Stick Built Curtain Wall Systems
The proven, cost-effective curtain wall. Hanart engineers and installs stick system curtain walls — mullions and transoms assembled on site — for mid-rise buildings that need performance without the tooling cost of unitized systems.
How a stick built curtain wall works
Stick built curtain walls are assembled piece by piece on site. Vertical mullions are anchored to the slab edges, horizontal transoms connect between them, and glazing panels, spandrels or louvers infill the grid. Every joint is sealed and drained in a controlled sequence.
- Anchors — steel or aluminum brackets fixed to slab edges, adjustable in three axes
- Mullions — thermal-break aluminum profiles erected and aligned
- Transoms — horizontal profiles connected through shear or mechanical joints
- Infills — insulated glass, spandrel panels or louvers glazed into the grid
- Sealing — drained joints, backer rods and weather sealants in sequence
Stick built vs unitized: the honest comparison
| Factor | Stick Built | Unitized |
|---|---|---|
| Best height range | ≤ 50–60 m | > 50 m towers |
| Tooling cost | Low | High (module design & jigs) |
| Installation speed | 3–5 m²/day/team | 8–15 m²/day/crane |
| QA point | On site | In factory |
| Geometry flexibility | High (site adjustment) | Lower (module grid) |
| Weather exposure risk | Higher during erection | Lower (closed modules) |
| Typical U-value | 1.2–1.6 W/m²·K | 1.0–1.4 W/m²·K |
Full system comparison guide → | Unitized vs stick deep-dive →
Stick built performance envelope
| Parameter | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| U-value | 1.4–1.6 W/m²·K | 1.0–1.2 W/m²·K (triple to 0.9) |
| Watertightness | Class R6 | Class R7 |
| Airtightness | Class A2 | Class A3 |
| Wind load | ≥ 2.4 kPa | ≥ 3.0 kPa |
| Acoustic | Rw 35–38 dB | Rw 40–44 dB |
| Sightline | 60–90 mm | 50–60 mm (thermal break) |
| Fire rating (option) | — | EI 60 perimeter |
More than profiles — engineered systems
Stick built looks simple, but durability lives in the details: anchor adjustability, drainage paths, thermal break continuity, movement joints and sealing sequence. Hanart brings 30 years of facade engineering to every stick system project.
- Full structural, thermal and condensation calculation set
- Mock-up testing of air, water and structural performance
- Site QC with checklists per zone and batch
- Installation by our own trained crews or supervised partners
Stick built curtain wall questions, answered
A stick system curtain wall is assembled on site: mullions (vertical members) and transoms (horizontal members) are fixed to the building structure, then glazing panels are infilled. It is the conventional, cost-effective curtain wall method for buildings up to roughly 60 m.
Stick built suits mid-rise buildings (typically up to 60 m), irregular geometries, and programs where cranes are limited; it has lower tooling cost. Unitized suits towers above 50 m where speed, factory QC and weather-tightness during erection matter most. See our full comparison guide.
With thermal break frames and high-performance glass, stick built curtain walls achieve U-values from 1.2 W/m²·K (double glazing) and down to 0.9 W/m²·K with triple glazing, verified by thermal calculation and mock-up testing.
Yes, with engineering adjustments — heavier sections, larger anchor moments and stricter site tolerance control. However above ~50–60 m unitized systems usually become competitive in cost and program, which is why towers generally switch systems.
Typical erection rates are 3–5 m² per day per installation team for stick built, versus 8–15 m² with a unitized crane operation. For a 20,000 m² facade that means roughly 6–10 months of facade erection in two working fronts.
Engineer a cost-effective stick built facade
Send your elevations and height. We'll confirm whether stick built is the right system and return performance, program and pricing within 5 working days.