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Can anybody advise on installing a heavy glass panel?
I have been asked to make and install an honours panel in a newly built library/museum.
The panel is 1000×1700, and they want it in 10mm glass with standoffs.
there is a single vertical stud in the centre behind the gib board wall, shown in red.
I thought maybe four standoffs up the middle, and one on each corner. The corner ones won’t hold any weight but they are there to keep the panel parallel to the wall. They will be installed with metal gib spiral thingies.Do you think this is safe enough? 10mm glass is pretty heavy. I believe the stud is 2×4.
Now for the clanger – the last library on this site was destroyed in the big earthquake!
Does anybody here think I should use 10mm acrylic instead? The chairman REALLY wants glass. Maybe I should tell him he’s dreaming. Or get him to sign a thing.
Now that I’ve written it down, I think I am leaning towards acrylic.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
Simon Worrall.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Simon Worrall.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Simon Worrall.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Simon Worrall.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Simon Worrall.
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This discussion was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by
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13 Replies
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10mm sounds excessive.
5mm acrylic, and I’m sure you can get acrylic with a green edge so will look like glass.
I’ve been looking at tiling my bathroom, and there is a weight limit per sq/m for plasterboard, another consideration.
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5mm is a bit spindly. They want something a bit chunkier. The building was designed by nzs most awarded architect, and this has to match the chunky style.
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My calculator says a piece of 10mm toughened glass of these dimensions would weigh 42.5kgs!
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If I remember well me and you were in similar situation years ago. Client installed extra support in the wall.
Suggest to client to redo the wall. (maybe even the yellow area, its a public place!)
Being public library, I don’t see why they will not redo the wall. It is the only option in my opinion.
If that doesn’t work, offer lighter material, but get them to sign a waver.
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Chances are the Chairman has seen clear acrylic signs like this and assumed they were glass and that’s why he’s asking for glass. Once you’ve educated him I’m sure he’ll agree that clear acrylic with polished edges is the way to go.
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yeah no Phil he knows the difference.
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Green edged Acrylic all the way Simon and agree with Phil…
10mm glass panel😱 I wouldn’t like to be responsible for that staying up especially at 42kg
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Not sure if these will work on this occasion as they are rather large (25mm holes) but they would do the job, I use them all the time when I have heavy stuff to hang on plasterboard.
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What’s on the other side of the wall?
We once had to move a huge and heavy ancient hardwood carved shield with smaller silver plaques and shields on it. The new destination wall was stud and plaster board and we had the same weight and fixing concerns. We just built a separate support structure on the rear (in a storage area) and used long fixings to go through to it, just an idea
Also is there a plug socket bottom right – will the wires run up from this?
Good luck
Dave
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Yeah David there is a public room behind the wall so thats a non starter, but thanks for the suggestion.
I have sent the email telling him of my concerns, basically saying its acrylic or nothing. Awaiting a response.
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This is where our own experience must be enforced before accepting what we are told to do in instances like this. If the customer is firm on what he wants, acknowledge it but put it to him in an email stating your concerns and what you would recommend, and take it from there.
10mm Glass
* Heavy
* Expensive
* Longer turnaround time
* You have limited fixing points on a weak wall.10mm Polycarbonate.
* With polished edges will look the same.
* Much lighter, safer.
* Won’t break even if it falls or experiences earth tremors and more.
* Much cheaper
* Faster to have made for you, as you will need the glass polished and drilled also.Most likely, he is asking for something that may have been specified to him. As places like this seldom go one man’s choice or budget.
If he just wants what he wants, then, by all means, supply it but should it fall off the wall or land on someone’s foot, or just break. who is picking up the tab and the blame? -
Just an update, the customer has reluctantly agreed to go with acrylic on this job.
Thanks for your replies.
Simon.
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Thanks for the update on the post, Simon.
I think it’s the best option when all is considered. 👍
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