i made a mistake, my french swing door is too short. i need to add a window above it that is 63 1/2″ wide by 10″ tall (rough opening). i have found that i can get this custom made however the unobstructed glass view is only 3 or so inches. are there any window brands out there where i can get a minimal frame and mostly glass? a wood interior frame… i’m hoping for an opening of about 6-7 inches of unobstructed glass.
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It's not that difficult to make it yourself. Flat stock, wood or pvc, for the jamb and 1 x 1 or 3/4 x 1 or whatever for the inside and outside glass stops. Custom order the insulated glass locally, with Low-E if necessary to match the door. Space the glass off the bottom jamb about 1/8" with rubber. Silicone the outside glass stop to the jamb and a little bead of silicone where the glass meets the glass stop.
Easey peesy........
jocobe
Yep, no big deal to build your own. Use whatever seems best for jambs and something like 3/4" square stock (or 3/4 x 1) for stops on each side. If you use 3/4" stock for the jamb, you take up 3" total of height and width for the frame. Pin one side in, install glass, screw in the other side. Be sure to get the first set of stops all in one plane, so the glass will be flush against them.
The glass should rest on two small pieces of rubber at about 1/4 of the width from each end. Center the glass so you have about a quarter-inch of space all around. (Once you have the jamb in you can probably get the guy from the glass shop to come out and take measurements, and they will supply you with the rubber pieces or install the piece for you.)
sounds great. thanks for the help. hope i can return the favor sometime.lgr...
I'd make sure the glass is tempered. Sure its a code requirement but more importantly, its a nice saftey feature...
Mike
I dunno -- does it have to be tempered if it's fixed glass and above head height?
No need for tempered up there. Only in active doors or in sidelights and windows within 18" of floor.This can be made to provide clear wndow vbiew to about 2-1/2" or 3" less than RO
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Guys,
I believe it does have to be tempered (at least in the Florida Building Code) and maybe the IBC? Reason being is someone slams the door, glass breaks and large sharp shards come raining down on them. If its tempered its just little itty bitty pieces.
Mike
Could be I'm behind the curve on that one
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
If you use 1/4" glass and install it halfway correctly it's not going to break.
And if you have to use tempered glass then it will cost an arm and take forever to get the piece. Better to use acrylic or polycarbonate.
I had to do exactly what the original poster asked above my French doors when I built my house and two layers of tempered glass ran me $90. for two 12.5" x 72" pieces. Not cheap but not too bad. I was just concerned that with my temper, I would be the one to slam the door one day and get cut... ;)
Mike