Varieties and characteristics of balconies

The need to install wrought iron, sliding and other options for gratings on the balcony and loggia may arise for various reasons - from reasons for the safety of children and pets to prevent theft. In any case, such an addition will diversify the appearance of the facade, giving it solidity. A detailed story about how you can decorate metal grilles on windows and balcony glazing, about their types and features will help you better understand the issue of using such security systems.

Grilles installed on a balcony or loggia are in demand among residents of the first and last floors in apartment buildings. It is here that the external elements of the facade most often become the way for intruders to enter the house. The grilles installed on the balcony successfully solve the problem of preventing unauthorized visits and protect property from theft.

Once upon a time, balconies were welded from large diameter reinforcement rods. Such fences did not have aesthetic appeal, obstructed the view, but coped with the protective functions successfully. Modern manufacturers offer much more stylish options that can harmoniously complement even panoramic design glazing.

Here are some of the distinguishing characteristics of such designs.

1. High reliability. The grilles are capable of withstanding significant operational loads and are made of durable materials.
2. Anti-corrosion protection. Metals are used that are resistant to rust formation, as well as coatings that protect the surface of the metals.
3. Long service life. With proper care, the fence will last for decades.
4. Fire safety. To provide free access to the street, sliding grilles are used, allowing you to successfully evacuate through the balcony in case of danger.
5. Ease and speed of installation. It is possible to install the grille only on glazing elements or completely on the entire structure, from floor to ceiling.
6. Resistance to the negative influence of the external environment.
7. Decorativeness, attractive appearance.

The grilles for the balcony are made three-sided, mounted on the sides and on the front surface. On the loggia, you only need to install a metal fence from the side of the facade. Depending on which balcony grille is chosen, according to its design, it can belong to one of several categories.

• Welded. The simplest structures, assembled from steel metal bars of square or round cross-section. The gratings can have different frequency and thickness of the rods.

• Forged. Beautiful openwork lattices with forging elements are formed by hand; they are more expensive than others, since their production requires significant labor costs. They are durable, reliable, have an attractive appearance, an unlimited choice of design options.

• Cast. This category includes cast iron grates, manufactured industrially by casting metal in molds. Heavy and massive products are most often used in the field of private housing construction, but they can also be mounted on a loggia with a fairly solid base.

• Exaggerated. They are assembled from volumetric metal tubes with cavities inside. It is impossible to call such a protective structure reliable, but it can be very decorative, it can have a complex shape.

Metal bars on the windows and balconies of the first floor today will not be installed by a rare homeowner. In most cases, it is possible to get by with the simplest and most inexpensive design options. But if aesthetics comes to the fore, openwork forged models of fences will be the best solution. Cast models are not only cast iron, sometimes they are also made from non-ferrous alloys, which are inferior in strength to their black counterparts.

According to their design features, all gratings are divided into several groups.

• Sliding. They are fixed on guides that allow the sections to be displaced to the side. Such elements can be installed inside the room behind the glazing, in the daytime they can be opened, ensuring the transmission of the maximum amount of light.

• Deaf. They provide stationary fixation, most often they are mounted behind the fence and glazing, from the street side. Dismantling them will not work quickly. In addition, this type of grille does not comply with fire safety standards.

• Swing. They are more like shutters, equipped with locks and latches for fixing in a closed form. The sashes can open outward or inward, depending on the method of their installation.

• Partial. They act as a parapet of the balcony, while they can either reach the very top or be attached only at a certain height. The grille in this case can provide security or simply serve as an elegant decoration that gives the space an original appearance. This is a good solution for non-glazed balconies of complex shapes - semicircular or square.

According to the method of attachment to the structure of the balcony and loggia, all gratings are divided into removable and stationary. Structures of the first type resemble blind sections, but can be easily dismantled using special tools. This is a convenient solution at the time of departure, allowing you to protect your home from thieves. Stationary products are securely attached to the structure of the concrete slab and the facade of the building; they can only be dismantled using a special tool.

There is also a division according to the method of attachment. There are two types.

1. Remote grilles. They are mounted outside the slab at the base of the balcony in a remote way, fixed to the facade of the building. This solution does not take up too much space, provides an opportunity for installation after glazing or without it.
2. Internal grilles. They are mounted only on the glazing part of the balcony, over the parapet. Here, the installation process is simpler, it allows you to use the installation of structures using self-tapping screws or anchors.

And also, according to the method of fixation, the grilles can be divided into those that are hung on the hinges and those that are installed on the rails. Classic swing models can be installed independently.They are fixed on hinges, provide ease of use, but over time or under the influence of weather factors, they can warp and jam.

Sliding grilles are mounted indoors on a glazing unit. Here they use a system of guides and rollers fixed in a horizontal plane. This mounting method is costly for the initial arrangement.

Grilles are not just safety features. They may well become a real decoration of the facade of the building. Correctly selected decorative elements will help turn the fence into a source of universal admiration. Beautiful wrought iron or cast lattice elements go well with vertical landscaping. And also the fence can be decorated with a decorative textile drapery, which allows you to create a feeling of privacy, to protect the open balcony from the scorching sun or rain.

The design options for the balcony lattice largely depend on the functional purpose of the space. In open, non-glazed spaces, live plants are the best choice. They can be used in many different ways.

• Plant in pots and containers. The containers are installed on the floor or hung on the parapet of the fence. They can be easily changed by moving flowers to well-lit areas according to the season.

• Use curly species. In this case, dense greenery will quickly cover the balcony grating, providing natural shading of the balcony in the heat, covering its space from prying eyes.

• Install in tubs. In this case, we can talk about exotic trees and shrubs, conifers grown in large flowerpots. You can even install a bonsai-style composition against the background of the lattice, if it fits into the overall style.

Textile fabrics are another option for decorative decoration, able to harmoniously combine with different types of grilles. For example, when installing a sliding lattice internally, it is enough to simply paint it in the color of the frames, complement it with simple curtains to match, in order to get a stylish combination of elements.

Combined with French glazing on balconies with a small ledge, full gratings are rarely installed. It is much more common to see openwork forged parapets or partial protective fences here.