Industry products: hardware

Install Taper-Loc Shims with CRL's installation/removal tool to lock the glass securely in place.

C.R.Laurence's variety of glass railing and windscreen systems provide glass professionals with many choices and installation methods. The company recently developed a proprietary glass installation system that reduces installation time by 50 percent. The Dry Glaze Taper-Loc System uses a horizontal taper lock design, rather than a vertical wedge system.

Designed to self-center the glass panels in the base shoe pocket, the system meets and exceeds code standards. Intended for residential and commercial tempered glass railing applications, it includes an installation/removal tool and the CRL Taper-Loc Shim Set for 1/2-inch (12 millimeters) or 3/4-inch (19 mm) tempered glass applications.

Installation consists of: substrate preparation, base shoe attachment, prepping the glass for installation, glass panel installation, securing the glass panels in the base shoe with Taper-Loc, cladding and finishing the base shoe, attaching the cap rail, and glass panel adjustment.

Substrate preparation

Base shoe attachment: The CRL Taper-Loc System supports all mounting methods, including surface mount, embed mount and fascia mounting, and is designed for typical concrete and steel mounting substrates.

Base shoe attachments to concrete: The holes in the heavy aluminum base shoe are used as alignment fixtures for proper hole positioning. Drill holes using a rotary hammer with a masonry drill bit and clean out with a blow-out pump. Install heavy-duty sleeve expansion bolt anchors.

Base shoe attachments to steel angles, channels and weld blocks: In these installations, the base shoe is again used as an alignment fixture. Drill holes in the steel and tap, blow clean, and then attach the shoe with socket head cap screws.

Adjust the mounted base to assure it is plumb to plus or minus 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) at an extended height of 42 inches (1,066 mm). If shimming is required, use aluminum shim strips, not wood shims, before securing the fasteners.

Prep the glass for installation: Before installing the glass panels, adhere the L-pressure blocks onto the bottom edge of the glass panel. The installer removes the tape's liner strip and sticks the L-pressure blocks onto the bottom edge of the glass, with the vertical surface making contact with the glass. These are spaced 14 inches (356 mm) on center maximum, and a minimum of four are used for a 48-inch (1,219 mm) glass panel. Exact spacing is not necessary.

Glass panel installation

Install the L-Pressure Blocks onto the bottom of each glass panel. A minimum edge distance of 6 inches is recommended for most standard applications.

After making sure the base shoe is free of debris, install the glass panels into the base shoe's pocket, with the glass edge, on which the L-pressure blocks were placed, set on the bottom. Install the high-strength, Taper-Loc taper shims that will later be locked together with CRL's exclusive installation/removal tool. This tool mechanically slides the taper shims horizontally in the shoe, and, with a precision measured torque action wrench, compresses them together. When compressed together they expand in thickness and the shims lock in place. CRL designed the Taper-Loc taper shims to incorporate tabs at either end. The installation/removal tool "grabs" onto these tabs to move the shims together or apart.

At this time, insert one Taper-Loc taper shim set, consisting of two shims, at the edge of each glass panel. The right side of the right-hand shim must be aligned with the right vertical edge of the L-pressure block that was previously installed. One of the two taper shims has one side engraved with the words "glass side." This side must face and touch the glass panel when inserted into the shoe. The other taper shim has projecting rails along its length that will hold the two in alignment with each other.

The shims don't need to be pushed all the way down; the installation/removal tool will remedy this. When the installer is satisfied with the spacing and top height alignment for a group of glass panels, the Taper-Loc securing operation begins.

Secure the glass panels in the base shoe with Taper-Loc: The installation/removal tool should now be able to drop down until it comes to rest on the base shoe. This will push the taper shims to the remaining depth. There's an indication mark on top of the right side of the tool that must be aligned with the right vertical edge of the L-pressure block. Sliding the tool left or right will move the taper shims at the same time to achieve alignment.

After proper alignment of the taper shims with the L-pressure blocks, the installer simply cranks the torque wrench with his right hand. This action slides the taper shims together horizontally. When the correct lock-up force is applied the wrench makes a single clicking sound and breaks for a few degrees of rotation, giving the Taper-Loc the exact measured torque requirement. Do not apply more force than the factory preset. Remove the tool and repeat the process for the remaining taper shims.

Cladding and finishing the base shoe: Although there are various methods of attaching cladding to the base shoe, a combination of cladding tape and neutral cure silicone offers the best of two worlds: the instant bond of the tape along with the speed of application of silicone and its flexible, durable adhesion. Once the cladding is applied, the roll-in glazing gasket is easily installed with one of CRL's roll-in vinyl tools. A neutral cure silicone, such as CRL's 95CBL, is required for exterior applications.

Attach the top cap rail: Apply a continuous bead of CRL's 95CBL Neutral Cure Silicone to the top glass edge and insert the protective vinyl onto the glass edge. Apply another bead of silicone to the top edge of the vinyl insert and install the cap rail over the vinyl insert until it is firmly seated. Shim as required, and caulk on both sides of the underside of the glass pocket for a clean finished look.

Glass panel adjustment and removal

The installation/removal tool loosens the taper shims for glass panel alignment or replacement by mechanically moving the shims apart from one another. Protect the cladding with blue masking tape. Then install the installation/removal tool into position, reverse the torque setting, and apply force to open the taper shims. Remove the taper shims, and adjust or replace the glass panel.

CRL has also designed and engineered a low-profile version for Glass Wind-screen Base Shoe applications. Features include an installation/removal tool and torque wrench, and the CRL Taper-Loc set for 3/8-inch (10 mm) tempered glass applications.

Complete detailed installation instructions and an installation video of the CRL Dry Glaze Taper-Loc System are available at crlaurence.com. For additional information, e-mail railings@crlaurence.com or call for engineering and technical assistance. CRL's technical sales department can be reached at 800/421-6144 in the United States, 877/421-6144 from Canada, or 323/588-1281 from outside the United States and Canada; ask for ext. 7730.

The author is brand manager/product manager, Architectural Railings Division, C.R. Laurence Co., Los Angeles, 800/421-6144, ext. 7738, chris_hanstad@crlaurence.com