The Bolt-On Balcony from BŌK Trendy options an built-in truss construction within the sidewalls, eliminating the necessity for conventional balcony help programs, which will be unpleasant and result in water harm in some cases. Photographs: BŌK Trendy
Job retailers often can’t share the profitable designs they create for patrons, and OEMs don’t exit of their technique to publicize their very own product designs. So whenever you get the prospect to talk with somebody whose firm has launched a brand new product that differs vastly from what is usually accomplished, you leap on the alternative.
Early within the fall, BŌK Trendy, San Rafael, Calif., despatched out a press launch asserting the introduction of its newest architectural steel fabrication creation—the Bolt-On Balcony. What stood out visually concerning the new product was its smooth design; it was not depending on cantilevered metal supporting the underside of the balcony or hanging programs from above. It additionally required no welding.
“Architects love this. It’s a a lot cleaner look than different balcony designs,” stated Russ Naylor, BŌK’s co-founder. “It additionally will be supplied in a package of elements for ease of set up.”
Inspiration From a Earlier Venture
Key to the Bolt-On Balcony design is a patented folded plate association that creates an built-in truss construction throughout the balcony sidewalls for added energy. The design, which makes it potential for all the balcony to be supported by simply two vertical attachment factors on the façade, efficiently handles any extra weight, similar to furnishings or folks.
Naylor stated the inspiration for the design got here from one other challenge the place BŌK was tasked with offering panels to clad a fabricated truss system that cantilevered out to the road about 25 ft. and out to the nook about 40 ft. To avoid wasting prices on the constructing challenge in San Francisco, BŌK reconsidered the general design and recommended using folded plate to copy the help provided by the unique truss design. It didn’t harm issues that the brand new folded plate plan supplied a extra fascinating look than the standard truss system.
“The thought of eliminating the metal trusses utterly and have it’s 100% bulk panels all sounded a bit outlandish on the time,” Naylor stated, “however we really received anyone that would engineer it. We discovered that if we bumped up the gauge to ¼ in. that this strategy would work.”
Higher for Waterproofing, Set up
In keeping with Naylor, this balcony doesn’t include the identical waterproofing worries related to conventional cantilevered balcony programs. With these designs, moisture can work its approach alongside the structural helps and into the precise construction, inflicting harm over time. That is particularly a priority in wood-framed buildings.
The Bolt-On Balcony is mounted to the surface of the constructing, counting on moisture-resistant stainless-steel or galvanized metal brackets which are affixed to the façade. This minimizes disruption to the constructing’s waterproofing therapies.
As well as, the balcony’s ground panels have folded edges that, when related, can acquire any moisture and direct it to the perimeters or perhaps a downspout. This prevents water from amassing on the balcony and retains downstairs neighbors dry in the event that they occur to be out having fun with the climate.
Every balcony—comprised of powder-coated or anodized aluminum, in addition to Cor-Ten metal—is shipped in a flat-packed package to the jobsite. The package incorporates 16 laser-cut elements, all from the identical sheet, and the bolts to attach the items. All the balcony will be assembled on the bottom and lifted into place when full.
BŌK Trendy’s inspiration for its new balcony design got here from work accomplished on this cover on a San Francisco constructing. As an alternative of a overlaying over a standard metal truss system, the design agency recommended using folded plate. The brand new design supplied the help wanted for the construction and created a extra visually interesting fabricated cover.
“That is to keep away from stepping into a whole lot of welding,” Naylor stated. A single tradesman can sort out meeting, which helps to maintain labor prices down and improve high quality management on the location, he added.
Sooner or later, BŌK is planning to boost the balcony design with wooden flooring, expanded sizes, and built-in lighting choices constructed into railing panels.
For the file, Naylor and BŌK don’t fabricate all of those balcony items, relying as an alternative on a neighborhood steel fabricator that the corporate has labored with for a number of years. The connection works nicely, particularly for a agency that started off doing structure.
“It’s all as a result of an architect would ask us, ‘Hey, if you are able to do that, are you able to do that?’ Naylor stated. “We might reply, ‘Yeah, I don’t see why not,’ and we’d get it accomplished.”
