Aluminum storefront systems
A storefront system is the aluminum framing and glass that fills a ground-floor opening, from the floor to the structure above. You need one for a new retail or office front, a tenant build-out, or when an old front leaks, drafts or looks worn out. AluVex Experts installs storefront framing, glass and entrances across the Chicago area.
Where it is used
- Retail, restaurant and service storefronts
- Office and medical building entrances
- Tenant build-outs in strip centers and mixed-use buildings
- Vestibules and interior glass walls, where storefront framing is often used indoors
What AluVex Experts does
- Reviews the drawings and specs and prices the scope
- Measures the openings in the field before anything is ordered
- Prepares or coordinates shop drawings for approval on new work
- Installs the framing, glass, doors and hardware
- Seals the perimeter and adjusts the doors
- Replaces old storefronts, including on buildings that stay open
How a storefront project runs
Step 1: Look and price
We review the drawings, or visit the opening, and price the work in writing.
Step 2: Field measure
Every opening is measured on site. Floors and openings are rarely exactly as drawn.
Step 3: Approval
Elevations, details, glass and finish go out for approval before ordering.
Step 4: Fabrication
Framing is cut and assembled to the approved sizes, and glass is ordered to fit.
Step 5: Set the frame
Frames are set plumb, level and square, then anchored at the head and sill.
Step 6: Glass and doors
Glass is set and the doors are hung, with hardware installed and adjusted.
Step 7: Seal and punch list
Perimeter sealant goes on, then we walk the work with you and close out the list.
How tall can a storefront system be?
Storefront is meant to span one story, set between the floor and the structure above. The exact limit depends on the system, the wind load and the size of the glass, and the manufacturer's engineering sets it. When the opening is taller or crosses a floor line, curtain wall is usually the better fit.
Can an old storefront be replaced while the business stays open?
Often, yes. The work can usually be done in sections, so the opening is closed up and secure at the end of each day. How it is phased depends on the opening, the schedule and how the space is used, and we plan it with you before work starts.
What is a thermally broken storefront?
A thermally broken frame has a non-metal barrier between the inside and outside aluminum. It slows the heat that moves through the frame, which helps with energy use and cuts condensation on the inside on cold days. For exterior storefront in a Chicago winter it is usually what you want, and your specs or energy code review will say what is required.
Do you install the doors too?
Yes. Storefront entrances are usually part of the same package: the doors, the frame, the hardware and the glass. See entrance doors and frames for what goes into a commercial door.
Have drawings, or just a photo of the opening?
Send what you have. Tell us where the building is and what you need, and we will take it from there.