Buying a new home, renovating an older one or simply just doing general maintenance can sometimes be overwhelming.  There are many decisions you need to make in this time about which materials will best suit your space. Thankfully however, there may be one decision that you don’t need to put much thought into. When it comes to fitting your windows with the right materials, the best choice has got to be aluminium. Whether you need new windows or to replace older ones, fitting this versatile material is a breeze.

Why Choose Aluminium?

Windows are an important feature to any home. They provide aesthetic appeal and natural light, which greatly impacts the feeling you get when walking into a room.  Windows also have to withstand plenty of abuse from outside elements like wind and heavy rain.

In order to rely on your windows for many years, they need the right tools for the job. There are a number of reasons why aluminium windows are used the most frequently in new construction these days. Happy homeowners in South Africa can vouch for the following features of aluminium:

Aesthetics

If you want to add value to your home, aluminium windows are a great place to start. When aluminium is properly installed to fit correctly, the result is a clean, modern and streamline look.  This addition to your window is highly sought after by homebuyers, as it gives the home modern appeal. While wood finishes can also be a popular option, it […]

When your kitchen is in need of a little revamp and redo, it’s hard to know where to start. You could replace your cabinets and countertops – a great, but not-so-cost-effective option. The same can be said for replacing your old appliances for something modern and fresh. One instant change that requires minimal effort and costs a whole lot less than replacing the rest of your kitchen is upgrading your old splashbacks. It’s the modern kitchen essential that can affect the whole look of your kitchen.

A splashback is a focal point feature but still has to have a timeless appeal – don’t treat this as a statement piece that could go out of fashion. This is why we recommend glass as the number one pick for splashbacks. Here are just a few reasons glass splashbacks are an absolute kitchen must-have.

Getting the Look

Glass splashbacks work particularly well for the modern kitchen. If clean lines and a contemporary feel is your thing, look no further. Glass is also a reflective surface, which brings light into the space and brightens up the room. This reflection also makes the space appear larger – perfect for a tight fit kitchen. You can even enhance this effect with the use of lighting to get that great shine.

Glass splashbacks can also be used to define and shape a space, without having to segment it completely. Instead of using a solid wall to separate a space, glass offers a clear […]

Clear glass partitioning has eliminated traditional dark dingy cubicles where colleagues need to wheel their way around a dusty partitioning to ask a question. Organisations should be focusing on motivating employees to ensure that they thrive in the workplace – increasing productivity.

Offices need natural light, transparency, camaraderie, silence for uninterrupted focus and a touch of beauty.

Here is why implementing glass partitioning in the office will allow for these needs to be fulfilled:

NATURAL LIGHT

We all know that dooming feeling of being stuck under florescent lights with dark partitioning around us. That lonely, claustrophobic feeling makes the walls feel like they are closing in on you during that daily 9-5 grind. Enter glass partitioning – and with it, light… and space – bonus!

The natural light and space created by glass partitioning directly impacts productivity. When employees feel like they have space, creative juices start flowing and productivity increases dramatically. Natural light increases positivity and allows employees to enjoy working – increasing employee satisfaction. The overall light and illusion of space provided not only increases productivity, but promotes the better overall wellbeing of employees.

TRANSPARENCY

With controversy, distrust and an increase in the demand for corporate credibility within the business sector in South Africa – and in fact, globally, transparency is indeed a key aspect to maintain. South African citizens are on full alert trying to find a Gupta in the haystack and that is why companies should promote an open, transparent atmosphere so that clients and staff can feel at ease.

When a client walks […]

As a part of new legislation, glass window installations now have to uphold a certain level of energy efficiency.  This regulation applies to both new residential and commercial developments, as well as affecting any renovations concerning windows. The country’s attempt at energy efficiency stems from past problems relating to load shedding and power shortages. Furthermore, there is also the threat of an upcoming coal shortage for South Africa. This means that other measures should be taken to reduce electricity use. This reduction will help to conserve the countries precious resources and ensure that we have electricity for the future.

Why is Energy Efficiency Important?

As mentioned above, our countries access to electricity may be limited. The only way to save power is to conserve the amount we use. The definition of energy efficiency is using less energy to provide the same quality of function. This means that we can use less energy in our homes, but still solve the same problems. For example, with winter fast approaching, warming up our homes and businesses becomes a priority. However, heating our homes requires much more electricity than we normally use. This spike in usage isn’t good for power suppliers, as it puts more strain on the process. So how can we heat our homes without using too much power? The answer is in energy efficiency.

What Affects Energy Efficiency?

There are elements that work against home efficiency in the case of openings like windows and doors. One of these things is […]

We keep hearing about toughened glass and how it is the new necessary, but do any of us actually know why toughened glass is so important? Should we really be paying extra for toughened glass? According to SANS 10400 Part N regulations,  any material used for buildings must be durable and safe – thus, safety, toughened glass is unavoidable. Although slightly more expensive than laminated glass, we hope this article provides a little more education on what exactly toughened glass is and why it’s worth the extra bucks.

Toughened glass, also known as safety glass, is processed by controlled thermal or chemical treatments. This process puts the outer surfaces of the glass into compression and the interior into tension which forces the glass to crumble into small granular chunks instead of sharp, jagged, dangerous shards when broken. Toughened glass goes through countless processes to become thermally and physically tougher than the normal glass.

Now, without delving into all the technical details let’s just have a look at the advantages of installing safety glass:

1. SAFETY: Toughened glass reduces any injury caused by jagged sharp broken glass because it is a lot harder to break and if it does break it crumbles instead of shattering.
2. CLEAN UP: toughened glass can be easily swept up and little crumbles can even be vacuumed whereas normal glass shatters all over the place and ends up injuring people weeks later due to jagged glass bits that weren’t found and swept up.
3. HEAT RESISTANT: South Africa experiences some severe […]
   

Balustrades form an important design element of any home or building both aesthetically and because of the safety aspect that they provide. Whether inside or outside of a building, a staircase needs sufficient balustrades to make it safe and secure.

In commercial and public buildings, there are both safety and legal issues to take into account and balustrades are installed with these considerations in mind.

You will need to select the type of balustrade that complements the design of the building, with the right make-up and specifications to provide the level of safety required. The following factors will affect which balustrade option you choose for your home or building:

• The aesthetic appeal or architecture of the home or building – buying big bulky balustrades with steel frames might ruin the aesthetics of a modern and sleek home. For the ultra modern home with big glass windows and gorgeous views, you will probably want to invest in frameless glass balustrades. Metal balustrades are a more popular option for the industrial corporate building, as they are extremely sturdy and provide the type of safety that such environments demand.
• Maintenance requirements and durability of the available options – this is often affected by the location of the home. For instance, a coastal home will require more maintenance than a home situated inland. Glass balustrades sit in sleek frameless panels, which can be easily wiped down with a mild detergent to keep them looking clean. Metal balustrades won’t rust or tarnish too easily if they are kept clean and […]
  

The only thing better than possessing an extensive wine collection, would be having the perfect wine cellar to display it all in. Glass Wine Cellars offer both convenience and beauty, and are fit for both experienced wine experts and fresh new enthusiasts. A practical wine cellar should showcase functionality and style to every extent. With Aluview’s strong track record you can rest assured that they will provide endless possibilities for a wine cellar that is tailor made to suit your preferences.

The Glass Difference 
A glass-enclosed wine cellar is often the preferred choice amongst wine connoisseurs, owing to its sophistication, extravagance and timeless appeal. Any wine expert knows that creating the ideal storage conditions is essential when collecting expensive bottles of wine. With this in mind, glass wine cellars are designed to maximise refrigeration, providing extensive humidification benefits. When sealed, the glass will provide full insulation, a benefit that is perfectly matched by the cellar’s beauty and practicality. This will ensure that your cellar remains the focal point of any room, and if this isn’t enough, incorporating LED lighting into the cellar will stage an even more enchanting quality.

Practicality and Beauty
Owing to its clear appearance and brilliant lustre, glass is able to amplify the beauty of the cellar’s contents. The glass will accentuate the outstanding features of the wood or contrasting material that you’ve selected to house your wines, and when combined with Aluview’s silkscreen patterns and sandblasting you will be able to conjure up many stunning combinations for your wine cellar. […]

Large folding sliding glass doors haven’t been around for long as it took new state-of-the-art manufacturing procedures to make them affordable. A home renovation technique that was once only available to the aristocratic or the wealthy has now opened its doors to everyone – literally. The ClearView folding glass doors offer unobtrusive and sleek designs that are guaranteed to add beauty to any home or business.

What is a folding door?
ClearView folding doors are unique and custom made in order to meet the needs and specifications of the individual homes that they will be gracing. These doors are made up of unconnected and moveable panels that can be completely opened and folded on the side.

How wide can my folding door be?
These sliding glass doors can be made to fit almost any opening, as the unique folding system allows for any combination of odd number panels to be installed.

Are the folding sliding doors easy to open and close?
Our Doors are hinged together to create a practical folding system, which allows for the systems to be opened and closed in one smooth action. This makes it open-friendly to both men and women, and to users of all ages.

Do they fold out of the way?
Our hinges are manufactured in house and are made from the finest quality Stainless Steel. This enables our doors to fold into a small compact area – there is only 25mm of distance between each pane of glass.

Are they weather resistant and safe?
The answer is yes. ClearView folding glass doors […]

If your home has a balcony or staircase, an important safety aspect is to prevent guests or family members from falling over the edge. One way to do this without hampering the view is to install seamless glass balustrades.
The epitome of practical functionality, bespoke glass balustrades can be used both indoors and outdoors. With a multitude of options the balustrades can be

• made from tempered glass, safety-glass or structural glass
• fully framed, semi-frameless or fully frameless
• textured, solid, curved or opaque.

In the home, glass balustrades can be used for balconies, shower doors, folding doors and windows, around the pool and even for staircases. Designing a fully frameless staircase can give the illusion of floating stairs, with fitted railings on top of the balustrading for additional safety. Including glass balustrading around your balcony works especially well as it allows for uninterrupted views and creates an impression of a much larger space or balcony.
Since pools can be a safety hazard, especially with children, glass balustrades provide excellent protection, keeping little children away from the dangers and consequences that having a pool presents. The beauty of semi- or fully-frameless glass balustrades affords you the added pleasures of a continuous view to a feature of your home, while still allowing you to keep a watchful eye on the kids when they are swimming. The safety glass complies with all relevant legislation making it the ideal safety barrier for your home however, it is advisable to ensure that your installer or builder acts in accordance […]

Stepping into a shower that is well designed can truly enhance the experience. Every modern bathroom should sport the sleek and trendy design of frameless shower doors. When you remodel your bathroom or start planning a new bathroom, you will be presented with the option of framed or frameless doors for your shower. While the frameless shower option offer an elegant appeal to any bathroom, there are a variety of other benefits to be considered, including the following:

• Without tracks and frames, there is nowhere for mould and mildew to grow. This makes frameless glass doors easier to clean and certainly earns points in terms of hygiene.
• Frameless doors typically outlast their framed counterparts as they have no metal frames which often rust and corrode.
• Frameless shower doors can be custom made to fit your shower, so you aren’t limited to creating a shower that is a specific shape or size dictated by the shower doors in stock.
• Due to their modern design and aesthetic appeal, the installation of frameless glass shower doors will add value to your property.

You will find that the market presents a variety of semi frameless and full frameless options for you to choose from. These doors can be designed specifically for your shower or for shower and bath combinations. By chatting to the professionals in the field, you can find just the right type and size door for your bathroom.

At Aluview we understand just how important it is to have a bathroom that is enticing. […]