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You probably know a French bed, but what is a French balcony? The French balcony on floor-to-ceiling windows primarily serves as fall protection. What should be considered during installation?

In a nutshell

  • protect against falling from floor-to-ceiling windows
  • decorative element
  • more balcony railings & offer no seating
  • Installation of fall protection regulated in DIN EN 1090
  • made of stainless steel, wrought iron or glass

The French Balcony

If you want to sunbathe extensively on a French balcony or drink a cup of coffee, you will be disappointed. The term is used for a balcony railing on floor-to-ceiling windows, which is then used to protect against falling. In France, especially in Paris, there are countless of these railings. According to tradition, they originated there. For this reason, the construction is also called "Paris window".

But the balcony railings are not only practical for safety reasons, they also have a decorative value. You can also decorate your French balcony with hanging plants.

drop height

The building regulations of the federal states stipulate how high the fall protection must be at least depending on the height of the floor-to-ceiling window.

  • Height of the window up to 12 meters: 90 centimeters high fall protection
  • Height of the window over 12 meters: 110 centimeters high fall protection

If there are children in your household, the balcony railings should be made even higher if possible or the windows should be securely closed. Children like to climb on railings. Cats can also injure themselves if they fall onto the balcony railing when they jump.

Advantages of floor-to-ceiling windows

If they are not secured, floor-to-ceiling windows harbor an enormous risk potential, so they must be secured with a grille. Nevertheless, the advantages are obvious. A lot of light enters the apartment through the large windows, and what could be nicer than bright living and working spaces?

Materials for French balconies

French balcony railings are made of different materials:

  • wrought iron
  • powder-coated, galvanized or ungalvanized stainless steel
  • aluminum
  • galvanized or ungalvanized steel
  • Glass
  • wood
  • plastic

The manufacture of balcony railings from plastic or wood is unusual today. Wooden railings are not as strong as metal railings and offer less security. However, they are more common in rural areas.

regulations

A French balcony significantly increases the safety of the residents or users of the rooms. If you want to have such a balcony installed, you need to know the building regulations, for example

  • DIN EN 1090 regulations on the height of fall protection
  • DIN EN 1991-1-1 Regulations on impacts on supporting structures

Notice: All structures defined as supporting structures, such as stairs, railings and extension balconies, must be provided with a CE mark. Products without this certification may not be offered within the European Union.

Glass, the inexpensive alternative

French balconies made of glass or frosted glass can be seen more and more often. No wonder, this variant is significantly cheaper than aluminum or stainless steel constructions with comparable security. The glass panes are simply screwed onto the window frame. Clear glass is not visible from the street. It does not affect the appearance of the building and does not reduce the incidence of light. If you want, you can also choose frosted glass or colored glass for the Parisian window.

frequently asked Questions

What influence do the material and shape of the grille have on safety?

Metal railings are stronger and safer than wooden railings. The narrower the bars are, the safer the French balcony is. Prefer lengthways instead of cross braces, because these tempt children in particular to climb.

Who is allowed to install a French balcony?

Strict safety regulations apply to the Parisian window. The railings may only be installed by certified companies.

Is it allowed to decorate the French balcony with flowers?

The Parisian window gains in attractiveness when decorated with flowers. Prefer smaller plants. Hanging plants like geraniums or petunias are also good choices. You can get practical hanging bags and pots from specialist retailers that you can hang in the grid and fill. In winter, the French balcony becomes an eye-catcher. Decorate it with fir branches, Christmas tree decorations and fairy lights. For the feathered visitors, hang fat balls and birdseed on the railing.

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Category:

Garden design