What is the purpose of a curtain wall?

The primary purpose of a curtain wall system is to protect the building interior against the exterior natural phenomena such as sun exposure, temperature changes, earthquake, rain, and wind. This protection can be separated into two major categories, namely structural safety and interior environmental control.

What are the different types of curtain walls?

Types of Curtain Wall System

• Stick Curtain Wall System.
• Unitized Curtain Wall System.

What are curtains in construction?

A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, utilized only to keep the weather out and the occupants in. Since the curtain wall is non-structural, it can be made of lightweight materials, such as glass, thereby potentially reducing construction costs.

What is a double aluminum curtain wall?

An aluminum curtain wall is a thin aluminum-framed wall, which contains in-fills of glass, metal panels, or thin stone. This frame is attached to building structures and does not carry the floor or roof loads of the building.

What are the two modes of aluminum curtain wall assembly?

There are two main types of curtain walling construction: “stick” and “unitised”. In stick construction, the curtain wall frame is constructed mainly on site with mullions and transoms supporting glass, spandrel panels, metal panels and brise-soleils, connected piece by piece.

What is the difference between a window wall and a curtain wall?

Simply put, the main difference between the systems is that the window wall structurally sits between the suspended reinforced concrete slabs while the curtain wall is hung off the slab edges by anchors. A comparison is also made for the two systems’ constructability, cost, and maintainability.

Can curtain walls be structural?

Unlike other building materials, a curtain wall system is thin and lightweight, usually aluminum and glass. These walls are not structural, and by design, they are only able to carry their own weight, while transferring the load of wind and gravity to the structure of the building.

How is a curtain wall attached to building?

Generally speaking, curtain wall attaches to the outside of the floor slabs, acting as a “curtain” that is literally hung on the building and therefore, non-load bearing. It spans slab to slab, and systems are most often constructed in one of two ways; stick-built or panelized.

Are curtain walls expensive?

Compared to window walls, curtain walls are typically more labor- and cost-intensive. That’s why they’re more commonly found in luxury commercial real estate. Yet, the higher costs do include benefits like improved structural integrity. Curtain walls offer improved resistance to moisture, wind, earthquakes, and heat.

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