Walk past any modern office building or multi-story commercial space and you’re looking at one of a few different glass facade systems – even though they can look similar from the sidewalk. Knowing the difference matters when you’re planning a build or a renovation, because each system solves a different problem. Here’s a plain-English breakdown.

Storefront vs. Window Wall vs. Curtain Wall

Storefront systems are the ground-floor glass you see on retail and office entries – typically one to two stories, framed and installed between the floor and the structure above. Strong, economical, and the right call for most entry-level commercial glass.

Window wall systems sit between the floor slabs on each level, installed floor-to-floor. They’re common in mid-rise and multi-family construction and can be installed one floor at a time.

Curtain wall systems hang on the outside of the building’s structure as a continuous skin, spanning multiple floors and carrying no building load other than their own weight and wind. This is the system behind the big, uninterrupted glass facades on larger commercial buildings.

Performance and Energy

On a facade this size, the glass specification drives comfort and operating cost. Insulated glass units with a low-emissivity (low-E) coating cut solar heat gain, which matters a lot in south Louisiana’s climate, while keeping the daylight and views that make glass worth using in the first place. Tinted and reflective options add glare control and a distinct look.

Getting the Details Right

Large glass facades live or die on the details – thermal breaks in the framing, proper weeping and drainage, and correct anchoring for wind load. Baton Rouge’s heat, humidity, and storm exposure make those details non-negotiable, which is why facade work belongs with an experienced commercial glazier working alongside the architect and general contractor.

New Construction and Renovation

Whether you’re building new or replacing an aging, leaking, or foggy facade on an existing building, we work from the design and structural constraints to spec and install the right system. An older single-pane commercial facade is often a major comfort and energy upgrade waiting to happen.

Get a Quote

Planning a commercial facade, curtain wall, or window wall project in Baton Rouge? Contact our commercial team at Big River Glass for a consultation.

Big River Glass serves Baton Rouge and surrounding communities across south Louisiana.