ᐅ Window sill height 25 cm or 50 cm – height of fall protection
Created on: 1 May 2022 23:01
S
Samantheus
Hello everyone,
we are currently undecided about the sill height for our windows on the upper floor.
That’s the story/basis in brief. Now we are reconsidering and are torn between a sill height of 25cm and 50cm.
From our point of view, a sill height of 25cm favors a more harmonious fall protection height and more light in the room.
On the other hand, a 50cm sill height might make the room feel cozier inside and the windowsill can be used more, for example, to place toys on or for children to sit on. Also, with a sill height of 50cm, the distance to the ground floor windows is somewhat greater, which might make a potential future pergola or awning feel less cramped.
We are very uncertain how a 90cm (35 inches) fall protection above a 50cm sill would feel in the room. We have never seen anything like that in a show house or similar. In that case, the fall protection would end about 128cm (50 inches) above the finished floor level, which feels quite high. With a 25cm sill, it would only be 103cm (41 inches), which feels more comfortable (similar to sill height on stairs, etc.).
The key question:
Does anyone here have 50cm sill windows with fall protection and can share how that feels in a room? Maybe even a photo?
Would you recommend sill height 25cm or 50cm? Are we overlooking anything?
A few additional details:
- This concerns a total of 4 windows (2 windows in children’s rooms) and 2 windows in the bedroom.
- One bedroom window (facing an extension) cannot be lowered to 25cm sill height and must remain at 50cm sill height (due to the roof parapet).
- Windows are planned with white PVC frames on the inside, dark aluminum on the outside (DB 703).
- Windowsill Nero Assoluto, 3cm (1 inch) thick, not flush with plaster.
- Fall protection made of glass installed inside the window reveal directly at the window (Warema VisioNeo).
Link to planning thread (for info and completeness only): https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/grundriss-planung-und-platzierung-efh-ca-200qm-auf-900qm-Grundstück.39104/
The facade images are just to better visualize the exterior; the fall protection shown there has incorrect (too low) dimensions.
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Sam
Floor plan:
View sill height 25
View sill height 50
we are currently undecided about the sill height for our windows on the upper floor.
- Initially, we planned floor-to-ceiling windows.
- For structural reasons, this was not possible, and we need a minimum rough sill height of 25cm (10 inches).
- For aesthetic reasons, we then considered a sill height of 50cm (20 inches) (better living atmosphere inside, child can sit on it).
- However, we were told that the windowsill is interpreted as a "stepping surface," so the French balcony must be 90cm (35 inches) above the top edge of the windowsill.
That’s the story/basis in brief. Now we are reconsidering and are torn between a sill height of 25cm and 50cm.
From our point of view, a sill height of 25cm favors a more harmonious fall protection height and more light in the room.
On the other hand, a 50cm sill height might make the room feel cozier inside and the windowsill can be used more, for example, to place toys on or for children to sit on. Also, with a sill height of 50cm, the distance to the ground floor windows is somewhat greater, which might make a potential future pergola or awning feel less cramped.
We are very uncertain how a 90cm (35 inches) fall protection above a 50cm sill would feel in the room. We have never seen anything like that in a show house or similar. In that case, the fall protection would end about 128cm (50 inches) above the finished floor level, which feels quite high. With a 25cm sill, it would only be 103cm (41 inches), which feels more comfortable (similar to sill height on stairs, etc.).
The key question:
Does anyone here have 50cm sill windows with fall protection and can share how that feels in a room? Maybe even a photo?
Would you recommend sill height 25cm or 50cm? Are we overlooking anything?
A few additional details:
- This concerns a total of 4 windows (2 windows in children’s rooms) and 2 windows in the bedroom.
- One bedroom window (facing an extension) cannot be lowered to 25cm sill height and must remain at 50cm sill height (due to the roof parapet).
- Windows are planned with white PVC frames on the inside, dark aluminum on the outside (DB 703).
- Windowsill Nero Assoluto, 3cm (1 inch) thick, not flush with plaster.
- Fall protection made of glass installed inside the window reveal directly at the window (Warema VisioNeo).
Link to planning thread (for info and completeness only): https://www.hausbau-forum.de/threads/grundriss-planung-und-platzierung-efh-ca-200qm-auf-900qm-Grundstück.39104/
The facade images are just to better visualize the exterior; the fall protection shown there has incorrect (too low) dimensions.
Thanks in advance and best regards,
Sam
Floor plan:
View sill height 25
View sill height 50
W
WilderSueden5 May 2022 21:39On one side is the crib, on the other the desk, and suddenly your walls are full 😉
But yes, of course you can also put something underneath. However, then it won’t be quite as close to the window anymore.
But yes, of course you can also put something underneath. However, then it won’t be quite as close to the window anymore.
X
xMisterDx6 May 2022 23:05I would lean towards the safer option here... In my view: if you want floor-to-ceiling windows, then they should truly be floor-to-ceiling and combined with a "Juliet balcony"... if not, then go for a standard sill height... I don’t see any benefits in this "compromise."
S
Samantheus8 May 2022 11:55Unfortunately, I still haven’t received any feedback on the minimally required parapet height for a French balcony to be considered at a “normal height.” Hopefully, this will come at the beginning of next week.
Thank you very much for the pictures and additional opinions. A fully floor-to-ceiling window would also be our first choice, but unfortunately, this is not possible due to structural reasons. At the moment, we are leaning slightly towards “as low as possible,” meaning a parapet height of 25cm (10 inches) in the shell construction, about 10cm (4 inches) above the finished floor level.
Thank you very much for the pictures and additional opinions. A fully floor-to-ceiling window would also be our first choice, but unfortunately, this is not possible due to structural reasons. At the moment, we are leaning slightly towards “as low as possible,” meaning a parapet height of 25cm (10 inches) in the shell construction, about 10cm (4 inches) above the finished floor level.
motorradsilke schrieb:We currently have a maisonette apartment on the 1st and 2nd floors with floor-to-ceiling windows in some rooms, and we love it. It’s not just about letting in more light, but especially about the “viewing position.” With floor-to-ceiling windows, our 3-year-old son can look outside on his own, which he really enjoys. For example, when the neighbor is mowing the lawn, he finds it very exciting to stand or sit in front of the window and look down. We also really like being able to look outside easily while sitting on the couch, at the dining table, or at the desk. That wouldn’t work with regular windows. Kids can’t look out easily, and as a seated adult, you might see the sky, clouds, or horizon, but not the life in the garden.
I don’t understand these floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper floor anyway. Why do people do that? And if they want more light, why not just make the windows wider?
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motorradsilke8 May 2022 12:27Samantheus schrieb:
Unfortunately, I still haven’t received any feedback on the minimum required parapet height to make a French balcony at a “normal height” sufficient; hopefully, that will come early next week.
Thank you very much for the pictures and additional opinions. Fully floor-to-ceiling windows would be our preference as well, but due to structural reasons, that’s not possible. At the moment, we are slightly leaning toward “as low as possible,” meaning a parapet height of 25 cm (10 inches) in the shell construction, about 10 cm (4 inches) above the finished floor level.
We currently live in a duplex apartment on the first and second floors with floor-to-ceiling windows in some rooms, and we love it. It’s not just about letting in more light, but especially about the viewing position. With floor-to-ceiling windows, our 3-year-old son can look outside on his own, which he really enjoys. For example, when the lawn is being mowed in the neighbor’s garden, he finds it very exciting to stand or sit in front of the window and watch down below. We also find it very pleasant to be able to simply look outside while sitting on the couch, at the dining table, or at the desk. That wouldn’t work with regular windows. A child can’t look outside alone, and as a seated adult, you might see the sky, clouds, or horizon, but not the activity happening in the garden. I can relate to that; we also have floor-to-ceiling windows. I love them and wouldn’t generally question choosing them—at least in the rooms where you often look outside. Usually, in a single-family house, the couch and dining table are on the ground floor.
The child likes to look outside, yes. But for how much longer? In one or two years, that’s usually no longer that interesting.
M
Myrna_Loy8 May 2022 12:32motorradsilke schrieb:
The child likes to look outside. But for how much longer? In 1 or 2 years, it probably won’t be as interesting anymore.This reminds me of our eldest, who noticed at the age of five—two years after we moved—that he could see the church opposite his bedroom window!!!!S
Samantheus8 May 2022 12:51You are right... we also thought about it for a very long time. In our initial plan, the upper floor still had a standard parapet height. We had already been considering this extensively back then. When we needed a structural plan anyway, we switched to floor-to-ceiling windows. So, I can fully understand your points because it was a long discussion for us as well.
In the bedroom, we definitely wanted floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking outside from bed in the morning—once you get used to that, it’s simply wonderful. We also preferred the exterior façade with uniform windows. Since we were quite indifferent about the children’s rooms, that became the small deciding factor. Overall, in our view, it also looks a bit more modern from both inside and outside.
In the bedroom, we definitely wanted floor-to-ceiling windows. Looking outside from bed in the morning—once you get used to that, it’s simply wonderful. We also preferred the exterior façade with uniform windows. Since we were quite indifferent about the children’s rooms, that became the small deciding factor. Overall, in our view, it also looks a bit more modern from both inside and outside.
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