GLAZING OPTIONS

A little about our glazing options:

This information is provided as an overview.  You’ll be able to easily specify your choice in our editable specs.  We offer both glass and polycarbonate glazing options for most of our products.

The Advantage of Glass

✔️Clarity
✔️Durable and permanent
✔️Large selection of colors, coatings & treatments
✔️Good insulating values with hi-performance coatings
✔️Safe when using tempered and/or laminated inner layers

The Advantage of Polycarbonate

✔️Lower cost
✔️Large, lightweight panels
✔️Translucent options, restricts vision & lets light in
✔️Large selection of colors and systems
✔️Good energy ratings with most options

 

Glazing selections for metal-framed Galaxy Skylights, glazed structures, GrowTech Greenhouses, SkyQuest, and Oasis Pool Enclosures

Our standard insulated glass offering on commercial projects is:

Exterior lite – 1/4″ fully tempered clear glass
Interior lite on roofs – 1/4″ heat strengthened, laminated glass with .060 inner layer
Interior lite on walls – 1/4″ fully tempered cleaer glass
Coatings and fillings – SilverCoat E366 (Cardinal 366) and argon gas
Overall thickness: 1″

Optional glass selections are virtually endless:

✔️Tints (bronze, gray, blues, greens, etc.)
✔️Low-e coatings from all manufacturers: Viracon, Cardinal, Guardian, Pilkington, Vitro, etc.
✔️Ultra-clear (low iron) for maximum clarity, preferred in greenhouses and museums.
✔️ Hurricane-rated inner layers, .090 and SentryGard
✔️Decorative ceramic frit elements: dots, lines, holes, chicken wire, and custom designs
✔️Internal grids

Optional polycarbonate selections for Galaxy Skylights, GrowTech Greenhouses, glazed structures, SkyQuest, and Oasis Pool Enclosures include:

✔️25mm thickness (1″) multi-wall (preferred thickness)
✔️Colors: clear, white/opal, bronze, gray, blue, green, etc.

Note: Our Barrel Ridge skylight is not available with polycarbonate glazing due to the curved glazing at the ridge. Glass thickness will increase as the glass panels grow in size.

Glazing selections for our translucent systems including ThermalSky 275, Thermalite Plus, and SkyView 40

ThermalSky 275

Our highest-rated system at 2.75″ thick with an internal 1′ x 2′ aluminum grid.

Standard: Two layers of 16mm multi-wall polycarbonate, clear or opal/white.

Color options: Bronze, gray, green, and blue (one or both panels).

 Thermalite Plus

Our 2.75″ thick system with no exposed aluminum on the exterior or interior side.

Standard: two layers of 10mm multi-wall polycarbonate in clear, opal/white on one side or both panels

Color options: Bronze, gray, green, and blue (on one or both panels)

SkyView 40

Our most cost-effective translucent system.

Standard: one 40mm layer of tongue in groove multi-wall polycarbonate. Available in clear or opal/white.

Color options: Bronze, gray, green, and blue

Glazing selections for canopies

We do not offer a “standard” glazing material for our canopies. Every canopy is designed exclusively for our customers. Contact our design team today!

Popular glazing selections include the following:

Glass

¼” to ½” thick HS or tempered laminated glass with .060, .090, or SentryGard inner layers.
You can also add tints (bronze, grey, blue, green) and/or Low-E coatings to reduce heat build-
up under the canopy and/or ceramic frit designs to enhance the overall appearance.

Monolithic polycarbonate

With an appearance similar to glass, this comes in 4mm or 6mm. Color choices include clear, opal/white, bronze, grey, blue or green, sheet sizes vary.

Sungalze System

A Beautiful European-style canopy system using monolithic polycarbonate with specialized aluminum profiles. This very attractive system is available in several colors and heat-controlled coatings and both sides are UV stabilized. With this glazing, 24” wide bays are required.

Multi-wall polycarbonate

These translucent-style panels are great for canopies. Most reduce heat build and are available in clear, opal/white, bronze, grey, blue, and green.
Since they are not clear they are especially good at hiding dirt and scratches that canopies are subjected to. These glazing materials must be installed at a minimum of 5% slope, 10% is recommended. Sheet sizes vary.

Multi-Wall Systems

We offer several types of these canopy systems. Most are translucent, thicknesses vary between 8mm and 25mm, standing seams capped with aluminum profiles prevent leakage, available in many colors and heat-reducing coatings. Both sides are UV protected. These glazing materials must be installed at a minimum of 5% slope, 10% is recommended. Panels are 24” wide and can be up to 40’ long. Special design considerations must be adhered to.

Other factors to consider when selecting your glazing materials

✔️Glass warranties against seal failure is 10 years
✔️ Polycarbonate warranties are for 10 years per their manufacturer
✔️When designing our barrel ridge skylight, the curve at the ridge must be insulated glass
✔️ We do not recommend single pane glass or insulated glass without Low-E in conditioned spaces
✔️When designing with polycarbonate, please contact us first, there are several design requirements that must be followed
✔️Extended lead times and minimum quantities may apply
✔️There are literally hundreds of glass types, coatings, and treatments. We can obtain most of them at competitive pricing and will be happy to design around your preferences.

Glass performance ratings

In the early 1980s when skylights, sunrooms, and glazed structures became popular the only glass options were single pane, double pane, or insulated glass.
Unfortunately, even though attractive,  this type of glass did not allow spaces to be heated or cooled very effectively.  Glass technology has made great advances since the 80s. Spaces with skylights and even glazed structures today can be heated and cooled efficiently.

Our SilverCoat E-366 and Solarban 70XL are the best value in glass available. It’s manufactured especially for Crystal Structures by Cardinal Glass,  one of the premier glass manufacturing and coating companies in the world.  Our Solarban 70XL is made by Vitro (PPG) and is considered equal to SilverCoat E-366.  Based on the availability, project size, and logistics of the project we may elect to use Solarban 70XL in place of SilverCoat E-366 – both are high-performance glass options.

Benefits of our high-performance glass:

  • Clear insulated glass gives a clear view inside and out.
  • Fully tempered safety glass on each part of the glazing unit, overhead glazing is laminated for safety
  • Increased energy performance since the air cavity is filled with argon gas
  • Dual seals, one for moisture and one for structural adhesion
  • Bent spacers, one joint instead of four
  • 3 special silver low-e coatings on the number 2 side of the glass
  • Up to 10 year warranty against fogging or separation
  • SilverCoat 366 and Solarban 70XL coatings are almost clear
SilverCoat Model: Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight
Transmission
Recommended Use
SilverCoat E-366 0.27 2.44 4.2 0.24 66% General conditioned space
Solarban 70XL 0.27 2.37 3.7 0.27 64% General conditioned space
A Few Optional Low-E Coatings
SilverCoat E-340 0.18 2.17 4.0 0.25 39%  Southern climates
SilverCoat E-272 0.41 1.75 4.0 0.25 72%  Northern climates / greenhouses
Solarban 60XL 0.38 1.84 3.7 0.27 70%  Northern climates, more light & heat
Clear Dual Insulated (no Low-E) 0.78 1.05 2.0 0.58 82%  Production greenhouses, requires more heat and cooling

If laminated glass is used, the UV transmission is zero (0)

Many other Low-E coatings are available from Pilkington, Guardian, Old Castle, and Viracon.

Polycarbonate performance ratings

Most polycarbonate products that are of the same style, weight, and thickness have very similar performance ratings regardless of the manufacturer.   Most of the following ratings are using products manufactured by Gallina USA. We can supply the exact ratings from other manufacturers if necessary.  The options and combinations are about endless.  We’ve listed the most popular selections below. Contact our design team for additional information.

 

ThermalSky 275

Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight Transmission Recommended Use
Clear/Clear 0.52 1.03 5.6 .18 54% General conditioned space
Clear/Opal 0.29 0.93 5.6 .18 27% General conditioned space
Opal/Clear .29 1.0 5.6 .18 29%
Opal/Opal .20 0.90 5.6 .18 18%

Thermalite Plus

Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight Transmission Recommended Use
Clear/Clear 0.56 .87 5.6 0.18 49%  Southern climates
Clear/Opal 0.42

.64

 

5.6 0.18 27%  Northern climates / greenhouses
Opal/Opal 0.31 .45 5.6 0.18 14%  Northern climates, more light & heat
Opal/Clear 5.6 0.18

SkyView 40

Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight Transmission Recommended Use
Clear .68 .99 5.6 .188 67%
Opal .45 .67 5.6 .188 30%

Standard Sheets

Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight Transmission Recommended Use
8mm multiwall clear .82 .99 1.72 .58 81%
8mm multiwall opal .65 .88 1.72 .58 57%
10mm multiwall clear .82 1.0 1.92 .52 82%
10mm multiwall opal .64 .89 1.92 .52 57%
16mm multiwall clear .68 .96 2.77 .36 65%
16mm multiwall opal .45 .89 2.77 .36 40%
25mm multiwall clear .54 1.09 3.84 .26 58%
25mm multiwall opal .39 1.02 3.84 .26 40%

Polycarbonate Glazing Systems

Solar Heat Gain
Coefficient
Light to Solar Gain R
Value
U Value Daylight Transmission Recommended Use
626 20mm clear ,68 .96 3.84 .26 65%
626 20mm opal .45 .89 3.84 .26 40%
Sunglaze 4mm clear (monolithic system)* .87 1.03 N/A N/A 90%
Sunglaze 4mm opal (monolithic system)* .30 .93 N/A N/A 28%
6mm clear (monolithic system)*
6mm opal (monolithic system)*

*these ratings will be similar to most 4mm and 6mm monolithic panels

Most polycarbonate panels are available in bronze, gray, blue, and green. Contact us for the performance ratings for these colors.