Clearview National July 2016 - Issue 176 | Page 42

DOORS&WINDOWS

A big mistake many window
fabricators make – not paying
attention to glazing packing
»»ROTO EXPLAINS HOW CHOOSING
quality packer products and fitting them
correctly makes an enormous difference to
window performance and longevity…
A BIG PROMISE
Imagine someone told you they could help
you to increase the security of your windows and
doors, avoid callbacks from customers and extend
the lifetime of your products, and that you could
do this with some little bits of plastic.
Sounds a bold claim, doesn’t it? The thing is,
that could actually be true, provided they were
talking about premium quality glazing packers.
CONSTANT READJUSTMENT
– WHY?
How is it that windows or doors, made from
all the best materials, can still have problems
such as sash drop, and require constant
readjustment?
The fact is, even when you source the very
best profiles, glass units and, of course, hardware,
the way you put it all together will make a huge
difference to the lifetime and reliability of the
finished unit. One of the most important aspects
of all is the way the sash is glazed and packed.
A SERIOUS ERROR
In Roto’s experience, failing to ensure
windows and doors are glazed correctly is one
of the biggest mistakes fabricators can make. An
investment in time and training in this area can
save a lot of time and money further down the
line.
It’s an aspect of production where even fairly
quality-conscious manufacturers can sometimes
fall down. With the average size of windows
increasing, bigger glass units are being installed.
Proper packing of glazing is becoming more
important than ever.

WHAT ARE THE VITAL THINGS
YOU NEED TO CHECK?
• Check for squareness
As with any job, preparation is key. You need
to make sure you’re working with a frame that
is correctly fixed and square. There’s a sure fire
way to check a frame is completely square and it
works on ones that are rectangular too.
Just get a tape and measure the distance
between two diagonally-opposing corners. Then,
measure between the other two corners. If these
two diagonal measurements are the same, your
frame is square and true.
If the frame is out of square, you’ll never be
able to hang the sash correctly. That’s why it’s
important to get this right. You can then move
on to the sash.
• Toe and heeling
When you come to glaze the sash, it’s
important to be aware of why you’re doing it. On
any window, or door containing glazed units, the
glass isn’t just there for people to look through:
it’s a key structural element. Think of one of
those wooden doors or gates that has a diagonal
brace across it. Without that brace, the whole
thing would quickly fall out of square and begin
to drop. The glass plays exactly the same role in
your window or door. Or at least, it ought to.
When you toe and heel, you’re not just trying
to support the glass and hold it in the right place.

You should be aiming to brace the sash and form
a rigid structure. Only then will you be able to
avoid it deforming later on.
Glazing should be packed on all sides in order
to protect the edges of the unit from damage. It
should certainly never rest on the inside of the
sash.
THE RIGHT PACKERS
The packers you use should be of the correct
size so they support the glazed unit across its full
width and spread the load evenly. Of course,
that will vary depending on whether you are
using double or, as is becoming more common,
triple glazing.
The packers need to be strong: nowadays you
could be talking about sashes weighing 200, 300
or even 400 kg in the case of Lift & Slide doors,
for example.
You can’t afford to have packers that crush
or deform, and you need a selection with a
wide range of different thicknesses to choose
from. This will enable you to get the bracing
absolutely right.
PACKING HELPS SECURITY TOO
Toe and heeling isn’t the only reason for using
packers. You should also insert them at strategic
positions to support locking points and hinges.
This will make the sash harder to manipulate.
It increases protection for your customers, and
of course also helps your product when it gets
exposed to the manual attack elements of the BS
and EN security standards.
http://ftt.roto-frank.com/gb/products/
product-view/detail/roto-glas-tec/-/

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