How to Get Corner Glazing Right

This is relatively easy to accommodate in a new build or a single-storey extension. But if you tried to replace a corner of your existing home with glazing, you would need to re-engineer the entire building – which would be a huge job.

Speak to a glazing specialist early on so that we can discuss what you’re looking to get from the corner, and what might be technically possible.

We can help you with the configuration, but exactly how the feature will be realised should be resolved when you come to specify your windows or doors, as the glass itself won’t have any structural properties (unless you’re using costly structural glazing). Be sure to bring your architect’s plans and structural calculations along with you.

Are there any common misconceptions about this aspect?

I’d say the biggest one is that thinking it’s easy to do. People often don’t realise that you can’t just go to a glazing supplier and get big windows or doors to meet in the corner – it takes careful planning from your design team. Your choice of supplier will also be a bit more limited.

While you could theoretically type in your measurements and order online, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s always best to enlist specialist suppliers with experience in these kinds of apertures, ideally ones that offer a supply and fit service.

Often, we face the challenge of self builders finding out halfway through their build that corner glazing exists and deciding that they want to incorporate it.

They don’t realise that adding it in at this late stage involves redesigning and re-engineering the scheme, causing costly delays. This is another reason why it’s so important to do your research into the options for your house design ahead of time.

Sliding doors can also be used to open up corners, as with this setup from Ultraline

The great sliders versus bifolds debate is something we see often, too. The decision all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. If your corner has a stunning view out, but if you are unlikely to access the garden on a regular basis, sliding doors with less framing and larger panels might be more appropriate.

But if the patio is somewhere you expect to spend a lot of time, going for bifolds will allow you to open up the entire wall for a seamless connection.

What about frame materials?

I’d say aluminium is the way to go. It offers inherent strength and rigidity, plus you can achieve very slim sightlines, which is the whole point of specifying a vast glazed expanse.

It’s certainly not something you’d want to do with PVCu, which doesn’t have the structural integrity to be used for a frameless corner.

In general, there’s no specific glass requirement, so work with your supplier to decide on the best exact product for your project. However, new build homes require laminated glass to comply with Document Q of Building Regulations.

This is effectively two sheets of glass with a polymer layer in between, which prevents the pane from shattering and is excellent for security.

How could you get the look on a budget?

The most costly element will be actually creating the opening in the first place, and all the design work and structural engineering that goes into it. Your designer can value-engineer the supports so that, rather than a cantilevered roof, posts are place inside the building.

While this could be done at the point the glazing meets in the corner, doing so will create thicker sightlines. A better solution can be to have the post placed further into the room.

The glazing itself will typically set you back around 1.5 times what a standard set of windows or doors does. But this depends on the size of the panes and whether you choose fixed-frame windows or moveable doors.

Fixed glazing is cheaper, so if you’re aiming to make the most of the view out and are less concerned about access to the garden, they might be the best option.

Main image: This IDSystems’ project features theEDGE2.0 sliding doors to create a minimally-framed, fully openable glazed corner