Source: CUSTOM HOME Magazine
Publication date: July 1, 2007

By Stephani L. Miller

Amazing views just got more dramatic. Jeld-Wen's Exterior Folding Door System is now available in a 90-degree corner configuration that allows two sides of a room to be opened to the outdoors without the need for a structural corner post. Mounted to an overhead track, the door panels fold back accordion-style from the corner opening. When closed, beveled door edges and double weatherstripping seal the panels against the elements, and five-point locking hardware combines with drop bolts every fewpanels to provide ample security.

The door is available in wood and fiberglass in a variety of interior finishes. Door frames can be aluminum clad in colors to match the manufacturer's windows. A structural engineer should determine the allowable expanse for a particular home. The manufacturer can provide door tracks up to 24 feet on each side of the opening. Jeld-Wen. 800.877.9482. www.jeld-wen.com.

Glass stairs are usually custom-fabricated systems, but they no longer have to be. The GlassWalk ST stair tread system from IBP Glass Block complements the company's structural glass flooring system. When the floor system is used to transmit daylight throughout a space, using the stair system allows the light to flow unobstructed. Constructed of three layers of glass with laminating interlayers, the stair treads in the GlassWalk ST system are 1.325 inches thick and are supported on two sides with specially designed brackets that allow spans up to 48 inches.

The glass is clearer with less green tint than the company's structural glass floor. A ceramic-based frit in several patterns, heat-fused to the walking surface, provides slip resistance that exceeds code requirements. IBP Glass Block. 800.932.2263. www.ibpglassblock.com.