Stick curtain walling is a common method for installing glass facades on buildings, particularly prevalent in low to mid-rise construction.
Understanding Stick Curtain Walling
Stick curtain walling is an on-site assembly system where the frame components are built piece by piece directly onto the building structure. The term "stick" refers to the long, linear members of the frame.
Based on the provided information:
- Application: It is the vast majority of how low to mid-rise curtain walls are installed.
- Components: It utilizes long pieces of aluminum (hence the name stick).
- Assembly: These aluminum 'sticks' are inserted vertically between floors and horizontally between vertical members.
- Function: Their primary purpose is to support and transfer the load of the glass back to the structure of the building.
How Stick Curtain Walling Works
The process typically involves:
- Attaching vertical mullions (the 'sticks') directly to the building's structure at each floor slab.
- Connecting horizontal mullions (also 'sticks') between the vertical members.
- Installing the glass units or opaque panels into the grid formed by the mullions.
- Adding pressure plates and exterior cover caps to complete the system and ensure weatherproofing.
Advantages
- Cost-Effective: Often more economical for low to mid-rise projects.
- Flexibility: Easier to accommodate minor variations in the building structure on-site.
- Logistics: Transporting individual 'sticks' is simpler than large pre-assembled units.
Considerations
- On-Site Labor: Requires more on-site labor for assembly.
- Installation Time: Can potentially be slower than modular systems for large or tall buildings.
- Weather Dependency: Installation is more susceptible to weather conditions compared to off-site fabrication.
In essence, stick curtain walling is a build-as-you-go facade system where the frame elements are assembled piece by piece on the building itself, providing the structural grid necessary to hold the glass and other panels and transfer their weight back to the main building structure.
