products
| glass PPG Reveals New Line of Colored Architectural Glasses Pittsburgh-based PPG Indus-tries has unveiled the new Oceans of Color collection, which is a line of ocean-colored performance tinted architectural glasses. These green energy-efficient glasses are engineered to meet industry-leading ratings for visible light transmittance, reduced infrared transmittance and low solar heat gain coefficience. The Oceans of Color line encompasses four spectrally-selective tinted glasses: Caribia aqua-green glass, Atlantica emerald-green glass, Azuria aqua-blue glass and Solexia light-green glass. |
Guardian Introduces Low-Iron Glass
Auburn Hills, Mich.-based Guardian Industries now has its UltraWhite™ low-iron glass available. The product is being marketed as high transmission with the capability of being used anywhere regular float glass is used. It was created in response to what the company says was a market demand for increased clarity and color neutrality. Ranging in thickness from .08-.48 inches and with possible applications including curtainwall, doors and entranceways, spandrel glass, storefronts and skylights, the company intends to keep production of UltraWhite in frequent runs.
“Guardian will make UltraWhite readily available, which has not been the case in the marketplace until now,” said Tony Hobart, group vice president of North American sales and marketing.
Info www.guardian.com
Pilkington Optitherm™ Now Temperable
Pilkington has introduced a new temperable version of its Optitherm SN low-emissivity glass. This new version has been named Optitherm T
SN—the T designates that the product may be tempered.
The Optitherm T SN is a clear, float glass with a low-emissivity coating intended for commercial applications.
The coating is applied offline using the vacuum magetron sputtering process, offering an emissivity of 0.04 and an ultimate U-value of 1.1 W/m2K. In addition, the product can be glazed together with standard Optitherm SN with no color differences.
Info www.pilkington.com
windows
Graham Opens up to New Series
The Graham Renaissance series of pultruded fiberglass windows and doors is a recent addition to the products from the company. The product is designed as a durable alternative to aluminum and wood-clad
windows.
According to information from Graham, pultruded fiberglass expands at the same rate as glass, so all components work together as a unit, helping to protect against expansion and contraction stress.
The series is available in casement windows with 3 ¼-inch frame depth, fixed ribbon with 4-inch frame depth, terrace doors with tilt-and-turn action and 2-inch frame and sliding glass doors with 5 ¾-inch frame depth.
Info www.arcat.com
Wausau Launches the RX Series
The RX series window wall is now available from Wausau, Wis.-based Wausau Window and Wall Systems. The new series is engineered for maximum design flexibility and can be used in a variety of applications: most punched openings, continuous, vertical strips of windows, horizontal ribbons of windows or low-rise
curtainwalls.
According to information from the company, the series meets rigorous performance standards for water-resistance, air infiltration and thermal efficiency. It can also accommodate seismic and inter-story differential movement.
The series is available in factory-assembled and glazed units, factory assembled frames, factory fabricated knocked-down components or stock
lengths. They are also available with receptors/starters and can be specified in horizontal or vertical two-sided structurally glazed units with interior or exterior glazing.
The window walls feature a 2 1/4-inch siteline and 4 ¾-inch or 6 ¼-inch frame depths. Glass is front-loaded, and the frames come in two-color finishing. Spandrel glass, aluminum panels, glazed-in vents or doorframe adapters can be added as well.
| overhead glazing TACO Metals Introduces Glass Canopy TACO Metals of Miami has enhanced its product offerings with the addition of its glass canopy system. “TACO’s glass canopy system is popular in Europe and Canada, but the concept is relatively new in the United States,” said Mike Kushner, vice president of sales for TACO Metals. “The frameless glass awning provides freedom for creativity in designing storefronts and home entranceways.” The glass canopy is made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, and according to the company, the system guarantees a long life and weather protection, meeting all demands. Either heat-strengthened or laminated safety glass can be used in system. Info www.tacometals.com |
glass railing
CRL Introduces GlassWedge for Installation of Glass Rail Panels
C.R. Laurence Inc. of Los Angeles has introduced its new CRL GlassWedge™ system for all-glass hand rail and guard rail systems that the company says is an easy, fast and cost effective way of installing glass rail panels. The company adds that glass rail panels are gaining in popularity, particularly with architects who use them along the edges of mezzanines, as contemporary stair railings and around decks and patios.
“This new system is an improvement over cement systems and reduces labor for installation and cleaning up,” said John O’Brien, architectural products manager. “In fact, we estimate that using the GlassWedge system will save 40 to 75 percent or more in labor on level rails, and much more in sloped ramps and stairs.”
Another benefit of the system is that it simplifies the replacement of broken lites of glass. “Since there are no sealants or cements to clean out, a glass lite is easy to remove when necessary,” said O’Brien
“A chipped or scratched lite, or even an improperly installed lite, can be removed, replaced or repositioned almost as quickly as it was installed.”
The product, which is a dry, mechanical system, consists of three components: a high-impact plastic isolator channel with an inverted wedge on one channel leg; a high-strength matching
aluminum wedge; and a heavy extruded aluminum base shoe. The installer slides the isolators on the glass panel, drops the panel into the base shoe and drives in the wedges.
Info www.crlaurence.com
Forms+Surfaces Unveils New Railing System
Forms+Surfaces of Carpinteria, Calif., has introduced the new silhouette railing system, which the company describes as a “kit of parts” for handrails, guardrails and specialized applications. Available in stainless steel or bronze, the system is based upon a collection of sculpted fittings combined with rails and balusters.
Infill options from the company are also available.
According to the company, the system comes with design and engineering support. For instance, upon order, Forms+Surfaces works directly with project CAD files to create takeoffs and approval drawings upon manufacturing, all components are packaged and delivered. The company claims that assembly is straightforward using a combination of high-strength metal bonding adhesive and stainless steel fasteners, meaning that no on-site welding, grinding or extra finish work is required.
Info www.forms-surfaces.com
| covers and beam wraps SAF Unveils New Column Covers and Beam Wraps Atlanta-based Southern Aluminum Finishing (SAF) has launched its new metal fabrication division with a line of column covers and beam wraps. Designed for both interior and exterior column treatments, the new column covers can accommodate a minimum radius of 7 inches, and heights of up to 12 feet. According to the company, its beam wraps are designed to complement column covers, or can function as stand-alone treatments to enhance exposed beams, entranceways and other areas. Penn McClatchey, vice president of SAF and manager of the new fabrication division, comments, “By using a pre-engineered system approach to design and fabrication, as well as a broad spectrum of material types and finishes, SAF can offer an almost endless product line.” Beam wraps and column covers may be ordered with horizontal or vertical reveals. They are custom-fabricated, and can be standard-finished or custom-finished in a variety of materials and finishes, including painted or anodized aluminum, aluminum composite materials, brushed or embossed stainless steel and woven or perforated metal patterns. Info www.saf.com |
hurricane-resistant glazing
Braving the Storm
Oldcastle Glass of Santa Monica, Calif., has introduced StormGlass™, a high-performance, laminated product for hurricane impact-resistant glazing.
”StormGlass has been developed to resist very high design pressures for large glazed openings in both the residential and commercial building markets," said Ted Hathaway, chief executive officer. "With its unique, exclusive composite interlayer, StormGlass provides architects and designers with the flexibility of using large glass sizes while satisfying hurricane-related building code requirements.“
According to information from Oldcastle, StormGlass incorporates an advanced interlayer technology that features high elastic modulus for adhesion to glass.
To demonstrate the performance of StormGlass, two independent Florida test labs subjected a number of window units to wind pressures at 80 psf and 107 psf. The 40-square foot units, which featured both non-captured and captured glazing systems, met the design pressures required
by the wind zones of South Florida, according to Oldcastle.
Info www.oldcastle.com
Storefronts and entrances
Vistawall Launches the Rugged Entrance™ System
Vistawall Architectural Products of Terrell, Texas, has introduced the Rugged Entrance system for high-traffic areas such as schools, hospitals and other public buildings.
The system comes in narrow, medium and wide stiles, and its tubular construction features welded corners and shear block and bolt construction. In addition, the system is monumental grade and has 3/16-inch wall thickness and a door depth of two inches. According to the company, it is 30 percent heavier than standard doors and high-bottom rails.
The entrances are available with the company’s VIP™ I or II mid-panel exit systems, and the its Nightwatch™ concealed rotary astragal for a pair of doors can be combined as well.
Available finishes include black, bronze and clear, as well as high-performance
finishes.
Info www.vistawall.com
| decorative glass Imaging Sciences Offers Decorative Interlayer Product In an effort to reach the decorative glass market, Cleveland-based Imaging Sciences has developed its Imagine Glass™ technology. Imagine Glass incorporates a decorative interlayer laminated between two lites of glass. Images can be as large as 146 inches by 60 inches. Design possibilities, according to the company, include the sandblasted look, grids, patterns, logos and more. The glass is also said to feature the same attributes of safety glazing. Info imagingsciences.com |
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