Know-how: what is a French balcony?

You are probably familiar with a French bed, but what is a French balcony? The French balcony serves primarily as a fall protection on floor-to-ceiling windows. What should you watch out for during installation?

The French balcony

Those who want to sunbathe or have a cup of coffee on a French balcony will be disappointed. The name is used for a balcony railing on floor-to-ceiling windows, which then serves to protect against falling. In France, especially in Paris, there are countless such railings. According to tradition, they were made there. For this reason, the construction is also called the “Paris Window”.

But the balcony grilles are not only practical for safety reasons, they also have a decorative value. You can speak your French Balcony also with hanging plants decorate.

Height of fall

The building regulations of the federal states specify how high the fall protection must be, depending on the height of the floor-to-ceiling window.

• Height of the window up to 12 meters: 90 centimeters high fall protection
  
• Height of the window over 12 meters: 110 centimeters high fall protection

If there are children in your household, the balcony railings should be made taller or the windows should be closed securely. Children like to climb onto railings. Cats can also injure themselves if they fall on the balcony railing while jumping.

Advantages of floor-to-ceiling windows

Floor-to-ceiling windows pose an enormous risk potential if they are not secured, so they have to be secured with a grille. Nevertheless, the advantages are obvious. Lots of light enters the apartment through the large windows, and what could be nicer than bright living and working spaces?

Materials for French balconies

French balcony railings are made from different materials:

• Wrought iron
• powder-coated, galvanized or non-galvanized stainless steel
• aluminum
• galvanized or non-galvanized steel
• Glass
• wood
• plastic

The production of balcony railings out of plastic or wood is unusual today. Wooden railings are not as stable as metal grilles and offer less security. However, they are more common in rural areas.

Regulations

A French balcony significantly increases the safety of the residents or users of the rooms. If you want to have such a balcony installed, you have to know the building regulations, for example

• DIN EN 1090 regulations on the level of fall protection
  
• DIN EN 1991-1-1 regulations on actions on structures

Note: All structures defined as supporting structures, such as stairs, railings and extension balconies, must be provided with a CE mark. Products without this certification may not be offered within the European Union.

Glass, the inexpensive alternative

French balconies made of glass or frosted glass can be seen more and more often. No wonder, this variant is significantly cheaper than aluminum or stainless steel constructions with comparable security. The glass panes are simply screwed onto the window frame. Clear glass is not visible from the street. It does not affect the appearance of the building and does not reduce the incidence of light. If you want, you can also choose frosted glass or colored glass for the Paris window.

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