Architectural Aluminum Curtain Wall Systems

The curtain wall is the element of a project on which, if you are not doing things right, everybody can get hurt... Walter Scarborough, HKS Inc.
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Storefront or Curtain Wall:
Which Product is Right for my Application?

Left: The Millennium Tower in Addison, Texas, is a good example of a curtain wall application. HKS Architects. Right: A storefront system was used on the H&R Block Headquarters building in Kansas City, MO. BNIM Architects.

It used to be simple to choose between a curtain wall and storefront glazing system. Curtain walls were for large, towering buildings. Storefront systems were for small, one-or-two-story buildings, often retail stores.

The name said it all.

Today, things are a bit more confusing. There are more storefront systems and more curtain wall systems. Many two-story buildings combine uses, such as office/retail. As you look through brochures and CDs, you see center-set applications, front-set applications, structurally silicone products, tubular and I-beam curtain walls-and you wonder which of these many products will fit your project application.

To make matters more difficult, those towering buildings are not as common now. Most have been replaced by buildings no more than 10-stories tall. So the natural question is, "Can't I use a storefront system on this six-story office building?"

CDC consultant Jerry Johnson says the answer is not a simple one, but the following rule of thumb can make it a pretty basic decision: "Storefront systems were designed primarily for use in one-to-four-story applications-usually small retail buildings or strip centers."

Other factors to keep in mind are the following differences between the two systems:

Storefront Curtain Wall
Finish One Finish Dual Finish
Gasket Vinyl EPDM, Silicone
Performance Air 6.24 =.06 CFM/FT² 6.24 = .06 CFM/FT²
Water Test 10 psf per ASTM E 331 15 psf per ASTM 331

The key factor in selecting a curtain wall or storefront system is the enclosure's ability to handle and control water. Water control is the ability of the glazing system to collect and drain to the exterior of the building. As you can see by the storefront and curtain wall detail illustrations, a storefront system has a very limited water head compared to a curtain wall system, but a storefront system will perform very well in the proper application.

Water control is a much bigger problem for specification writers than concerns about structural requirements, says Johnson. "It is usually obvious when a storefront glazing system is not capable of meeting structural and wind load requirements. When a system fails, water control is usually the problem."

The following checklist of questions about the project requirements and system capabilities may help make the selection easier:

  • What do the specifications require • CRF and "U" value ratings?
  • Air, water and structural requirements? • Specified gaskets?
  • Finish requirements? • Live-load slab deflections and seismic?

Cutting corners is not recommended when it comes to overall building construction, and the glazing system is no different. A building owner might get by using a storefront system when a curtain wall system is needed. However, that decision might prove costly in the long run. That is why it is important to determine the exact requirements of a glazing system before making your selection.

 

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Originally published in Architectural Record.
Originally published in December 2005

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