Louvres are a highly technical and often confusing product, so to help demystify some elements we thought we would explain some of the common parts you will see on a louvre drawing and what they do.
The Head
The horizontal part of the frame at the top of the panel. Its shape gives rigidity to the panel which is normally secured to the building structure or secondary steelwork at regular intervals.
The Jambs
The vertical members at the ends of a panel prevent water being blown in, and often have built-in channels to help water to drain quickly away from the face of the louvre. These are fixed to the primary structure of the building or to secondary steelwork.
The Cill
The horizontal part of the frame at the bottom of the louvre panel, which is designed to help drain water away from the rear of the louvre.
The Blades
Horizontal or vertical spaced slats making up the body of the louvre panel to allow air through. In performance louvres these are installed as multiple banks of formed blades or as slimmer, complex blades designed to turn the air quickly.
The Mullion(s)
Intermediate vertical members, between 1m and 2m apart, that support the blades. They are either hidden or visible and are often similar in design to the jamb, with channels to help water drain away from the face. In a hidden mullion system, they sit behind the blades and are often a single structural section. In a visible mullion system, the mullions and the jambs are essentially the same and will be designed to allow panels to interlock.
We have been manufacturing and selling louvres globally for over 60 years. When you specify our systems, you get the support of a dedicated team with a wealth of experience and design capability.
The performance of our louvres has been evaluated by independent third party testing. In addition, any of our standard or bespoke solutions can be verified in our own testing chamber to ensure they achieve specified performance levels in real world conditions.
Specification
The principal reason for using louvres is to allow the movement of air. But, louvre specification is a balance between form and function, with louvred façade appearance playing an important part in the selection process.
Compare our
To help you find the right Louvre within our comprehensive range, we've put together a comparison sheet, highlighting key performance and aesthetic information for each of our models.
Discover how we
Your project is unique, as is every challenge – and that’s where we shine. With unrivalled experience, passion and support we’ll help you tackle the toughest of challenges.
Sustainability
As a sustainable manufacturing company we recognise our impact on the environment, and are committed to pursuing better. The standard alloy we use to manufacture our louvres contains at least 55% recycled pre-and post-consumer scrap content. We've also achieved Cradle to Cradle Bronze Certification for all louvres manufactured in our Westcott Facility.
