Question

[JoanFrances]

I have been kicking an idea around that I am not sure if it would be advisable or not.  So I would love to get some feed back about

As you know I have just had a deck constructed on the front of my home.

I would like to have a frame made to suspend some windows from.  I was considering having it made out of rebar.  I will have them drill into the railing post to secure the uprights.  The mosaic windows will hang from the cross bar.

The mosaics will be on some of the old multi paned wooden windows

Would I have to secure them at the bottom also, or could I leave them free? 

[Alan]

Re-bar will rapidly rust and give your nice new deck some ugly rust stains - you should use something that will not rust or react with the adverse weather conditions - dunno what exactly that would be, perhaps aluminum?

[Anne]

what about some big eye hooks - or the hooks that have a closing.  Sorry don't know what they're called but wouldn't think they'd rust like rebar.

[Kev]

I would think winter winds would really beat them up if they are free swinging.

[ct4mom]

Boy Joan I was thinking along the same lines...this is what I was thinking. They have these flag holders on the same concept as a Shepard Hook but with a cross bar to hang the flag. I would have it attached to one of the deck supports and I would take it down in the winter months. The problem I had was how to keep the panel from free swaying.

[JoanFrances]

Kev, I would of course take them down in the winter, and probably remove them if we have any severe high wind thunderstorm warning

Alan, you are right, the regular rebar rusts terribly, but my ex does all kinds of metal work, so he will be able to point me in right direction as to what kind of metal to use.

Great minds think alike Di. 

Hopefully someone will come along with the info on securing the bottom.  I am gonna draw up a concept and see what my ex has to offer from his vast knowledge

[Graham]

This is something I've seen, but not done personally. I have a friend who put a hot tub atop his garage/workshop. He surrounded it with wooden fence and used glass/on/glass panels for partial privacy. Looks really neat.

Panels were attached at the top by shackles and eyes. The bottom was attached with small springs. The springs held the panels in place, but they gave a little when buffeted by wind or bumped by bathers. It seemed to work well.

[Rebecca]

I am thinking that a structure attached just to the railing will put too much stress on the railing.  If I were doing it, I would have made the vertical supports for the deck tall enough to go through the railing and hold a cross-piece for hanging the windows.  I assume the vertical supports are anchored in concrete in the ground.  If attached just to the railing, it would be okay for a few years, but over time would twist and split the railing.

Rebecca

[JoanFrances]

This is something I've seen, but not done personally. I have a friend who put a hot tub atop his garage/workshop. He surrounded it with wooden fence and used glass/on/glass panels for partial privacy. Looks really neat.

Panels were attached at the top by shackles and eyes. The bottom was attached with small springs. The springs held the panels in place, but they gave a little when buffeted by wind or bumped by bathers. It seemed to work well.

Thanks Graham, the springs sound like a great way to secure the panels.  Will keep that in mind. 

[JoanFrances]

I am thinking that a structure attached just to the railing will put too much stress on the railing.  If I were doing it, I would have made the vertical supports for the deck tall enough to go through the railing and hold a cross-piece for hanging the windows.  I assume the vertical supports are anchored in concrete in the ground.  If attached just to the railing, it would be okay for a few years, but over time would twist and split the railing.

Rebecca

Rebecca, The up rights would be inserted into the 4x4 posts, not attached to the top of the rails.  You are right, just putting something like that on top of the rails, it would in time weaken the rails and probably cause the frame to malfunction, great point

[Scope Builder]

If you paint re-bar it doesn't rust.

[Becki]

If you paint re-bar it doesn't rust.

But you will have to maintain the paint or rust will happen.

[Scope Builder]

How hard can it be to paint a couple of feet of re-bar every couple of years.  Not to mention if you do a really good job at installation the paint will last a long time.  Paint it with an epoxy paint it may even out last most of us.

[Becki]

Not hard at all, Jim, but you'd be surprised how many people don't think about it until the rust has taken over. Epoxy paint, if applied properly and with the proper primer, can last a very long time.

[Scope Builder]

If, Ifs and Buts were Candy and Nuts we would all have a Merry Christmas!  8^)

[Becki]

 

[Scope Builder]

If my nose was running money honey, I'd blow it all on you, but it's not!!!    8^)

[laura]

hi this is what i did to install windows in my gazebo area

humming bird window installed by ltaylor2, on Flickr

[ct4mom]

That is beautiful, thanks for sharing!

[Tre V]

Panels were attached at the top by shackles and eyes. The bottom was attached with small springs. The springs held the panels in place, but they gave a little when buffeted by wind or bumped by bathers. It seemed to work well.

Oh I like that idea!