Guillotine Glass or Sliding Glass? Glass Systems Compared
Guillotine glass panels move vertically and gather at the top or bottom depending on the model. Sliding glass panels slide on a horizontal track and gather on it; folding glass panels stack at the side. The right choice depends on where you want the glass to sit when it is open.
How Do the Three Glass Systems Work?
When the sides are enclosed with glass, the real question is how the panels move and where they sit when open. There are three separate mechanisms:
- [Sliding glass](/en/sliding-glass): Panels slide sideways on a horizontal track and gather on it.
- [Folding glass](/en/folding-glass): Panels travel along the track and turn to stack at the side.
- [Guillotine glass](/en/guillotine-glass): Panels move vertically and gather at the top or bottom depending on the model.
These are not different names for one thing. "Glass balcony" is not a mechanism but a place of use: a balcony can be enclosed with any of these systems, and the mechanism chosen is stated separately in the quotation.
Comparison
| Feature | Sliding Glass | Folding Glass | Guillotine Glass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Movement | Slides sideways on a horizontal track | Travels on the track, stacks at the side | Moves vertically |
| Panels when open | Gather side by side on the track | Form a single stack of glass at the edge | Gather at the top or bottom depending on the model |
| Space to plan for | The part of the track where panels overlap | The edge where the stack sits, and its depth | The top or bottom section where panels gather |
| Clear opening | Shown in the design from track and panel count | Shown in the design from panel count and stack space | Shown in the drawing from the project dimensions |
In no system is the opening left "completely clear": the panels gather somewhere and take up room there. The clear space left when open depends on the system and the project dimensions.
Thermal and Rain Performance
Thermal performance depends on the glass, profile and junction details being chosen together. The value of the glass unit and the value of the whole frame are not the same thing; the quotation states clearly which one is meant.
The protection class of electrical components is stated for the selected model; the rain performance of the glass system is assessed separately. A motor's protection class says nothing about the watertightness of a glass façade.
Cleaning
On upper floors, access to the outer face of the glass is a selection criterion. Cleanable guillotine glass is a model that gives access from inside to the outer face of vertically moving panels; the cleaning position and safety steps are set out in the operating instructions.
Making the Decision
1. Where do you want the glass to sit when open: on the track, in a stack at the side, or at the top or bottom?
2. Is there furniture, a door or a walkway where the panels will gather?
3. Is heated use the aim? If so, the roof, glass, profiles, floor and ventilation are assessed together; see the winter garden solution.
Conclusion
The right glass system is chosen by how it opens. We compare the three systems on the same opening and show in the drawing where the panels gather and the clear opening that remains.