Journal · Elements

Facade elements and details

Much of a facade's behaviour is decided in small details. These guides look at individual components and the places where they meet.

10 articles

Standing-seam metal roof edge against a stormy sky
Elements

Parapets, copings and roof edges: where facades meet the roof

The roof edge is where the facade stops and the roof begins, and rain hits it from every side. Copings, joints and closures decide whether it stays dry.

7 min read
Steel bolts and nuts on a warm timber surface
Elements

Brackets and fasteners behind a facade: what holds it and what protects it

Most of a facade's strength sits in small parts nobody sees. Knowing what brackets and fasteners do helps you ask better questions at review.

7 min read
Gold edge lighting tracing stepped balconies at night
Elements

Facade lighting without leaks: integrating fittings and cables

Every light fixed to a facade is a hole in the weather line. Planning the cable route, the seal and the access early keeps the envelope dry.

7 min read
Blue glass facade meeting a clean corner under a clear sky
Elements

Firestopping at curtain wall slab edges: the gap that matters

Between each floor slab and the facade there is a narrow gap that can let smoke and fire travel between floors. Closing it properly depends on several trades working together.

7 min read
Window set in a sunlit brick wall
Elements

Sealants and gaskets in facades: what each one does

Sealants and gaskets are the soft parts of a hard facade. They look minor, yet they carry much of the weather resistance, and they age faster than the metal and glass around them.

7 min read
Fine parallel metal ribs in raking light
Elements

Aluminium extrusion tolerances: what they mean for a facade

Every aluminium profile is made within a permitted range, not to an exact size. Those small ranges add up across a frame and decide how well corners, seals and glass fit.

7 min read
White louvred pergola roof against a blue sky
Elements

Pergolas and glass canopies: weather and drainage

A pergola or glass canopy is exposed on every side. Getting the drainage, glazing and fixings right matters more than the shape.

7 min read
Glass roof grid seen from below against a pale blue sky
Elements

Skylight design: daylight, heat and drainage

A skylight is a roof opening as well as a source of daylight. The glass, framing, gutters, support and cleaning plan must be designed together.

6 min read
Vertical timber fins in front of a glazed building face
Elements

Louvers and sun-shading fins: how they cut heat gain

The best place to stop the sun is outside the glass. Louvers and fins do that, and they also give a facade depth and rhythm. Here is how to use them well.

7 min read
Glass balustrade along a terrace in front of a stone-clad building
Elements

Glass balustrades: what to check before you specify

A glass balustrade keeps the view and protects the edge. It is also a safety element, so how it is fixed, and what the glass does when it breaks, matter.

7 min read

General guidance for orientation, not a specification. Applicable standards, values and details are confirmed per project with the facade consultant.

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