A "frameless" glass enclosure still needs hardware — just different from traditional joinery, and with a rule that admits no errors: anything involving drilling the glass has to be decided before it is tempered.
Glass hinge: without drilling the glass
The glass hinge is fixed by pressure or clamp directly onto the tempered glass, with no need to drill it, for frameless glass doors. The glass for this type of hinge must be tempered to size knowing in advance where each clamp goes: unlike a wooden frame, the fitting's position can't be adjusted after the piece is tempered.
U-profile: sized to the exact thickness
The U-profile houses the glass edge in enclosures without traditional joinery, giving support and some perimeter sealing. Size the profile to the exact thickness of the glass it will house: excessive clearance leaves the glass loose and it can vibrate or make noise in the wind. It is bought with a 5% margin for cuts.
Structural silicone: not just any sanitary silicone
In some enclosures, the silicone doesn't just seal the joint, it holds the glass itself — a structural function very different from generic sanitary silicone. When the silicone performs that function, always use the product certified for that specific use by the system manufacturer: generic silicone doesn't guarantee the same strength or durability, and here a failure isn't just cosmetic, it's a safety issue.
Specific fixings (spiders/point fittings): drilling comes before tempering
Point-fixing fittings such as spiders or ball joints hold the glass by passing through a drilled hole, usual on facades or frameless enclosures. The rule that can't be skipped: drilling has to be done before tempering, never after — drilling already-tempered glass breaks it instantly because of the internal stress the piece has after the process.
Frequently asked questions
Can a glass hinge be repositioned after the piece is made? No: the exact position of each clamp must be decided before tempering, because afterwards it can't be adjusted as on a wooden frame.
Will any silicone do if the system requires a structural function? No: when the silicone holds weight as well as sealing, the specific certified product from the system manufacturer is needed, not a generic sanitary silicone.
Why can't tempered glass be drilled afterwards to fit a spider? Because tempered glass has internal stress after the tempering process, and any later drilling breaks it instantly.
Conclusion
On frameless glass enclosures, anything involving drilling or point-fixing the glass —hinges, spiders, ball joints— has to be decided before tempering the piece, with no room to correct later. Using the specific certified products, not generic equivalents, is what guarantees the real safety of the system, above all when the silicone performs a structural function.
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