Frameless Facades in Kerman: Structural Glazing for a Seamless Exterior

What Is a Frameless Facade and How Does Its Concealed Frame Work?

From outside, a frameless facade presents mainly glass and narrow joint lines. The retaining frame sits behind the glass edge and connects to the supporting grid. ‘Frameless’ therefore describes the exterior appearance; every panel still needs a defined path for glass weight, wind pressure, and any forces created by opening elements.

The subframe may use steel members or system-specific profiles. Vertical and horizontal grid spacing, structural anchor positions, and panel dimensions must be fixed before glass production. If the installed grid differs from the glass module, site corrections can disturb joint widths, alignment, and connection quality.

Each perimeter frame retains its glass and establishes a controlled gap to the next panel for the external joint. Glass-to-frame bonding must use materials and methods compatible with the glazing and exposure. Adhesive or tape does not replace engineering or the system’s mechanical attachment; its permitted use must follow product instructions and project design.

Fixed panels create an even surface. Opening vents should retain similar exterior lines where possible, but hardware, restrictors, drainage, and safe operation must remain explicit. An opening cannot be selected for appearance alone; dimensions, orientation, access, and wind pressure affect feasibility.

The distinction from a curtain wall is not merely the absence of an external cap. A curtain wall’s mullion-and-transom grid is central to load transfer and drainage; a typical frameless facade mounts framed panels on a separate subframe. The actual system is identified from sections and load paths, not from a finished photograph.

Subframes, Glass & Silicone Joints: Critical Design Points

Panel Layout and Subframe Control

Facade divisions must suit manufacturable glass sizes, architectural lines, floor levels, corners, and openings. Oversized panels increase weight and handling difficulty; very small panels can make joints visually dominant. Rational repetition improves production accuracy, installation speed, and future replacement.

The subframe must transfer panel loads to suitable building members. Profile type, anchor spacing, connection thickness and quality, welds, and corrosion protection require drawing and site checks. Fixing sound glass and frames to a wall or skin without adequate capacity does not create a reliable load path.

The grid must be level and plumb before volume glass production. Final measurements should preferably follow subframe fixing, or panel design must allow a defined drawing-to-site tolerance. Hiding large discrepancies with irregular joints or forced frames compromises appearance and sealing.

Selecting Safe Glass for the Facade

Glass type and thickness depend on panel size, installation height, wind pressure, breakage risk, thermal requirements, and facade colour. Tempered glass breaks differently from annealed glass, while laminated glass can retain fragments. The specification must suit each panel’s use and location; one blanket make-up may not serve the whole facade.

Glass colour and reflection can appear different across a large facade than in a small sample. Solar direction, the colour behind the glass, and differences between vision and spandrel zones affect the result. For sensitive projects, a full-size sample or facade mock-up allows review of glass colour, joint width, and subframe lines before the complete order.

Joints, Silicone & Perimeter Sealing

Joint width and depth must accommodate thermal movement, installation tolerances, and sealant behaviour. A joint that is too narrow cannot deform sufficiently; irregularly wide joints disrupt the grid. Backer rod controls silicone geometry and prevents unwanted three-sided adhesion.

Glass and frame surfaces must be cleaned and prepared, with primer applied where the sealant manufacturer requires it. Silicone compatibility with frame finishes, glass, and adjacent materials must be verified; matching colour or appearance does not prove chemical compatibility. An adhesion sample can confirm preparation before full application.

Frameless Facade Design, Fabrication & Installation in Kerman

Work starts with elevations, sections, floor levels, corners, openings, and structural conditions. A built structure requires measurement and alignment checks. The first stage is not merely an area calculation: it must establish how the grid connects to the structure, how panels will be handled, and the installation sequence.

The initial panel layout is coordinated with facade architecture. Joint lines must relate clearly to building edges, window grids, floors, and adjoining elements. Panel dimensions, glass type, fixed or opening status, and corner and perimeter details then follow. Any grid change can alter both glass and frame schedules.

Shop drawings identify each panel code, glass dimensions, frame specification, installation orientation, connection, and location. Similar-looking panels may differ at corners, floors, or vents. Coding from factory to site prevents mix-ups and simplifies future replacement.

The subframe is installed after grid and level checks. Weld or mechanical-connection quality, anchor spacing, and corrosion protection must be inspected and recorded before concealment. Interfaces with adjoining facades, roofs, parapets, and floors usually need flashing or supplementary details and cannot be deferred to the end.

Frames are cut, assembled, and prepared for glazing in the factory. Diagonals, squareness, corners, and connector positions are checked. Glass is produced to the approved schedule and matched to its frame after edge, colour, and dimensional inspection. Bond preparation and curing time must be allowed in the transport programme.

Safe access and panel sequence are essential. Each panel must fit without forced pressure and maintain the specified surrounding joints. After fixing, backer rod and exterior silicone are applied to the correct depth and profile. Corners and joint intersections must remain continuous, as must perimeter sealing to adjoining materials.

Handover checks cover alignment, colour and reflection consistency, glass condition, complete connections, silicone quality, and opening operation. If agreed, a local water test can be conducted on a sample area before access equipment is removed. Photographs of concealed subframes and connections support future maintenance.

A service summary is available in the frameless facade section of the services page . For an installed example, see the New Kerman Education Department Building case study. Other projects and services can be reached from the Behinwin home page .

What Affects the Cost of a Frameless Facade?

Cost depends on more than glass area. Building geometry and height, corners, glass size and type, colour or coating, opening panels, frames, subframe quantity and complexity, structural connections, handling and installation access, work-at-height equipment, and perimeter sealing all matter. Equal areas with different layouts and access do not share the same production or installation process.

Comparable quotations must define surveying, shop drawings, subframes and protection, frames, glass, vent hardware, bonding materials, backer rod and silicone, flashings, transport, access equipment, installation, and agreed tests. An omitted item may reduce the initial figure but become a separate cost or responsibility on site.

Panel dimensions affect glass waste, weight, handling, and installation labour or equipment. More unique types also increase design, coding, and production time. Sound optimization coordinates the architectural grid, manufacturable sizes, panel repetition, and transport limits—not unchecked reductions in glass thickness or subframe capacity.

For an initial estimate, send elevations and sections, building height, project location, approximate grid dimensions, preferred glass, and current structural condition. The technical team will identify further information and whether a visit is needed. Submit documents through the contact and consultation page .