What is toughened glass?
Toughened glass, also known as safety glass or tempered glass, is a type of glass that is 5 times stronger than regular glass. Toughened glass is specially treated so that when it breaks, it breaks into small, blunt pieces under pressure, making it much safer than large shards of broken regular glass.
How is toughened glass made?
To make toughened glass, regular glass is heated to a high temperature of 650°C and then rapidly cooled. It becomes tougher and up to 400% – 500% more resistant to heat and stress than regular glass as a result. The main goal of the toughening procedure is to increase the glass’s structural durability and thermal strength, which will increase its resilience and capacity to tolerate heat.
How can you tell if glass is toughened?
Once the toughened glass has been installed, it is impossible to tell the difference between toughened glass and normal glass. To identify if a glass is toughened, look for a printed kitemark code BS EN 12150 in the corners of the glass.
If there is no code, there is really no way to visually verify if the glass is toughened without removing the glass unit. If you can remove the unit, you can see if the glass edges are smooth if it’s toughened.
Can you cut toughened glass?
No, you can’t cut toughened glass after it’s been toughened as it might shatter, weaken or become unfit for use. If you want your toughened glass to be a certain cut, you’d need to do it before the toughening process because it’s more precise and easier to do. Before the toughening process, you can cut your glass to any size and shape – there aren’t any limitations.
Where should you use toughened glass?
Toughened glass is great to use in the home, in workshops and greenhouses, as well as for tabletops, shower screens, glass shelves, kitchen splashbacks, internal partition walls and balustrades.
