Benefits of walk on specification Flushglaze rooflights

Standard Flushglaze rooflights are an effective way of maximising the amount of natural daylight in your home; they are cost effective and easy to install in both pitched and flat roofs.

The Flushglaze rooflight can also be used on roof terraces without sacrificing usable space by using the correct walk on glass specification. This allows natural daylight to flood the rooms below and building occupants to walk on the glass itself in complete safety.

Getting the correct specification

It is important that the correct thickness of glass is specified for its intended purpose. UK Building Regulations dictates that much higher loadings will be required for glass that is used in public buildings compared to single dwellings; this is in order to accommodate increased footfall and crowd loadings where several people may be standing on the glass at any one time.

Typical loadings for single dwellings

According to the Building Regulations, domestic applications must withstand uniform loadings of 1.5kN/m2 and concentrated loadings of 2.0kN in accordance with BS EN 1991-1-1-1:2002. This will mean that the outside pane of glass will be much thicker than a non-walk on rooflight and will usually be made of two sections of glass with a laminated ‘interlayer’.

An example glass build up to withstand domestic loadings would consist of a 25.5mm outer section made up of two 12mm thick glass panes, with a 1.5mm laminated interlayer sandwiched in between. The glass sandwich is designed so that even if the outer pane breaks, the pane beneath it can withstand the same load and thus support anyone standing on it.

Testing and certification

There is no specific test for walk on specification glass rooflights but the materials used must conform with the Building Regulations where applicable (as demonstrated with the loadings above). However the walk on Flushglaze rooflight has been thoroughly tested by independent construction testing specialists, the British Board of Agrement, in the following areas:

• Light and solar
• Thermal properties
• Condensation risk
• Strength and stability
• Water
• Behaviour in relation to a fire
• Durability

All rooflights are manufactured using an environmentally friendly powder coating process, which has enabled Glazing Vision to achieve the Qualicoat standard.

Standard sizes from Glazing Vision’s comprehensive range of rooflights can be made available from stock for immediate collection or can be despatched within 48 hours. All rooflights are supplied with an installation guide and a product guarantee for peace-of-mind.

For more information give us a call on 01379 353 716 or browse our online rooflights shop.