Curtain wall refers to non-load bearing walls that comprises of light frames of aluminium, steel, plastic or timber infilled with glass.
It can also be of frames with panels of metal stone or any suitable materials. These infilled are attached to the building structure, mainly at the beams and columns, covering the whole building. Though they are attached to the structure of the building, curtain wall supports their own weight and will not be affected by the load imposed upon the building.The curtain wall is very common in large buildings, particularly high-rise buildings, where structural walls would be impossible due to the demands of the building’s own weight or the weight of its contents. Curtain wall comes in a extensive variety of finishes, and manufacturers are constantly innovating to create new systems with better performance.The curtain wall is so flexible because it does not have to perform structurally except to support its own weight and resist wind loads. Because of this, curtain wall is free from limitations on thickness like conventional masonry walls and can perform on purely aesthetic, as well as thermal and acoustic terms.
Curtain wall can be used on non-vertical surfaces as well as vertical ones, and in some cases can be used at low pitches on faceted buildings where required.
