What Kind of Glass is Used for Glass Roofs?

Laminated glass is used following safety regulations which state that inner panes must always be laminated when more than 5 metres above floor level. This level is increased to 13 metres when in limited circumstances or when over water. Laminated glass also does not shatter when broken as the glass holds together.

What Are The Benefits of Glass Roof Systems?

Glass roof systems are aesthetically pleasing and efficient at drawing in more light than an ordinary vertically positioned window. They’re also advantageous for heat retention in the winter and help to reduce the need for constant artificial heat, as their insulating properties make your heat go further.

How Do You Clean Glass Roof Systems?

All you need is warm soapy water, a sponge, and a microfibre cloth. The warm soapy water will help to lift the dirt from the surface of the glass, the sponge will dislodge it from the surface, and the microfibre cloth will leave a clean and streak-free finish on the panes. It is important to use non-abrasive cleaners, soft cloths, and avoid jet washers entirely to prevent permanent damage.

Are Glass Roof Systems Durable and Safe?

Absolutely. Modern construction techniques ensure that the glass used is strong and capable of withstanding environmental stresses such as wind, snow, rain, and hail. Safety considerations include the use of laminated or tempered glass, which reduces the risk of shattering in case of impact.

Will A Glass Roof Make The Building Hotter with Natural Light?

While it wont necessarily make your building hotter, it will retain heat very efficiently. So, if you have your heater running for hours at a time, your building will feel hotter. The best thing about glass roofs is that they have great insulating properties which substantially reduce the need for artificial heat. Are you interested in installing roof windows to your property? Visit our page for more information.

Standard & Bespoke Glass Roofs

Energy Efficient & Tailor-Made Glass Roof Systems

Glass roofs come in many shapes and forms, from a small flat rooflight on a typical home extension to large glass roofs on a major shopping centre or train station to maximise the benefits of natural light.

Robust, aesthetically appealing, and contemporary, glass roofs offer a stylish answer when seeking to expand your property or building while also enabling the construction of sunlit extensions.

Our tailor-made glass roofs, featuring expansive glass panels and a modern architectural style, can easily upgrade any outdated uPVC roof to your exact requirements and offer complete flexibility for creating your dream energy-efficient project.

Are you interested in learning more about the benefits of safety glass? Read more on our safety glass page.

Which Glass Roof System Are You Looking For?

We offer a range of glass roof systems, depending on the desired level of performance and appearance.View our functional glass roof range below to complement the aesthetics of your decor.

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Patent Glazing

Patent Glazing was first introduced at the turn of the 20th century and remains the most reliable and cost-effective method to form a glass roof.

Examples can be seen on many trains stations and covered markets throughout the UK and are best used for unheated spaces where no thermal insulation is required.

Typically, the glass is single glazing and supported with glazing bars spaced at nominal 600mm centres. This creates a quick and easy installation without any complicated handling or lifting equipment required.

The glazing bars have integral drainage channels and generally, installed above 15° pitch for weather-tightness reasons.

Timber Astragals

A rebated timber rafter is the most basic of methods where the glass is usually seated on a glazing tape with a continuous wooden capping with mastic tapes clamping the glass in place and keeping water out.

This used to be a popular method in Victorian times and still sometimes seen today on high-end timber conservatories/ However, it is not a satisfactory method and leaks often occur due to movement in the timber, which can affect weather-tightness.

The external capping requires regular painting and maintenance if they are not to deteriorate quickly in our English climate.

Thermally Broken Systems

A wide range of thermally broken systems, two-edge support systems suitable for double or triple glazing are available varying from low-cost PVC-U glazing bars for the domestic market through to more robust aluminium systems aimed primarily at the commercial and heritage sectors.

These systems have thermal breaks that reduce the transfer of heat between inside and outside of the building (otherwise known as cold bridging), thus increasing insulation and reducing the risk of condensation forming on the glass.

These systems tend to be suitable for installation up to 750 mm glazing bar centres, but rarely provide the non-fragility and/or air-tightness performance required to meet latest building regulations.

High Performance Sloped Roof Glazing Systems

There are many high performance aluminium systems available for glass roofs that vary from high end stainless steel linking panel systems, through to sloped curtain walling systems and high performance sloped glazing systems designed specifically for the purpose.

These systems lend themselves to be used at wide glazing bar centres, typically up to 1200mm wide and offer superior weather, air-tightness and non-fragile performance as the glass panels are retained on all four sides.

To find the best sloped roof glazing systems, look for systems that have been independently tested and provide certification of performance in terms of air-tightness, weather-tightness, thermal performance and non-fragility.

Frameless Glass Roofs

The ‘glass box’ is a fashionable addition to many homes and buildings proving very popular with designers.

These glass structures are usually silicone bonded at the joints and glass fins provide the support to the glass roof panels so the appearance is ‘frameless’ with little or no visible metal. Bolted glass such as Planar is another method to achieve this. Only use a contractor with a proven track record and the management & technical expertise to successfully install such bespoke glazing.

Rooflights and Roof Lanterns for Flat Roofs

Flat Roof Lights

Modular flat rooflights or roof lanterns are often used to provide additional light to flat roof home extensions featuring the ever popular bi-folding doors across the front.

Many standard size rooflights are available from a plethora of manufacturers ranging in price and quality, so it is important to research and ensure you deal with a professional and reliable manufacturer.

Single and multi-pane variations can be manufactured with non-fragile and walk-on glass to suit roof terrace or ground floor patios over basement rooms.

Fixed and opening versions are available for both ventilation or access and can be manually or electrically or manually operated.

Flat Rooflights offer a cost effective and easy method of providing daylight and small roof lanterns can usually be installed by any competent builder without the need of employing a specialist contractor.

Frequently asked questions about Glass Roofs

FAQs

What Kind of Glass is Used for Glass Roofs?
Laminated glass is used following safety regulations which state that inner panes must always be laminated when more than 5 metres above floor level. This level is increased to 13 metres when in limited circumstances or when over water. Laminated glass also does not shatter when broken as the glass holds together.
What Are The Benefits of Glass Roof Systems?
Glass roof systems are aesthetically pleasing and efficient at drawing in more light than an ordinary vertically positioned window. They’re also advantageous for heat retention in the winter and help to reduce the need for constant artificial heat, as their insulating properties make your heat go further.
How do You Clean Glass Roof Systems?
All you need to is warm soapy water, a sponge, and a microfibre cloth. The warm soapy water will help to lift the dirt from the surface of the glass, the sponge will dislodge it from the surface, and the microfibre cloth will leave a clean and streak-free finish on the panes. It is important to use non-abrasive cleaners, soft cloths, and avoid jet washers entirely to prevent permanent damage.
Are Glass Roof Systems Durable and Safe?
Absolutely. Modern construction techniques ensure that the glass used is strong and capable of withstanding environmental stresses such as wind, snow, rain, and hail. Safety considerations include the use of laminated or tempered glass, which reduces the risk of shattering in case of impact.
Will A Glass Roof Make The Building Hotter with Natural Light?
Modern, low-emissivity glass reduces solar heat gain and enables easier control of the building’s heating and cooling system. In the winter, greater insulation means more heat retention and in the summer the solar reflective qualities prevent undesirable heat gain.
Are you interested in installing roof windows to your property? Visit our page for more information.

Are you looking to create a glass roof for your home or business?

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