Squaring Heavy Aluminum Frames Before Finishing Glass Table Tops

Morning Prep at the Shop On Wednesday morning, we started the shift at our shop on Lakewood Drive getting orders staged for the day. Before heading out to our primary job site, we finished polishing edges on a set of thick glass table tops for a local office space. Having tabletop and shelf glass cut to size ready for pickup keeps the shop floor moving smooth while our road crew loads heavy extrusions and tempered panels onto the truck.

By eight, the rig was loaded with dark bronze anodized aluminum framing, setting blocks, and large clear tempered panels destined for a new retail buildout down the road.

Setting Extrusions on Fresh Concrete Once on site, the main task was getting the outer perimeter frames plumb and square. Concrete slabs in retail strip centers are rarely completely level across a wide span. We spent the first hour measuring high spots, shimming under the bottom sill, and anchoring the vertical jambs securely to the rough opening.

When installing commercial storefront glass, frame alignment dictates everything that follows. If the head or jamb is out of square by even an eighth of an inch across a ten-foot tall opening, the glass won't sit flat against the interior gaskets. That causes air leaks, weather infiltration, or binding doors later on. We set neoprene setting blocks precisely at the quarter points to support the dead weight of the glass panels without pinching the edges.

Tilting Panels and Sealing the Opening With the frames anchored, two of us maneuvered the heavy tempered safety glass panels into place using suction cups. Each piece is tilted bottom-first into the deep pocket, shifted sideways into the jamb recess, and lowered gently onto the setting blocks.

After positioning the glass, we installed the pressure plates and snapped the aluminum face covers flush to conceal the fasteners. We wrapped up the day by tooling a clean bead of exterior silicone sealant around the frame perimeter. As a long-standing glass company near Georgetown Texas, taking the extra ten minutes to double-check frame squareness and seal integrity keeps local business owners secure and dry.

If you need commercial glazing or custom cut glass for your building, reach out to schedule a site measurement or get a quote.