Juliet balconies are an excellent choice when a full walk-on balcony isn’t possible for whatever reason. They are a popular choice for people with space restrictions who still want to enjoy the fresh air and the view outside. And installing one isn’t as difficult as it may seem.
To install Juliet balcony, you will basically have to attach profiles (either horizontally or vertically) to the outside wall. You will then have to insert and fix the glass panel(s) into these profiles. Finally, you will have to fix the panels in place. And voila! You have your own Juliet balcony.
In this article, we will look at the step-by-step installation process for three popular designs of Juliet Balconies: Orbit, Frameless, and Aerofoil. There are metal Juliet balconies available in the market too, but in this article, we have chosen to cover the more elegant looking glass balconies. Let’s get started!
Orbit Juliet Balcony Installation Guide
Follow these steps to install an orbit Juliet balcony:
- Measure your window/opening and get glass panels that are appropriately sized for it.
- Take the bottom track and install it in such a way that it is level with the window/opening. Also, make sure it is placed at the center of the opening.
- Take the bottom profile and line it vertically to the bottom track. Make sure you align it in a way that the grazing bead is accessible from the inside.
- Once you’ve made sure that the bottom profile is horizontally level, fix it to the wall using the track brackets.
- Measure the correct height from the bottom profile to the position where you will install the handrail. You will need to know the height of the glass and account for the additional height of the bottom profile and the handrail.
- Line the handrail horizontally and at the center of the window/opening. Once lined up, fix it to the wall using the handrail brackets.
- Remove the glazing bead, space one spacer each for each glass panel, and then add a little bit of silicon glue to space so that the glass panels are held in place when inserted.
- One at a time, insert the top of the glass panel all the way into the handrail slot and then push it outward till it is in line with the bottom slot.
- Once in line, drop the glass down, leaving a little space in the handrail slot. Now reattach the glazing bead.
- Now using soap and water, lubricate the rubber gasket. Then insert it in the bottom track between the glazing bead and the glass.
- Repeat step 10 with another set of rubber gaskets that are to be inserted between the handrail and the glass. Your orbit Juliet balcony is installed.
Frameless Juliet Balcony Installation Guide
Follow these steps to install a frameless Juliet balcony:
- Measure your window/opening and get a glass that is appropriately sized for it.
- Take the measurements of the glass. Measure the size and height of all the profiles.
- Take the measurements of the opening where you’re going to install the Juliet balcony. Check the width of the glass and then mark the positions (based on the base profile) on the wall.
- Make sure there is nothing along the line where the glass will be installed.
- Take the first of the two profiles and then install it on the wall. Make sure it is vertically level. Position the end cap and the glass support at the bottom.
- Install the second profile. Make sure it is perfectly aligned with the first profile. Also, make sure you leave enough width gap for the glass.
- Install the rubber gaskets. Make sure they are well set to both profiles.
- Now carefully carry the glass and place it on to the glass support at the bottom of the profiles. Alight the glass carefully and then fix the pusher profile to the main profile.
- Use self-tapping screws to hold the glass firmly between the pusher profile and the main profile.
- Clip the cover profile on the pusher profile and then glue the cap to cover the profile. Your frameless Juliet balcony is installed.
The following video by Balconette shows the brand’s own frameless juliet balcony:
Aerofoil Juliet Balcony Installation Guide
Follow these steps to install an aerofoil Juliet balcony:
- Follow steps 1 to 4 exactly as described in the installation guide for an Orbit Juliet Balcony above.
- Measure the appropriate height from the bottom profile to the position where you will install the aerofoil handrail. You will need to know the height of the glass and account for the additional height of the bottom profile and the handrail.
- Aline the aerofoil handrail at the measured position and at the center of the window. Then attach it to the wall with the hand of the handrail brackets.
- Remove the glazing beads from both the bottom profile and the aerofoil handrail.
- Place two spacers at the bottom track (one for each glass panel) and then add some glue so that the glass panels stay in place once installed.
- One at a time, insert the glass panel into the slot of the aerofoil panel and then push it outward so that its bottom is in line with the bottom rail. Then drop it a little so that it is held in place. Once inserted, use glazing beads to temporarily hold the panels in place.
- Now fill the spaces between the aerofoil handrail and the top of the glasses and the bottom rail and the bottom of the panels with silicon. Leave it to dry.
- Once the silicon is dry, replace temporary glazing beads with full glazing beads (both top and bottom).
- Lubricate (with soap and water) and push in the rubber gaskets in the space between the glazing beads and the glass. Your aerofoil Juliet balcony is installed.
Benefits of Installing a Juliet Balcony
Juliet balconies are named after Juliet from Shakespeare’s famous play Romeo and Juliet, where Romeo would call on to Juliet from her balcony. These balconies are traditionally famous in Mediterranean towns, where the lack of space can be an issue. Today they are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and the US as well.
There are several benefits to installing a Juliet Balcony. First of all, it lets you enjoy the fresh air and the outside view when space restriction prevents you from building a full walk-on balcony. This makes it a practical option for homes and apartments alike.
Another reason why Juliet Balconies are so popular is that they are stunning to look at. In fact, the elegant design lures many homeowners to install them despite having space for a walk-on balcony. And of course, installing a Juliet balcony is much cheaper than installing a full walk-on balcony.
Another advantage of Juliet balconies is that they often don’t require planning or building permissions. Acquiring the necessary permits is often one of the most annoying parts of any renovation. With Juliet balconies, you can avoid this step altogether!
Conclusion
Juliet balconies are a popular option when space restrictions prevent you from building a walk-on terrace. You still get to enjoy the view, and the fresh air and the balconies themselves look pretty elegant.
We covered the installation of three popular designs of Juliet balconies in this article. The Orbit Juliet Balcony and the Aerofoil Juliet Balcony use horizontal profiles, whereas the frameless Juliet balcony uses vertical profiles.