, safe method of construction. The vast majority of the project takes place on the ground rather than on scaffolding, reducing many of these risks.

Aesthetics

Tilt wall buildings are not prefabricated. Each one is custom-designed for the client's needs and preferences.

Durability

Tilt-up buildings are extremely durable. Many structures created in the 1940s are still in operation today, with little apparent wear.

Skylight

An inaccessible glazed opening in a roof designed to bring light, view, or ventilation into an interior space.

SKYLIGHTS FOR LIGHT

All skylights bring light, but the quality and quantity of illumination are affected by orientation and glazing. In the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing skylight with clear glazing brings a great amount of light and heat.

SKYLIGHT FOR VIEW

When considering skylight placement, remember a view of trees might be pleasant, putting the unit directly under a tree can present problems since dirt and debris will collect on it.

SKYLIGHT FOR VENTILATION

select a unit that opens, practical in bathrooms and kitchens. You’ll also appreciate a venting unit if you live in a warm climate or have flat-roofed houses; combined with few open windows,

SKYLIGHT SIZING CONSIDERATIONS

The sizing of the skylight will depend not only on the size of the area to light and the reflection of the surfaces in the area, but also on the depth and the shape of the light shaft.

SIZING PRINCIPLES

A general rule of thumb for determining skylight area is to figure on 1 square foot of a skylight area for every 20 square feet of floor space.

For example, if room area is 100 square feet, the skylight area is 5 square feet.

LIGHT SHAFTS

straight, angled, or splayed. In a straight light shaft the skylight sits directly above the ceiling opening.

Curb-Mounted Skylight

A skylight raised above the roof plane that sets on a raised lumber frame curb or an integral unit curb.

Framed-in-Place Skylight

A skylight installed flush with the structural roof plane and held in place using L-shaped steel brackets.

A skylight framing assembly consists of the:

roof opening

the light shaft

the ceiling opening

Roof opening

is framed with headers–framing lumber run horizontally across the opening, securely nailed to the rafters to support the structure.

Ceiling opening

is framed in the same way as the roof opening–headers are nailed between the ceiling joists to support the existing framing.

Glass

- clear, tinted, or translucent

- Plain, tempered, or wire glass

Plastic (acrylic)

- clear, tinted, or translucent

- single sheet or sandwich panel

Ventilating skylight

may be opened to allow air to pass through. These skylights are ideal for bathrooms and kitchens.

Fixed skylight

is any type of skylight which doesn't open.

Tubular skylight

is essentially a very small skylight, intended mainly for hallways and small rooms.

Flat skylight

is probably the most common, consisting of a square or rectangular piece of flat glass or acrylic, which may be fixed or ventilating.

Round skylight

emerges from the roof as a half-sphere bubble.

Polygon skylight

peaks up out of the roof with a number of glass or acrylic polygons -- these skylights are considerably more expensive than simpler models.

Pyramid skylight

is a simple four-triangle pyramid which juts out of the roof.

Dome skylight

is similar to a flat skylight, except that the glass rounds up past the surface of the roof.

Hip ridge skylight

is a long rectangular skylight which peaks up above the roof surface to a central ridge, with a sloping triangular piece of glass on either short end.

Ridge skylight

is a simpler version, with two long triangles sloping in towards one another, and straight triangles closing off either end

Lean-to skylight

is a simple slope which rises from the roof of one story and ends by leaning against an upper wall of the next story.

Barrel vault skylight

is a more complex form of the lean-to, which consists of a half-sphere against an upper wall, often seen in large arboretums.

Glass and Acrylic

The two main materials used to construct a skylight.