There are two main types of stick curtain wall system: stick or unitized. In stick systems, the aluminum framing vertical mullions and horizontal elements are field glazed with glass or opaque panels while in a unitized system the aluminum frame is pre-assembled off-site and shipped to site in panel modules to be hoisted into place.
Unitized systems offer superior quality as they are built in an environmentally mitigated factory setting where quality control is extremely high. Once on-site, they are easily installed and anchored to the building. Unitized systems can also offer better performance than stick-built systems due to being built to a much higher tolerance level and being glazed off-site.
The major drawback of unitized systems is their lead time – they take at least 6-12 months to fabricate and ship to the site. This makes them a good option for projects that can utilize this fabrication process and have the construction schedule flexibility to accommodate it.
Breaking Down the Benefits: Understanding the Stick Curtain Wall System
In either case, all types of curtain walls require durable flashing materials and non-corrosive attachment hardware and fasteners. They also require moisture resistance in regions that will be exposed to wetting, and access systems that are designed to allow for regular inspection and maintenance of the façade.
All curtain wall systems, whether unitized or stick-built, should be subjected to a field mock-up before the release of shop drawings for window production. This will provide an opportunity to test the system in a real life-like application and make any necessary changes to the design that will improve the system’s ability to perform as intended.
