Korniche Roof Lanterns - Frequently Asked Questions

What is ‘self clean’ glass?

Self cleaning glass combines both self cleaning and solar control properties, making them highly desirable amongst homeowners looking for the ultimate in glass solutions. The coating that is applied to the glass breaks down organic dirt and by doing so reduces the adhesion of inorganic dirt. Water droplets are spread out to form a sheet and this picks up the loosened dirt particles as it drains off the surface. The result is remarkable and a difference you can actually see.

What does U Value mean?

Thermal transmittance, also known as U-value, is the rate of transfer of heat through the glass. It is measured as watts per square meter Kelvin or W/m²K. The better the insulation, the lower the U-value is.

Why does aluminium need to be thermally broken?

Aluminium like all metals is a conductor of heat. If our profiles weren’t thermally broken the inside heat would be wicked away and lost to the colder outside. By creating a profile assembled with polyamide sections between the inside and outside portions, the ‘thermal bridge’ is stopped. Polyamide is a glass filled plastic meaning it is an insulator and therefore there is virtually no conduction of heat through it.

What are the benefits of powder coat verses wet paint?

Powder coating provides better performance than wet paint—it is more resistant to chipping, scratching, and other wear because of the thermal bonding it undergoes during curing, and because it can be applied in much thicker layers. This performance is especially important for outdoor products, like aluminium glazed products.

In addition to its physical toughness, powder coating provides superior colour retention. Long term exposure to moisture, sunlight, and heat breaks down the resins found in both paint and powder coating. This process, known as chalking, causes resin and pigment particles to lose adhesion. Affected particles form a chalk-like layer on the coating surface.

The early stages of chalking merely give the coating a faded appearance, but severe chalking will eventually erode the coating enough to compromise surface protection. The rate of chalking depends on the resiliency of the resin. Polyester based powder coatings are frequently used as topcoats due to their exceptional chalk resistance.

What colours do you offer?

Korniche offer the following standard colours for the roof lanterns; white (RAL 9010), black (RAL 9005) and grey (RAL 7016). Korniche also offer custom colours, which can be selected from the RAL colour classic chart.