Framing toughened glass for sliding doors

[bio[diversity]]

Hi all, thanks for the forum, hopefully someone might have some good advice for me.

I have acquired very cheaply ( $50 each ) quite a few sheets of 10mm toughened glass, 2640mm high x 840mm wide, they were in an interior application in an office and currently have anodised aluminium hinges and handles ( they were swing doors in an office foyer ).

I would like to make them into sliding panels for the front main wall of my ( currently under construction ) house, and have had someone look at them to build some sturdy timber frames.

Problem is the cost will be around $1,000 per frame, and i need eight !!!!!

I would rather not use rain forest timber, but wondering of anyone can help with options or other ideas.

thanks heaps.

[silentC]

Is that just for the frame, or does it include mounting hardware? Sounds like a lot, but without really knowing what you've asked for, hard to judge.

What sort of frame are you after? Just a simple rail and style arrangement with a groove top and bottom for the runners? Have you looked into the sliding track and associated hardware?

[pawnhead]

Well these cost me less than $1,600. That's six leafs 2500 high bifolding, and two windows, including lammy glass, hinges, handles, locks, track, frames, install and polly. Everything. The trick is you have to build and install it yourself.
I think someone is having a lend of you, and if you accept the price they'll think all their Christmases have come at once. They're probably flat out, and they don't want the job. Shop around, and try Stockwells

Stockwells Joinery Pty Ltd
Architectural & Detail Joinery. Restoration & Heritage Specialists.

Address: 6 Ritchie St Rosehill NSW, 2142 Australia

Contact Details
Ph: (02) 9637 5056
Other: (02) 9637 1864
Fax: (02) 9682 1728

, or ask apricotripper. He's a joiner in NSW and I think he'd like a bit of work on the side if you look at this thread.
I'm sure he'd love to do it for less than a grand per leaf.

[Make it work]

KA-CHING that was the cash register sound and big dollar signs in his eyes....

I think you must know that was a high quote, otherwise you wouldn't be writing about it here.

I have 2 questions,
a. Are you after something very specific that is all custom made including slides, runners, rollers and guides ect that may warrant such a price?
or
b. Did you get another quote?

This time of year, you may get guys quoting like that cause they don't really need more work but think you may be desperate/dumb enough to accept it.

[rod1949]

Why do you want frames at all. They just become a maintenance problem later on. Go completly frameless and and on tracks as silentC says.

$1,000 a frame... you're being ripped off

[bio[diversity]]

Yeah, i thought the price was a little steep. They said it was mainly because of the timber, using plantation timber instead of Mirbaeu (sic) and they needed a timber that was guaranteed to be straight and strong for the height of the frames. Any suggestions on a good timber timber species for this?? I am building in a wet mountain area, near Canberra.

I didn't think that for an outside application, i could get the frameless option to be water and wind proof, but if anyone can tell me how to, that would be great.

In the meantime, i'll shop around,

thanks everyone.

[pawnhead]

If you're intending to paint the timber, then you could possibly have aluminium frames made up for less than 1k per leaf using commercial box section frames, with the same sized profile as timber. They could be anodized in various colours, or for a bit more cost, powder coated for a top finish and long life of low maintenance. They're quite easy to cut and assemble, and I made up a heap of windows and doors for my sisters place. You could probably glue timber veneer over the frames on the inside for a very stable 'faux timber' door, but that would start to get very pricey, and I don't know if you could get veneer long enough for the styles.

Capral