ACCESS INTERFACES, CLADDING, AND SERVICES

Access Interfaces

The area where the decking and door sill interface can become complex so we tend to have three options.

Utilising a walk on structural door sill avoids the cutting in of decking boards (when

butted up to the sill).

Deck boards cut in  supported from  structural door sill .

Deck boards cut in  supported from brackets fixed back to the rear member of the Cassette® frame.

For recesses deeper than a single deck board width (i.e. >150mm), support is required

from the building or façade structure.

Cladding

GRC (Glass-fibre Reinforced Concrete) cladding

and other similar composite materials, have

recently become more common on balconies.

Typically this is to give the balconies and façade, a more flowing aesthetic

feel. Most commonly, Sapphire will create a frame, or brackets fixing to the Cassette® to

allow the stone fascia’s, etc. to be fixed easier.

Alternatively, there are realistic stone affect powder coatings and finishes which can be

applied to standard aluminium soffits, which are lighter and can often be a cost saving,

as well as avoiding further finishing works during, or after balcony delivery/install.

Services

To avoid unsightly services, balconies

are often used run pipes, wires, etc.

hidden from view, rather than on the

outside of the building facade.

Lighting, whether in soffits or within deck boards, can be inserted with wires hidden in the

balcony Cassette®. Other services for the balconies can be hidden within the same Cassette® void.

Alternatively an additional void can be created below the balcony. These are often used for hiding

balcony drainage connections, extracts, or with continuous balconies, sometimes a number of other

services are added underneath, then clad to match the balconies soffits and fascias.