What is the difference between a balcony and a loggia? What is the difference between a balcony and a loggia and which is better? The consumer properties of a balcony and a loggia are different

In modern construction, terms such as balcony and loggia are often encountered. Nowadays not a single multi-storey residential building or office can do without these structures.

These concepts are often confused with each other or these words are considered synonyms. But that's not true. There is a difference between the two structures. You can determine it at first glance.

Balcony. Distinctive characteristics

The Russian word balcony comes from the French balkon, which, in turn, was formed from the old German word balko, which in Russian sounds like a beam. Taken together, this results in an open area, which is attached to the wall of the house and fenced around the perimeter.

Before reinforced concrete slabs appeared, balconies were mounted on beams protruding from the wall. There must be an exit to the balcony from the building. There are several varieties of balconies. If you determine these differences, it will become clear how a balcony differs from a loggia.

Typical balconies

A typical balcony usually consists of a reinforced concrete slab protruding from the wall of the house, which, in turn, is enclosed by a metal lattice.
This protrusion is the main difference between a balcony and a loggia.
Sometimes the grille is covered with decorative reinforced concrete slabs, which are attached to the grille with welded brackets. The slabs are quite light and can be removed by one healthy man.
In some cases, the lattice of the balcony railing is covered with sheets of flat slate. Their fastenings are identical to the brackets described above.
IN panel houses sometimes instead of fencing bars, decorative reinforced concrete slabs are installed on the balcony. It is extremely difficult to remove them, although it is possible.

French balconies

In the case of , the difference is very clearly visible - a balcony and a loggia. The first thing that catches your eye is the size of the French balcony.
One of the distinctive features of the French balcony is that it does not have its own balcony area. There is only a ledge to place your foot on.
building. In post-Soviet territory, such structures were not often used, but they can be found in cities such as St. Petersburg or Odessa.
In modern construction, French balconies also mean balconies that are glazed from top to bottom and have maximum access to daylight.

Wrought iron balconies

IN in this case the difference between a balcony and a loggia is obvious due to the open area.
This kind of balcony is called wrought iron because of the wrought iron fence. Moreover, the forged ornament can be on the balcony slab itself.
Forged can be either a French or a regular balcony.
Like all balconies, this balcony has access from the apartment.

Glazed balconies

Since the end of the 20th century, glazing of balconies has been gaining momentum. This happens, most likely, due to the desire of people to isolate themselves from the noise and dust that the street brings.

And sometimes this is dictated by the intention to expand your living space. In this case, the balcony is expanded.

The difference between a balcony and a loggia is visible in this case as well. A balcony always remains a balcony, since it is built on an external reinforced concrete slab. Even if its walls are covered with PVC panels or siding. Or, as noted above, the balcony can be glazed from top to bottom, in the manner of the modern French prototype.

Balconies in modern construction

Modern construction offers its know-how in the technology of building balconies. The building materials used are concrete, metal and plastic.

But, nevertheless, the differences between a balcony and a loggia are visible in this case, since the balcony still remains an external device.

But modern balconies are not always made closed. As before, there are projects of houses with open balconies. Of course, this does not always suit the residents and sometimes they still glaze these structures.

Loggias. Device and features

Definition

How does a loggia differ from a balcony? The word itself has Italian roots and comes from the Italian loggia. The loggia is part of the room, but it is open on one or more sides.

In a modern modification, such a structure plays the role of a balcony, but at the same time it is built into the building and is not a protrusion.

Most often, such a loggia has two side walls and a fully or partially open facade. Such structures were very popular in Soviet architecture.

This is especially true for hot Asian republics, since the loggia is a very convenient place to relax, especially in the summer.

Modern construction

In modern construction, a loggia does not always have two side walls, as it can be semicircular, as in the photo above.

Please note that there are two types of loggias visible here - semicircular and ordinary, with two walls. To the left of the loggias you can see the balconies.

The difference between a loggia and a balcony is also that you can arrange a full-fledged room on the loggia (see), without resorting to expanding it. While on a standard balcony there is too little space for this.

Advice. If you want to accurately determine what is in front of you, a balcony or loggia, first of all, pay attention to whether this structure is remote or whether it is part of the house.

While on a balcony this should always be done with caution, given that it is a remote structure.

Conclusion

The main differences between a loggia and a balcony lie in the design of the structure. But, nevertheless, it is part of the house and the condition of the apartment and the house as a whole will depend on the condition of the balcony or loggia. On this moment These structures are a good addition to the living space of the apartment.

The difference between a balcony and a loggia in an apartment must be understood, since both the cost of housing and the comfort of living conditions depend on it. SNIP helps to deal with this, i.e. building codes and regulations, which provide a clear definition of what a balcony is and what a loggia is.

Externally, the balcony and loggia in a new building differ in size and in their location relative to the house. There is a difference in the reliability and possibilities of using these premises.

In law:

A balcony is a platform that is fenced and protrudes from the facade wall. It is used for relaxation summer period time.
A loggia is a room that is covered or fenced on 3 sides and open to the outside space.

Thus, the balcony is cooler than the loggia, since it is in contact with the street on 3 sides, while the loggia is connected to the outside space on only one side, which allows it to retain heat more effectively.

The loggia, compared to the balcony, is the safest room.

Due to the fact that it is part of the house, built into it, it can be freely insulated, installed and used for absolutely any purpose. In addition, to install the floor, you can safely fill it with a concrete screed. The loggia is the safest, most functional and easy to use.

Dimensional difference between a balcony and a loggia

A loggia differs from a balcony in its ability to be larger; it is limited only by the size of the apartment. The loggia can be not only straight, but also angular. Typically, a corner loggia has a larger area compared to a straight one. It can be located in several rooms.

But, in rare cases, a direct loggia can be adjacent to two rooms at the same time.

This allows you to arrange the loggia as a separate full-fledged room. SNIP states that the depth of the corner loggia is limited by the requirements for natural light in the room adjacent to it. The size of the balcony is always small, since there are good reasons for its limitation.

Reasons for limited balcony size:

The balcony has decorative value.
Balcony weight.
Design feature of the building facade.

Some types of balconies, for example the French balcony, have exclusively decorative value and the size of their platforms is extremely small; there is also a complete absence of a platform. It must be remembered that if the size of the balcony exceeds the norm, there is a huge probability of its collapse.

Structural difference between a balcony and a loggia

It is important for every person who has a balcony or loggia to know how reliable the structures that make up their apartment are. In terms of reliability, a balcony is inferior to a loggia. A balcony is a structure that is attached to the wall only from the entrance side, therefore, the more massive it is, the greater the likelihood of it collapsing.

You should not overload the balcony with bulky things, as over time this will lead to its deformation and collapse.

Unlike a balcony, a loggia rests on the load-bearing walls of the building, therefore, it has the ability to withstand enormous loads. The likelihood of the loggia collapsing is extremely low. It is clear that while there are differences between a balcony and a loggia, there are also differences in the possibilities that these types of premises have when organizing the space in them.

The following conditions are decisive in arranging a balcony or loggia:

Size;
Reliability;
The ability of a room to retain heat.

The size and reliability of the balcony greatly limit the possibility of creating additional space there. In addition, the balcony does not retain heat well, since it only has one side adjacent to the apartment. Due to the fact that the other 3 sides are exposed to external conditions, it is not possible to make it a room in which a lot of time is spent, such as a bedroom or playroom. Even if you glaze the balcony, then maintain normal temperature it's impossible there. But still, the balcony can really be used as an additional room, both in winter and summer. Usually old things are stored on the balcony, but there are more original ways use of this premises.

In winter, you can organize a pantry on the balcony where you can store a variety of products. And if you insulate the floor on the balcony, you can create a winter garden and grow vegetables and fruits in it even in the cold season.

In summer, the open balcony can be organized as a terrace. There may also be a garden. In addition to this, you can install comfortable furniture. As a result, in the summer you can spend your leisure time pleasantly on the balcony: reading books, drawing, watching films, doing handicrafts, etc. It is also possible to organize a dressing room on the balcony.

Design differences between a balcony and a loggia

Unlike a balcony, a loggia has a huge number of options for equipping it - from creating a garden to using it as a banquet hall. Since 3 walls of the loggia are adjacent to the room and are heated, by insulating the wall that is in contact with the external environment, it is possible to create an absolutely warm room. This is a big advantage of this design, since the loggia provides more reliable protection of the apartment from bad weather, as well as excellent additional sound insulation of the room.

Options for arranging a loggia:

Bedroom, play corner, relaxation area, etc.;
Gym;
Work corner, office;
Garden, greenhouse.

There are many other possibilities for using this room, it all depends on the imagination of the organizer of the space of this room. It is important to understand the difference between a balcony and a loggia, both for your safety and convenience, and for commercial gain when buying or selling an apartment.

Thus, according to the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, when buying or selling an apartment, reduction factors should be indicated. For balconies the reduction factor is 0.3, for loggias – 0.5.

Consequently, it is more profitable to purchase an apartment with a balcony, but at the same time, there will be limitations in organizing the space on it and creating additional premises. Therefore, when purchasing an apartment with additional structures, it is up to the home buyer to decide what is more necessary for him, the benefit or the breadth of possibilities for using the additional space.

Review of loggia and balcony: what is the difference (video)

In conclusion, it is worth noting that modern architects have come up with a new type of structure called a balcony-loggia. With this type of construction, the area of the room increases significantly, since it is both recessed, like a loggia, and protrudes like a balcony beyond the perimeter of the building. Moreover, not only the size, but also the illumination of the room increases.

A room covered and fenced in plan on three sides, open to the outside space, serving for recreation in the summer and sun protection. Source: SNiP 2.08.01 89*: Residential buildings 3.3 Loggia Built-in or attached, open to the outside... ... Dictionary-reference book of terms of normative and technical documentation

A part of a building that is open on one or more sides (a balcony or entrance recessed into a wall). Source: Dictionary of architectural construction terms is a room open from the outside, recessed on the facade of a building, usually to the height of a floor, having ... Construction dictionary

- (Italian loggia, from ancient Upper laudja gazebo), a room open on one or more sides, where the wall is replaced by a colonnade, arcade, parapet, and so on. The loggia can be a separate structure (Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence,... ... Art encyclopedia

- (Italian loggia) a room open on one or more sides, where the wall is replaced by a colonnade, arcade, parapet, etc. A loggia can be a separate structure or a kind of balcony recessed into the building... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Gallery, balcony, greenhouse Dictionary of Russian synonyms. loggia noun, number of synonyms: 3 balcony (13) gallery ... Synonym dictionary

Loggia- a room covered and fenced in plan on three sides, open to the external space, serving for recreation in the summer and sun protection (mandatory Appendix No. 1, SNiP 2.08.01 89*)... Source: Order of the Ministry of Land Construction of the Russian Federation dated 04.08.1998 N 37… … Official terminology

loggia- A room open from the outside, recessed on the facade of a building, usually to the height of a floor, having a communication connection with the interior. [Terminological dictionary of construction in 12 languages (VNIIIS Gosstroy USSR)] loggia... ... Technical Translator's Guide

LOGGIA, loggias, women. (Italian loggia) (archit.). An open gallery on columns along the wall of the building. Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

LOGGIA, and, female 1. An open gallery adjacent to the building. 2. A type of balcony recessed into the building. Apartment with a loggia. | adj. loggia, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Loggia- - part of the building, open on one or more sides (balcony or entrance, recessed into the wall) ... Builder's Dictionary

Books

Balcony and loggia. Cozy solutions, Nikolaev Andrey Alexandrovich. Almost every modern apartment has a balcony or loggia, and some have both. But, unfortunately, these additional areas are often used simply as a place for…
Balcony and loggia Cozy solutions, Nikolaev A.. Almost every modern apartment has a balcony or loggia, and some have both. But, unfortunately, these additional areas are often used simply as a place for…

Modern apartment house It’s impossible to imagine without a spacious loggia or a cozy balcony. A lot of useful and not so necessary things are stored there, laundry is dried, and jars of homemade ingredients are stored there.

Sometimes this space is used as a full extension of the living area. They set up a study area, a play area, and a small workshop there. Very often the concepts of “loggia” and “balcony” are confused, believing that they are identical. However, this is not at all true. These two structures have several design differences, which will be discussed in our article.

What is a balcony and what is a loggia?

Visually distinguishing these structures is very simple. A balcony is a ledge near the windows, which has sufficient area so that you can place furniture there, store things, or use it for other purposes.

A loggia is a niche, a recess in the wall. From the street side, it looks flush with the facade, while the balcony protrudes from it to a large extent. This is a difference at a layman level. SNiP (building codes and regulations) will help you correctly determine what each structure is.

According to building regulations, a balcony is a reinforced platform that protrudes from the plane of the wall. Depending on the shape, size, type of construction and other parameters, balconies may differ from each other.

Depending on the type of construction, a balcony can be:

Typical. The most common option that can be found in all standard buildings today. Such designs differ from each other by the presence of glazing, various options finishing, type of fencing and other elements.
Added. This type can most often be found on the first two floors of a building. This design has free space underneath, where the balcony supports are located.
Attached. Such a balcony, as a rule, is mounted on an existing building. The structure must have external cantilever beams for attaching the structure to the wall and face supports to reduce the load on the facade of the building.
Mounted. This design is fixed to the facade using fasteners. It differs from other types in that it does not require additional supports for fixation. Thanks to this, the hanging balcony can be mounted on any floor. It has several varieties of appearance.
Forged. Balcony with wrought metal elements. These can be supports, railings, fences, or all of them together.
French. Its fundamental difference is the partial or complete absence of a platform. Most often it is used as a decorative fence for windows. It is distinguished by its compact overall dimensions and elegant design.

A typical balcony is a reinforced concrete slab protruding from the wall of the building and enclosed by a metal grill. The lattice can be open, closed with decorative slabs or sheets of flat slate. The slab is attached only from the entrance side, so it is not recommended to overload the balcony with too massive structures and heavy finishing materials.

Depending on the presence of glass, balconies can be glazed or open. Today, you can increasingly see the first design option. People, in an attempt to protect themselves and their homes from noise, dust, insects, and precipitation, cover their balconies with transparent glass. This method allows you to slightly expand your living space.

Glazing can be partial, when the lower part of the balcony remains closed, and full, when the balcony space is covered with glass from floor to ceiling.

The loggia does not extend beyond the facade of the house and is usually fenced on three or two sides, while the balcony is fenced on only one. The depth of its recess into the wall depends on the standards natural light for the room that is adjacent to this wall. The concrete slab that serves as its base rests on the load-bearing or semi-load-bearing walls of the house.

The open part of the loggia is limited by a metal, concrete, stone, wooden, glass or other parapet.

Depending on the design features loggia happens:

Built-in. With this option, the loggia has only one open side. The support is carried out on the load-bearing wall of the house.
Remote. The base plate rests on the consoles of the walls that are attached to the house.
Corner. With this option, two sides of the loggia are closed and two are open.

The loggia can be closed with glass or left open. True, glazing in any case can be partial. The lower part of the loggia must be covered with a brick, concrete or metal fence.

The internal space of the loggia can also be used as a full-fledged living space, without even having to expand it.

It is believed that loggias cannot be heated, but this is not true. Moreover, in some administrative buildings loggias are used as relaxation areas for employees. Accordingly, radiator heating is provided there to provide comfortable conditions for relaxation. Some loggias, due to their design features, have windows in the side walls.

Main differences

Balconies and loggia differ in several parameters:

By construction type. A balcony is an external element of a building, a loggia is a recessed element.
Number of closed sides. The balcony has only one wall on the entrance side, while the loggia has two (in the case of a corner structure) or three.
Strength. The support for the balcony is an external slab, so it has significant weight restrictions. That is, it is not recommended to make a concrete screed on the floor, install massive furniture or use heavy material for cladding. finishing material. The support for the loggia is the load-bearing structure of the building, so from this point of view it is a more reliable and stronger structure.
Square. Usually the balcony has much smaller overall dimensions. Its length is limited by the dimensions of the base plate, and the length of the loggia is limited by the dimensions of the adjacent room. This is due to the same design features. The balcony is a remote structure, so it cannot be too spacious.
Differences according to SNiP. According to building codes and regulations, a balcony is a fenced cantilever slab that protrudes beyond the facade and is closed on only one side.

The balcony is limited by the weight of the furniture placed on it. The balcony is less functional than the loggia. Since there are weight restrictions, it is recommended to choose lightweight aluminum frames for glazing the balcony. Plastic double-glazed windows can be used to glaze the loggia. A loggia can increase the area of the room adjacent to it, but a balcony cannot.

Difference in functionality and design

As for the functionality of these structures, the loggia wins. For example, already at the renovation stage, more funds are invested in the balcony space. It must be insulated and glazed on three sides, while the loggia must be on only one or, in rare cases, two. On the other hand, a balcony, which occupies a smaller area, requires less financial investment in the arrangement of the floor and ceiling.

The loggia is part of the apartment, while the balcony is an external structure. It has less functionality for arranging it as a work office or play area. The limited load and small width significantly reduce its potential.

The loggia can be turned into almost any room for any purpose. Free space and good natural light allow it to be used as a study. You don’t need a lot of furniture to set it up: just enough desk, necessary office equipment, shelves or bedside tables for documents. If necessary, natural lighting can always be enhanced with artificial lighting (built-in lamps, chandeliers, sconces).

A small tea table, lounger or rocking chair will turn the loggia into a cozy place to relax with a cup of coffee or your favorite book.

A rack or chest of drawers for children's toys, a soft, fleecy carpet on the floor, a drawing board and other little things will allow you to turn the loggia into a play area for children of different ages. In this case, of course, it is necessary to secure the space as much as possible: eliminate the presence of sharp corners and dangerous objects, install clamps on the double-glazed windows.

Winter Garden or a greenhouse - a “green” corner that can be arranged both on the loggia and on the balcony. Flower pots or flower pots can be placed around the perimeter of the parapet, on the outside or placed on the floor.

A spacious loggia often becomes an extension of the dining or kitchen area. Here you can install a rectangular or round table, countertop or even a bar counter. The balcony is limited in these possibilities, since it is impossible to insulate it using central heating radiators, and using portable heaters is not always convenient, and is also quite expensive.

The loggia allows you to install a heater, air conditioner, insulate the floor, use a variety of finishing options and decorative elements, and arrange massive, heavy furniture.

In addition to the above examples, a loggia is an ideal space for creating a home library, wardrobe, living room, summer kitchen, workshop and other premises. You just need to show your imagination and an ordinary loggia will turn into an additional, functionally significant room.

The choice of room into which a loggia or balcony will be converted depends on its area, dimensions, design features and capabilities.

A balcony can also be a great place to relax, grow plants, and store a lot of useful things. To do this, it is quite possible to place light shelves, small bedside tables or racks there. They can later be used to place sports equipment, clothing, bedding, toys, household utensils, sewing supplies, and tools.

By the way, a balcony can be an excellent greenhouse for growing certain types of vegetables, fruits or flowers.

A balcony, as you know, is a very useful addition to all the amenities of an apartment. Only often, when talking about it, what is actually meant is the loggia. So, what is the difference between a balcony and a loggia? In fact, as long as questions related to the purchase and sale of real estate do not arise, the specifics of one or the other may not concern you.

The fact is that the cost of your home can change significantly depending on what kind of summer premises you have. Therefore, it would be useful to find out what the difference is between a balcony and a loggia.

Photo difference between a loggia and a balcony

The definition of balcony and loggia, from an etymological point of view, must be sought in Italy. The first, the balcony, was a wide ledge near the windows, where residents liked to enjoy the fresh air. Over time, these areas began to be fenced off. The concept of loggia (loggia) usually means a niche in the wall, that is, unlike a balcony, it is located inside the building. But it will most likely not be possible to determine in this way what is better. It is more correct to find out how a balcony differs from a loggia according to the definition of SNiP.

Loggia and balcony - what are the differences?

These objects are more clearly defined as follows.

Balcony

A balcony is an enclosed cantilever structure that protrudes from the plane of the facade.

The entrance to it is made from the side of the room adjacent to it, and consists, as a rule, of a window and a door, which are combined into a single block.

Its slab is attached to the wall only from the entrance side, so its load-bearing capacity is small. Therefore, it is not recommended to overload typical balconies with bulky structures or too heavy materials.

Unlike the loggia, it is less functional.

Although the French balcony in its classic version does not have its own platform, it is nevertheless also classified as this type of structure.

Wrought iron open balcony

Today, few people leave it open. True, the standard dimensions, and, accordingly, the footage of the structure are very modest, but the practice of expanding it by moving it out, when the width of the balcony increases, allows you to ultimately get interesting results. The difference between a loggia and a balcony in terms of area is in favor of the second.

The dimensions of the balcony, unlike the loggia, are limited

Unlike a loggia, when talking about glazing a balcony, we mean the construction of three structures connected to each other through special corner connectors.

The resulting three-sided design can have the following options:

translucent, aquarium type, which maintains a full view or
glazed on one side, while the side walls are usually covered with siding or plastic panels, “erasing” the difference between a balcony and a loggia.

Glazing on one side only

Advice: Because of their lighter weight, aluminum structures are more suitable for glazing balconies rather than plastic ones - another difference. The maximum load for them in typical high-rise buildings is about 200 kg.

Loggia

A loggia is a structure that, unlike a balcony, is fenced not on four, but on three or two sides. The depth of the built-in room is limited by the norms of natural lighting of the rooms adjacent to the wall.

Corner loggia half recessed into the building

Its concrete slab, unlike a balcony slab, rests on semi-load-bearing or load-bearing walls of the building.

It is built into the building and is open, at least on one side it is not heated, since there are no heating devices there.

The open plane of the loggia can be triangular, for example, a “boot” in houses of the P-44t series.

The presence on its open side of a fence in the form of a parapet made of metal, concrete, concrete and metal or concrete, stone and metal, and today glass, is mandatory.

The entrance to the loggia is no different from the balcony: a block of windows and doors.

Balcony or loggia - the difference is thus determined mainly by differences in

method of connection to the wall;
number of open sides;
conditions of arrangement;
average area;
reliability.

The structure of the “boot” in the P-44T series

How to calculate the area of an apartment when purchasing

It would be very logical to simply sum up the areas of all its components. However, this is not quite true. Before the adoption of the new residential complex, the question of whether a balcony is part of an apartment was interpreted independently in different regions. Today, concepts such as “apartment area” and “total living area” are equal by law. Moreover, the area of unheated premises is excluded from the area of the apartment as unsuitable for living. However, in the technical passport of the BTI, the area of the latter is usually indicated as part of the apartment, but with special coefficients.

Distinguish by appearance types of summer rooms are very simple

What happens in practice? The buyer of an apartment in a new building is faced with two concepts of apartment area:

indicated in the certificate of ownership and
paid according to the contract.

Let's say you buy an apartment with a total area of 70 m2, which includes a balcony of 5 m2 and a loggia of 7 m2. In the first case, the coefficient of balconies and loggias is taken into account, i.e., the entire cost is paid for 58 m2, and for summer premises - taking into account reduction factors - 0.5 and 0.3, respectively.

If the area of unheated premises is taken into account in the contract, then you will have to pay for the entire 70 m2 in full.

Apartment plan P 44

Thus, depending on how the area of the apartment is calculated, the amount of housing cost will differ dramatically. Therefore, in order to avoid overpayment, in such situations, you first need to carefully study the investment agreement.

The situation is completely different: if a balcony or loggia is not listed in the BTI passport, a person will be forced to use this premises as common property or buy it separately. The price in this case will be negotiable. This issue, like others related to common property, for example, the repair of emergency structures, is resolved by the board of the HOA.