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The two systems differ in several respects.

Space taken up in height. This is the first and biggest difference. A hanging canopy is held by tension rods that run from the glass up to the wall, so it needs free wall space above the opening – above the doors, for example. A supported canopy is carried by brackets from below, so it takes up considerably less space in height.

Loads on the connectors. On a supported canopy the connection points sit closer together, which means the load on each connector is higher. On a hanging canopy the connection points are further apart, so the load carried by each connector is smaller.

Maximum depth. Each system has its limits. With a supported canopy the maximum depth you can achieve is around 1.3 m. With a hanging canopy you can go deeper: if you decide to build a very deep canopy, you can place a second row of tension rods further out, which makes greater projections possible.

So why use a supported canopy at all, if a hanging canopy allows greater depths and lower loads on the connectors? Because quite often there is simply no space for the tension rods above the opening. There may be a window or some other obstacle directly above the doors, and the rods cannot be fixed there. In those cases the supported canopy is the solution.

This is a good question, and it comes down to the loads applied to the canopy: the higher the loads, the closer together the connectors have to be placed.

The rule of thumb we try to stick to has three limits:

• the load width carried by one bracket should not exceed 1000 mm
• the distance between two neighbouring brackets should not exceed 1200 mm
• the distance from the outermost bracket to the edge of the glass should not exceed 325 mm.

Example with two brackets. The brackets are spaced 1200 mm apart, with 300 mm from each bracket to the edge of the glass, giving a total glass width of 1800 mm. The load width working on one bracket is half of the span between the brackets (600 mm) plus the overhang beyond it (300 mm), which comes to 900 mm – within the limit.

Example with three brackets. Here the distance between the brackets should not exceed 1000 mm. The middle bracket carries half of the span on each side of it – 500 mm plus 500 mm – so its load width is already 1000 mm, right at the limit. Unlike the outer brackets, the middle one gains nothing from the short overhang at the edge of the glass, so it is always the governing one.

It is also worth correcting a common assumption. Many people think the weakest part of a glass canopy is the glass. Usually that is not true: the critical part is the connection itself. In many cases the load-bearing material – whether concrete, masonry, timber or another material – is hidden behind insulation. The load is therefore applied to the connector at an eccentricity from the load-bearing material, so the connector has to carry additional bending as well. For that reason the weakest element in the whole construction is usually neither the brackets nor the glass, but the way the canopy is connected to the wall.

Connector types differ depending on the load-bearing material that will carry the loads from the canopy.

Concrete or masonry (aerated concrete blocks, bricks or other masonry). Here the connection is made with a chemical anchor, and there are two cases.

Case 1 – the load-bearing material is directly accessible, with no insulation or cladding in front of it. In this case you can glue threaded rods straight into the load-bearing material. The threaded rods are usually M10 or M12.

Case 2 – there is insulation or a façade on top of the load-bearing material. Additional loads then act on the connector. Say we have 200 mm of insulation on a concrete wall: the load is applied at a 200 mm eccentricity from the load-bearing material, and this has to be taken into account. In this case we use connectors of a much larger diameter – stainless steel rods 20 mm in diameter and roughly 300 to 400 mm long, depending on the build-up – which are glued into the load-bearing material. Because the rod diameter is much larger, it can withstand the additional load from the eccentricity without excessive deflection, which could otherwise break the anchor or damage the façade.

Timber. If the load-bearing material is timber, we use special timber screws intended for fixing steel plates to timber.

Grade. Yes. Our fittings are stainless steel, and the catalogue covers three grades: AISI 201, AISI 304 and AISI 316. AISI 201 is the basic grade for indoor and dry environments. AISI 304 suits indoor and general use. AISI 316 offers the highest corrosion resistance for outdoor, humid, or coastal (salt-air) environments. The available grade is shown on each product page.

Surface finish. Polished, satin and raw. The available finish is shown on each product page.

The catalogue covers 16 thickness values: 1.50 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 6 · 8 · 8.76 · 10 · 10.76 · 12 · 12.76 (66.2) · 13.52 · 16.76 (88.2) · 17.52 and 21.52 mm. Each product page states which ones it fits. Note that for laminated glass the code describes the build-up: 66.2 means two 6 mm panes with two interlayers, 12.76 mm in total.

Glass width from 1400 to 3500 mm in 18 steps, and depth of 900, 1000, 1100, 1200 and 1300 mm. For a supported canopy, 1300 mm is also the structural maximum. If you need something outside this range, email info@strofix.com and we will tell you what is possible.

A French balcony is glass fixed to the façade without a walk-out platform – it protects an open door or window without adding floor area. For it the catalogue has D30 and D50 point fixings with 16 mm and 20 mm anchor rods, as well as glass adapters with 20 mm anchor rods.

Stock items. Standard orders are dispatched once payment is confirmed and typically arrive within 1-14 business days, depending on your location, order size, and shipping method. For larger or custom orders, we'll contact you individually to confirm timing.

Made-to-order items. This depends on the product and on whether we have it in our warehouse.

Products without glass. These are usually in stock, or our supply chain can deliver them to us quickly, so the waiting time is short.

Products that include glass, such as a complete glass canopy set, are a different matter, because the glass is manufactured specifically for each order.

You may ask why we do not simply keep glass in stock. There are several reasons: glass comes in different thicknesses, in different colours, in different depths and in different widths – and two panes of the same width can still have different hole spacings. Too many factors come into play, which is why the glass is produced individually for each project.

Glass manufacturing takes two to four weeks, depending on how busy our suppliers are, and shipping has to be added on top of that. In some cases the total can reach about five weeks; often it is faster, but five weeks is roughly the maximum.

A note on glass shipping. Shipping glass is tricky. We produce glass locally here in Latvia, and if the order is large enough we also ship glass to other countries. However, when only one or two panes are needed, the shipping cost tends to be high: the panes are large, heavy and fragile. To help our clients avoid this, we offer to prepare the glass manufacturing drawings for them, so they can obtain a quote from a glass manufacturer in their own country.

Where we ship. We ship throughout Europe using trusted couriers such as Omniva and DPD. We can also deliver outside the European Union on request. Just email info@strofix.com before ordering and we'll arrange a quote.

Shipping cost. Shipping is calculated automatically from the parcel's weight, size, and destination, and the exact amount is shown before you confirm your order, so there are no surprises at checkout.

You can pay securely by card (via Verifone), Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, or MakeCommerce. Payments are processed by MakeCommerce.lv (Maksekeskus AS).

Returns. New, unused items in their original packaging can be returned within 30 days of delivery. Just email info@strofix.com with your order number to start. Return shipping is arranged and paid by the customer. Please note that made-to-order or custom-cut items cannot be returned.

If it arrives damaged or incomplete. Please check your goods on delivery. If anything is damaged or missing, report it to the courier immediately and email us at info@strofix.com so we can put it right.

Yes. We regularly supply installers, fabricators, and construction companies. For trade or bulk pricing, contact us at info@strofix.com with your requirements and VAT number, and we'll prepare an offer.