When creating a glazed wall, curtain walling is one solution (with prefabricated sections hung in place) or, alternatively, the glass itself can be hung from a frame. Using trusses to span a wall or building height, often along with diagonal bracing, the structure must be strong in tension but able to flex if struck by wind.

Glass is often held by a four-point ‘spider’. This is fastened to the frame and has four fixings coming from it, positioned to connect to four corners of 4 different pieces of glass coming together at one point. A bolt holds the glass in place, and is surrounded by a rubber washer or ‘grommet’ that absorbs movement when the glass expands or contracts and is also weather proof.

The gaps between sheets of glass must be filled with a mastic which can stretch when glass contracts yet can be compressed when glass expands to maintain a weatherproof skin and prevent damage to the glass.