Glass and Framing (What to actually buy)

Glass and Framing Guide

Living by the sea sounds nice until you realize what salt does to metal. It eats it. If you buy standard aluminum windows for a coastal house, they will pit and rot in 3 years. The hinges will fuse shut. You will be sad.

Here is what I am using for my build (2-story, coastal).

The Environment

• Salt spray (constant)
• Humidity (insane)
• UV (brutal)
• Typhoons (scary)

Specs by Floor

Ground Floor (The Fortress)

Front (Sea-Facing):

• Glass: 12mm laminated tempered.
  • Why? Because if a coconut hits it at 200kph, it cracks but doesn’t shatter into your living room.
• Frame: Rehau UPVC (Euro-Design 70).
  • Why UPVC? Salt doesn’t eat plastic.
• Protection: Roll shutters.
  • Mandatory. Don’t argue.

Back (Protected):

• Glass: 10mm tempered.
• Frame: Kömmerling UPVC (or similar high-quality brand).

Second Floor

Sea-Facing:

• Glass: 12mm laminated.
• Protection: Roll shutters recommended (unless you like replacing glass).

Cost Reality Check

This is not cheap. But neither is rebuilding your house every 5 years.

Approximate Investment (Ground Floor):

• 2 Sliding Doors (2.2m x 2.0m): ~₱200k (with shutters)
• 5 Windows: ~₱250k
• Curtain Wall (Sea View): ~₱650k

Total for just the glass/frames/shutters: ~₱1.4 Million.

Yes, that hurts. But cheap windows will leak, rattle, and corrode. Pick your poison.

Technical Details (For your contractor)

UPVC Frames

• Profile: 5+ chambers (insulation).
• Reinforcement: Steel inside the plastic (for wind load).
• Hardware: 316 Marine Grade Stainless Steel.
  • Note: If they say “Stainless Steel” ask “Is it 304 or 316?”
  • 304 rusts near the sea. 316 doesn’t.

Roll Shutters

• Material: Extruded aluminum (not foam filled slats, they are too weak).
• Motor: Electric with ANY manual backup (crank).
  • Power goes out during typhoons. You need to be able to open/close them manually.

Maintenance

You assume “Plastic = No Maintenance”. Wrong.

• Monthly: Hose them down. Get the salt off.
• Quarterly: WD-40 (or silicone spray) on the hinges and rollers.
• Yearly: Check the rubber seals. The sun cooks them.

Value

Energy efficiency? Sure. UPVC insulates better than aluminum. You save on AC. But the real value is peace of mind. When the wind is howling at 200kph, you want thick glass and German plastic. Not a rattling aluminum slider from the local hardware store.

Summary

Don’t cheap out on the shell of your house. Inside? Buy cheap furniture. Who cares. Outside? Build a tank.