{"id":1983,"date":"2026-09-17T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/apexecobuilt.com\/curtain-glazing\/"},"modified":"2026-09-20T08:32:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T08:32:05","slug":"curtain-glazing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/apexecobuilt.com\/es\/curtain-glazing\/","title":{"rendered":"Curtain Glazing Explained: The Complete Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Curtain glazing is the method of hanging large, non-structural glass panels on a building's exterior skin using a supporting frame rather than a load-bearing wall. Getting the terminology straight matters before anything gets specified: "curtain glazing," "curtain wall," "structural glazing," and "window wall" get used interchangeably in RFPs and product catalogs, but they describe different attachment methods, fabrication approaches, and cost or schedule trade-offs. Mixing them up is how a bid ends up priced for stick-built field labor when the design actually assumed factory-glazed unitized units \u2014 a mismatch that surfaces as a change order mid-project.<\/p>\n

What Is Curtain Glazing?<\/h2>\n

Curtain glazing is a technique, not a single product. It describes installing glass in large, uninterrupted areas of a facade so the glass reads as a continuous skin rather than a series of separate window openings. The glass carries no structural load beyond its own weight \u2014 it's held by a frame, typically aluminum, anchored back to the building. In everyday use, "curtain glazing" and "glazed curtain wall" refer to the same thing: a curtain wall system where glass is the primary infill material.<\/p>\n

What Is a Curtain Wall System?<\/h2>\n

A curtain wall system is a non-structural exterior wall, usually built from an aluminum frame, hung from the building's slab edges rather than resting on a foundation. It carries no floor load \u2014 only its own dead weight \u2014 but it does transfer lateral wind loads back into the building's structural frame through connections at each floor. That's the key difference from a traditional load-bearing masonry wall, which supports the structure above it. If you're moving from terminology into product selection, engineered aluminum curtain wall systems<\/a> cover the framed, unitized, and hidden-frame configurations used across commercial and hospitality facades.<\/p>\n

\"Mixed-use
A glazed curtain wall combined with brick infill on a mixed-use tower \u2014 the glass sections carry no floor load; they hang from the slab edges between the masonry bays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Are the Two Types of Curtain Wall Systems?<\/h2>\n

Curtain wall systems split into two families based on how and where they're fabricated and installed.<\/p>\n

Stick Systems<\/h3>\n

Stick systems are framed on-site, piece by piece \u2014 mullions and transoms are assembled in place, then glazed. Frame depths on stick systems commonly run 6 to 10 inches, with exterior sightlines around 2.5 to 3 inches, though exact dimensions depend on the wind load and glass package specified. This method suits smaller or highly custom jobs but requires more field labor and a longer weather-dependent installation window.<\/p>\n

Unitized Systems<\/h3>\n

Unitized systems are pre-assembled and pre-glazed at the factory into large modules \u2014 typically about one story tall and 5 to 6 feet wide \u2014 then craned into place and connected at the slab edge. Because most of the work happens under factory conditions, unitized systems install faster and hold tighter quality control than stick-built work, at the cost of longer factory lead time upfront.<\/p>\n

Decision criteria:<\/strong> height, site access, and schedule usually decide which family fits. Stick systems remain common below roughly six to eight stories, where crane access is limited, the site has room for field crews and material staging, or the design is still changing late in the process. Unitized systems dominate above that height threshold because factory glazing keeps on-site crews smaller and closes the envelope floor by floor faster \u2014 but the trade-off is committing to a fixed design earlier and coordinating crane lifts sized to the module dimensions. A closer breakdown of cost and schedule differences between the two lives in the unitized vs. stick-built curtain wall comparison<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Curtain
A curtain wall cross-section showing the glass panes, argon gap, seals, and metal frame that make up either a stick-built or unitized assembly \u2014 the same basic components, fabricated in the field or in the factory.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What Is a Curtain Wall Window System?<\/h2>\n

A curtain wall window system \u2014 often called a window wall or ribbon window system \u2014 is a hybrid variant that swaps some of the fixed glass infill for operable windows or vents. Instead of spanning multiple stories the way a traditional curtain wall does, it typically spans floor-to-floor, integrated between slabs rather than running past them. This matters for ventilation and maintenance access on residential and mixed-use towers where occupants need operable units, not just fixed glass. Projects that need those curtain options built into the infill \u2014 rather than fixed glass only \u2014 typically spec an operable unit like the Noah Series Thermal Break Casement Window System<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Curtain Glazing vs. Structural Glazing<\/h2>\n

Structural glazing is an attachment method, not a separate wall type \u2014 it uses structural silicone adhesive to bond the glass directly to the frame, eliminating the visible mullion caps you'd see on a traditional pressure-plate curtain wall. Traditional curtain glazing instead clamps glass in place with mechanical caps and pressure plates, which stay visible from the exterior. Both methods can be used within the same curtain wall system; the choice affects appearance, maintenance access, and installation sequencing more than it changes the underlying structure. A fuller side-by-side on when each approach \u2014 and other facade materials \u2014 makes sense is at curtain glazing vs alternatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Limitations of Curtain Glazing<\/h2>\n

Curtain glazing solves for daylight and design flexibility, but it comes with real trade-offs worth planning for:<\/p>\n