Can Juliet Balconies Be Frameless?
For properties with less space or owners with smaller budgets, Juliet balconies are a popular alternative to traditional balconies – allowing access to the outside from an upper storey, just without an external floor.
With a railing or balustrade secured across a window or door opening, a Juliet balcony creates the effect of a balcony without requiring an extension, which can be more cost-effective.
However, if you want to make the most of this faux balcony, you won’t want the view blocked by metal railings or thick steel posts – but you’ll still want the structure to be strong and safe.
Fortunately, there is an ideal solution for achieving an aesthetic false balcony without compromising on the safety of the installation.
Here’s how you can create a frameless Juliet balcony using toughened glass balustrades.
How Does A Frameless Juliet Balcony Work?
The simplest way to achieve a frameless look for a Juliet balcony is to use a continuous panel of glass that allows more light through, fixing it in place at the sides and/or bottom instead.
Without upright posts obstructing the view, even if a handrail is installed across the top, the balconette will feel much more open to the outside than it would with traditional railings.
There are various types of mounting systems available that can secure a frameless Juliet balcony – here are some of the most popular options you could choose from.
Horizontal Semi-framed Juliet Balcony
If you aren’t intent on your balustrade looking as seamless as possible, you might settle for a semi-framed or semi-frameless design – depending on how you look at it.
These systems are partially framed, typically with a cap rail or bracketed hand rail at the top and a channel or slotted rail at the bottom, with the sides left ‘unframed’.
The hardware will usually be made of stainless steel or aluminium, but can also be powder-coated for a coloured finish, often in shades such as black, grey, cream, or white.
Vertical Juliet Balcony Profiles
A more frameless appearance, though technically still semi-framed, is available through a side-mount system. This relies on a vertical support profile fixed on either side of the opening.
The sleek metal bars tend to be mounted to the façade where the glass panel can be wider, but they may be fixed to the frame itself rather than the surrounding masonry if preferred.
These can also be finished with an RAL colour powder coat to help them blend in to the building or window/door frame, letting the expanse of glass become the focal point.
Stand-off Juliet Balcony Fittings
If you would rather have the ultimate frameless look, with no bars and no rails involved, there is another side-mount style available that has barely any visible fittings.
Stand-off fittings, sometimes known as stand-off buttons, use small metal ‘buttons’ that are fixed to the fascia on either side of the opening (or sometimes where the panel overlaps it at the bottom).
These small and discreet fixings create the most minimalist and sleek visuals possible for frameless Juliet balconies, though they may only be suitable for certain glass sizes and loads.
Installing A Frameless Juliet Balcony
From residential properties to commercial buildings, frameless glass balconies are becoming one of the go-to choices for developers and designers looking to add extra value.
Whichever mounting style appeals to you most, it’s important to get experts involved to inspect your structure, who can assess whether installing a frameless Juliet balcony is possible and ensure that it is designed and installed safely.
There are various safety standards and building regulations that must be considered, and some cases may require planning permission if you are making significant structural alterations.
However, as long as you get help from professionals with your calculations and installation – and order your Juliet balcony balustrades and fittings from a trusted supplier – then you could soon be enjoying the benefits of your very own frameless balcony.
